Instrumental Virtuosi: A Bibliography of Biographical Materials (Music Reference Collection) [Hardcover]

Robert H. Cowden (Compiler)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0313260753 | ISBN-13: 978-0313260759 | Publication Date: April 24, 1989 | Edition: annotated edition

With Instrumental Virtuosi, Robert Cowden has completed his comprehensive three volume bibliography of musical performers. A compilation of resources drawn from dictionaries, encyclopedias, periodicals, and published materials by and about individual musicians, it is unequalled by any other work in scope and coverage. In addition to classical instrumentalists, artists in the pop and commercial tradition--such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Stephane Grappelli--are included. The first two sections of the book list some 300 works on various types of virtuosi, including brass players, keyboard artists, and string and woodwind players. These publications have been personally examined and annotated by Cowden. The final section contains alphabetical entries for more than 1,200 artists. In addition to biographical data, the entries list references to sources cited earlier in the volume, autobiographies and biographies, publications by the performers, related works, and compilations of memorabilia, scores, and reviews. Cross-referencing, an author index, and indexing to other musical references are supplied. With its two companion volumes--Concert and Opera Singers and Concert and Opera Conductors--Instrumental Virtuosi is likely to become the standard reference in its field. An appropriate acquisition for any music library or music reference shelf.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“With this volume Cowden has completed his project of three bibliographies about performers. His previous books, also published by Greenwood, are Concert and Opera Singers and Concert and Opera Conductors. The current work on instrumentalists is divided into several parts. The main section is an alphabetized list of individual artists with their birth and death dates and related bibliographic citations. There is also an index and four appendixes that provide handy cross-references to all sections, and there are two lists of books about performers. Cowden's selected virtuosi include players of the basic woodwinds and brasses, strings, organ, percussion, piano, and less common instruments such as harmonica and Jew's harp. The title, however, does not indicate the full scope of the contents, and some potential users may be surprised to discover that pop and jazz musicians constitute a hefty portion of the instrumentalists . . . a useful addition to almost any library.”–Choice

“This bibliography joins Cowden's two companion bibliographies on singers and conductors in concerts and opera to create an impressive and valuable source for researchers in music. This final volume in the trilogy focuses on notable instrumentalists in the classical and popular traditions. . . . A wide spectrum of music is covered. . . . This extended coverage adds greatly to the book's reference value. Several essential indexes round out this reference work . . .”–American Reference Books Annual

“With Instrumental Virtuosi, Robert Cowden has completed his comprehensive three volume bibliography of musical performers. A compilation of resources drawn from dictionaries, encyclopedias, periodicals, and published materials by and about individual musicians, it is unequalled by any other work in scope and coverage. . . . In addition to biographical data, the entries list references to sources cited earlier in the volume, autobiographies and biographies, publications by the performers, related works, and compilations of memorabilia, scores, and reviews. Cross-referencing, an author index, and indexing to other musical references are supplied. With its two companion volumes--Concert and Opera Singers and Concert and Opera Conductors--Instrumental Virtuosi is likely to become the standard reference in its field. An appropriate acquisition for any music library or music reference shelf.”–The Violexchange

About the Author

ROBERT H. COWDEN is Professor of Music at San Jose State University.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 366 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood Press; annotated edition edition (April 24, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313260753
• ISBN-13: 978-0313260759
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,737,029 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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