150 of 152 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
On "Hearing and Writing Music" by Ron Gorow, November 25, 2002
"Hearing and Writing Music", by Ron Gorow, is a superb book. It makes a simple and elegant presentation of the internal process by which we hear sounds and music, how we recognize intervals, chords, melody, harmony, counterpoint, and the timbre of instrumentation/ orchestration, how we can develop the skills of listening, auditory memory and imagination, and how to use these skills to hear and to write down music of any sort. The hallmark of an expert is the ability to explain the basics of his field as simply as possible. By that standard, Mr. Gorow has proven his expertise in this book.
I note that the other reviews, both for Amazon and in musical journals, tend to limit the importance of "Hearing and Writing Music" to ear training. I believe that Mr. Gorow's book is valuable for much more than ear training. I have studied it, and as a result of that study, I believe that my auditory memory and imagination and my abilities in score reading have improved enormously. Further, I have been able to use the skills in this book to transcribe melodies, harmonies and counterpoint almost effortlessly, both those that I have heard, and those which existed only in my imagination. This book has opened many doors for me. I believe that it can do so for many others.
On a personal note, for the last 30 years, I have been able to hear and compose music in my imagination. Unfortunately, I have been almost exclusively self-taught, and I despaired of ever being able to write down what I heard. Mr. Gorow's book, and my use of it, has changed all that. I have just completed the first movement of a symphonic tone poem, and I intend on continuing to compose for the rest of my life.
I have studied many books on music theory, and have listened to and studied many pieces of music. If I may make an analogy, my studies had formed the equivalent of a crystalline solution. "Hearing and Writing Music" was the equivalent of a seed crystal, which put everything into order, and transformed me from a listener to a composer. I cannot recommend it highly enough for those who wish to become songwriters, arrangers, or composers, or those who wish to improve their skills.
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73 of 74 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you only own one music instruction book. . ., January 6, 2005
. . . make it this one!!
I was so impressed with this book, that I recently purchased the expanded second edition, even though I already have the first edition! I have never done that with any book before. (And as a musician with a B.A in Music Education who has almost a thousand music books in her library, that's saying something!)
The depth, range, and thoroughness of this book far outpaces any other book of its kind out there. Where else can one go from the very origins of sound itself, and the active listening and perception thereof, all the way to transcribing complex polyphonic works, orchestrations, and film scores, all in one book?
What I really enjoy about this book is its approach to listening to music beyond mere intervals and passive listening. It expands ones'hearing to phrases,and through texture and form as a whole. It is the first ear training method I've ever come across that actually addresses tetrachords, modality, chromaticism, and
sequences as tools, while most methods stop at the intervals and chords themselves. (There is even a section on tone rows!) Don't let the above words scare you; the book is very clearly written, with a minimum of technical jargon. Indeed, it actually encourages the reader to reach to the highest levels of musical perception, and in turn, prepares one for transcribing, composing,orchestrating,and performing.
The organization of the book is very clear and logical, from perception of sound itself,from sound to music, using the materials of music to transcription, perception to notation and communication with notation, through to performance and publishing. There is even a section on copyrights (not only in the paper domain, but the digital domain, as well!)
In addition, the sections on transcribing resources, supplies and books, and film score links on pp.384-399 alone are worth more than the price of the book itself.
Best of all, this book is written by someone who has been working in the business for over 40 years, and the labour of love shows in every page.
I was going to list my favorite parts of the book, but the list soon looked like the Table of Contents! For me, this isn't just one book; it is an amalgamation of all of the wonderful and inspiring professors and books that I've ever learned from. (This book is also a soothing balm over the scars left by incompetent, mean-spirited and ignorant teachers and outdated pedigogical curriculum--a certain Dr. Andersen from Fresno City College comes to mind!!)
Reading and working with this book will help any musician (even a non-musician who shows a cursory interest in music)reach his or her highest creative potential by expanding musical awareness and perception. I have since found that expanding creative awareness and perception in one endeavour carries over to other modes of human expression: painting, drawing, sculputure, dance, film, etc.
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84 of 89 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Something for every musician, December 23, 1999
This review is from: Hearing and Writing Music: Professional Training for Today's Musician (Paperback)
"Hearing and Writing Music" is a marvelously comprehensive and concretely practical book for musicians. There is something in this book for every musician, regardless of experience level. The beginning musician could read it methodically chapter-by-chapter, absorbing the text and carefully doing each exercise, while the professional musician might zero in on specific topics to enrich his knowledge and skills. I was especially intrigued by the discussion of the intervals as they relate to the harmonic series. Mr. Gorow strikes a delicate balance between scientific and aesthetic points of view; he explores the mathematical basis of music, while never losing sight of the artistic purpose of it. Mr. Gorow's method of transcription, which is perhaps the heart and soul of the book (though by no means its only purpose) is full of insight and practical advice. I applaud and heartily recommend this important and valuable book. - Andrew Kinney, professional composer/orchestrator
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