Scotland's Music: A History of the Traditional and Classic Music of Scotland from Early Times to the Present Day [Hardcover]

John Purser (Author), Stewart Conn (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 25, 2007

Encompassing traditional, classical, and popular music and placing them in their historical contexts, this all-embracing account of the history of music and musicians in Scotland stretches from the Stone Age to the present day. Adding vital information to the history of Scotland itself, it is copiously illustrated with examples of music and images of musicians, manuscripts, and instruments. Much more than a second edition to its award-winning predecessor, the text and illustrations have been substantially revised and extended to take account of new discoveries and research. Additional information is included on the reconstruction of the carnyx and of other archaeological finds; further exposure of the musician spies attached to the exiled Mary Queen of Scots; the use of number symbolism by Scottish composers, which includes a direct bearing on the significance of the Darien Scheme; discussion of the work of Cecil Coles, whose last composition was found on his body after his death in the World War I; and examinations of many more composers and topics.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An invaluable resource for scholars of Scottish and British music history."  —Choice

"Nothing like this cornucopia of discovery, this magisterial survey of the nation’s musical heritage . . . has been attempted, let alone achieved with such distinction and authority. . . . Purser writes with ebullient belief in his subject . . . should be in every library in the land."  —Scotland on Sunday

"The book is a milestone. . . . Anyone interested in any aspect of the nation's musical heritage . . . will find enlightenment in this lavishly illustrated book."  —The Herald

About the Author

John Purser is a writer and presenter of Radio Scotland's Scotland's Music series. Stewart Conn is a Scottish poet and playwright. He has worked for the BBC for several years, and was Edinburgh’s first poet laureate.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 430 pages
• Publisher: Mainstream Publishing (September 25, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1845961609
• ISBN-13: 978-1845961602
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,650,482 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Encyclopedia of Scottish Music, February 11, 2008

By 

Michael Newton (Antigonish, NS) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scotland's Music: A History of the Traditional and Classic Music of Scotland from Early Times to the Present Day (Hardcover)

Purser's large volume offers a broad overview of Scotland's music, from far off pre-history to modern times. Unlike many more specialized works, he incorporates a wide variety of sources and covers Highland as well as Lowland traditions with proper weight and attention given to Gaelic, Latin, Scots, Norse and Welsh. There are many useful illustrations and a detailed bibliography, making it very useful to the researcher. This is a great place to start to understand a rich and diverse history of music of all sorts in Scotland.

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitive source, February 8, 2008

By 

K. Henkel (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scotland's Music: A History of the Traditional and Classic Music of Scotland from Early Times to the Present Day (Hardcover)

Anyone who is doing any kind of reading or research on either traditional or classical music from Scotland should be familiar with this book. Purser outlines how the traditional and classical are related up to present times. He not only gives information on the composers, but also on the performing artists. Interested persons should also explore his radio program on BBC. The book is laid out that it could be read cover to cover or as a resource for looking up information on a specific topic.