Understanding Music (3rd Edition) [Paperback]

Jeremy Yudkin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 22, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0130405906 | ISBN-13: 978-0130405906 | Edition: 3

For one-quarter/two-semester, undergraduate-level courses in Music Appreciation/Introduction to Music, and Music History in Departments of Music, Arts, Fine Arts, or Humanities. Designed to help instructors teach the way they want to teach, Prentice Hall has assembled a music appreciation program with a maximum amount of flexibility and choice which supports the instructor's ultimate goal of teaching active learning. It focuses on music of the Western tradition in its social, historical, and global context, and engages students in a total active listening experience of that music through lively text and innovative activities-all supported by accompanying CD recordings, CD-ROM interactive tutorials/guides, and videos.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This book focuses on music of the Western tradition in a global context. Historical and cultural background are clearly explained, but the emphasis is on "active listening." A number of completely fresh pieces are integrated among the universally acknowledged masterpieces, and all are presented in fine performances, accompanied by illuminating and accessible Listening Guides. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

• Emphasizes careful listening, with an entire chapter devoted to the Art of Listening
• Places Western music in a global context
• Clarifies the distinct stylistic features of each historical oeriod, with chapter-end Style Summaries
• Explores the contributions of women throughout the ages
• Considers music of other cultures
• Incldues popular music in historical context

FOR THE TEACHER

• Annotated Instructor's Edition filled with helpful classroom suggestions
• Instructor's Resource Manual with chapter summaries, related readings, tests, and much more
• Computerized Test Bank in PC and Mac formats
• Custom Videotape compiled especially for Understanding Music
• Bonus CD contains additional useful, amusing, and instructive recordings

FOR THE STUDENT

• Companion Website^® (www.prenhall.com/yudkin)
• CD-ROM containing the Listening Guides from the book in interactive format, composer biographies, and more
• Student Study Guide with chapter overviews, study questions, and listening exercises

LISTENING PACKAGES

• 7-CD Complete Collection with all of the music discussed in Understanding Music
• 3-CD Student Collection with the main musical selections from the book
• Expanded Repertoire Custom CD Contact your local Prentice Hall representative for details

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 494 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 3 edition (June 22, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130405906
• ISBN-13: 978-0130405906
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 7.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #650,458 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not good for Music Appreciation text, October 11, 2005

By 

Dr. Bizzy Bee "Dr. Bizzy Bee" (KS USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Understanding Music (4th Edition) (Paperback)

I've used this book for three years and am eager to trade it for something else. Why? 1) Musical examples are chosen seemingly because Yudkin got tired of the tried-and-true favorites (Bach Brandenburg Concerti are not on the student CD set, but the St. Matthew Passion is. As a result, the students may get to hear Bach Brandenburg Concerti in class but can't listen on their own). Same is true for Verdi: Otello is included, but not Rigoletto or La Traviata? 2) This text is written for the average music major (not stellar, just average), rather than a music appreciation student. He assumes much greater knowledge of instruments, timbre, texture, and familiarity with general musical terms than any introductory student will have. 3) An exasperating dilemma: many works on the instructor CD set are not on the student set, despite those being the better selections. Why not put the obscure works on the instructor CDs, and let students have access to really great works? For example, when he selected a recording of a madrigal, he picked one that has two females singing a verse, then two males singing a verse...nothing at all like 95% of all madrigals students would ever be likely to hear. The reason? He knows the performers on the CD! Students never get to hear real text painting as every "real" madrigal illustrates. It's hard to build on that when asking students to understand the concept of text painting.

Anyway, I'm not Yudkin-bashing, but there are definitely problems with this text that need to be addressed.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Poor Glossary/Index, Very vague, April 9, 2007

By 

Joshuah Faringont "Josh" (Maine) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Understanding Music (4th Edition) (Paperback)

This book is abysmal. I have used it this semester for an "Art of Listening to Music" course. The glossary is a whole 4 1/2 pages for a 500 page book; it includes maybe half of the vocab in the book. The index is even worse. It may have the term you are looking for, but the chances are it will not refer you to the context you want it in. I also found this book to be very vague over all. This could be for one of two reasons. First it's an introductory book, secondly I'm a math major and I demand very thorough proofs. However, neither of these reasons are an excuse for not defining a word that is only used in the musical world (Scherzo for example. The book uses it throughout, yet never says anything more then it means "to joke" in Italian. Yeah, thanks, very helpful) and continually using that word throughout the text. Horrible book, avoid at all costs, and if you have a class that uses it don't take it!

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Understanding Music minus CD's!, February 8, 2008

By 

H. Marshall - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Understanding Music (Reprint) (5th Edition) (Paperback)

This book does not come with the CD's that most college students will need. I returned the book because it did not have the disks with it and was able to find a book locally thru my college book store that came with the 3CD student disk set for less money than I paid for it with out the disks thru Amazon.com