Customer Reviews

The Development of Western Music: A History.Third Edition

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
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I recently bought this book and found it to be outstanding. Ihave read quite a few music books including library references(although not text books - which this is) and found this book to be quite readable yet scholarly and comprehensive. There are many insets devoted to major composers, virtually no significant composer is omitted and there are many maps showing the cultural settings of the varius music periods. There are couple page summaries at the end of chapters. Unlike some books you're half way through by the time you get to Beethoven. I was glad that there is extensive coverage to medieval and renaissance music. The latin liturgy is well explained. The book shows well the place of music history in the general history of the west - in fact I got some new insights about western history. Lastly it is reasonably price for a college text. END

Ironically, during my undergraduate years I thought this book contained a little too much information. While the format was appealing, I relied on my professor's concise notes... However, now that I am in graduate school and am forced to read 'Soundings' by Watkins I am thanking my lucky stars for Stolba's 'Development of Western Music.' This book is a life saver! It's to the point, comprehensive, yet concise. This book shows me the difference between scholarly writing and someone that just likes to hear himself talk... The index and table of contents make this book a very handy reference.

I recently bought this book and found it to be outstanding. Ihave read quite a few music books including library references(although not text books - which this is) and found this book to be quite readable yet scholarly and comprehensive. There are many insets devoted to major composers, virtually no significant composer is omitted and there are many maps showing the cultural settings of the varius music periods. There are couple page summaries at the end of chapters. Unlike some books you're half way through by the time you get to Beethoven. I was glad that there is extensive coverage to medieval and renaissance music. The latin liturgy is well explained. The book shows well the place of music history in the general history of the west - in fact I got some new insights about western history. Lastly it is reasonably price for a college text.

I had to look twice when I bought this book, cause it only cost me a 1.97. What a deal!!! For a book that is normally like over 25 bucks, I was thrilled. I would buy from this seller again.

This is a good history. Unlike some textbooks, it doesn't get bogged down in irrelevant detail. The section on Haydn's symphonies is an example; a good overview is given, with relevant decriptions, so that a listener could explore this set of 100-plus symphonies with some kind of overview or roadmap. The first section on Greek music is good & concise. I recommend this, and the second editions are dirt-cheap.

Well, it's all in the title really. I received the product in a timely manner and was practically new, though it was listed as used.