Music: The Art of Listening w/CD-ROM [Paperback]

Jean Ferris (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0072883979 | ISBN-13: 978-0072883978 | Publication Date: December 12, 2002 | Edition: 6

Emphasizing music in the context of the society that surrounds it, Music: The Art of Listening weaves the development of Western music into the fabric of cultural history, paying special attention to the biographies of significant composers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 425 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages; 6 edition (December 12, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0072883979
• ISBN-13: 978-0072883978
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #318,599 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Real Music Appreciation, October 29, 2005

By 

Richard Greene (Milledgeville, Georgia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Music: The Art of Listening w/CD-ROM (Paperback)

Having taught music appreciation and music literature at the college level for nearly thirty years I have seen many books such as this one. This is one of the best. Where many authors are condescending, Ferris speaks straight to you; where many authors give irrelevant history and biography, Ferris focuses on the musical experience, using history and biography only as a tool for better understanding. Many books have the not-so-hidden agenda to make it clear that classical music is better than pop music in every way; but Ferris creates a more exploratory environment. Her sections on the music of non-Western cultures (Chinese, Japanese, Middle Eastern, African... and even Native American) are quite well focused, and these open up the mind to alternative -- and equal -- modes of listening and appreciating music as a human activity. The one weak area for me was the CD collection (always a problem as there are too many good choices). Earlier editions had a bit better selection. Some were supposed to be shifted to the extended collection, and the extended collection that is listed in the book is really wonderful. Unfortunately, that collection never materialized. The extended collection I received (twice) left off all the selections I was counting on for my class. But if the publisher ever gets that collection together, this really will be the best music appreciation book on the market.

Be forewarned: you do have to be able to read at a college level, and there is an expectation that you have some real music background, even if you can't read music. Over the years I have found that freshman college students have more and more trouble reading books at this level, but other books are no better. The Ferris book is smaller and more compact than most, has more relevant information than most, and creates the best experience of all.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book..., September 23, 2005

By 

Saresa Bass (OK) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Music: The Art of Listening w/CD-ROM (Paperback)

I bought this book because I need it for a class I'm in "Music and Culture." It is very helpful. I love the listening examples that they have throughout the book. Also the chapters are short and easy to understand. It gives you the basics and more. Overall, this is a really good book for school and for learning about music and some history of music.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I cried..it was that bad, September 7, 2005

By 

Joseph R. Esposito - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Music: The Art of Listening w/CD-ROM (Paperback)

I rarely write reviews unless a book is simply that incredible or particularly awful. Unfortunately, this book happens to be the latter. This "book" was probably one of the worst examples of educational literature ever written. Definitions are vaque, contraditory, too specific (that is, not the full definition), and overall confusing. This book was a requirement for a music class and if it werent for my preceding interest in music, I would probably be turned away from all styles and hang myself if I ever came in proximity to anything close to a "melody"--which by the way is probably the most poorly worded definition in the book.