23 used & new from $0.63

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
 
Lectionary of Music, The
  

Lectionary of Music, The (Paperback)

~ Nicholas Slonimsky (Author)
2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)


Available from these sellers.


4 new from $11.75 19 used from $0.63

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
  Hardcover, May 31, 1989 -- $4.28 $0.30
  Paperback, July 31, 1990 -- $11.75 $0.63

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The Listener's Companion: Great Composers and Their Works

The Listener's Companion: Great Composers and Their Works

by Nicolas Slonimsky
4.5 out of 5 stars (2)  $19.95
Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

From the history of Mary Had A Little Lamb to the structure and tone of the concerto grosso, Slonimsky explains musical forms, instruments, works and terms from A to Z. He describes the banjo and the belly dance, Menotti opera and Gershwin tunes, histrionic conductors and the inception of the phonograph, all with vast knowledge and likable wit. Slonimsky's writing is both informed and accessible, making his wisdom a professional gem, a novice's bible and good fun for anyone who likes to read. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.


From Library Journal

This book sparkles with Slonimskian fact and fun. While students and scholars should hang on to their graver Harvard and Oxford dictionaries, all music lovers can be enlightened and amused by this "reading" lectionary. Set out from A to Z, the entries range from music terms, styles, and major concepts to opera synopses and musical trivia; fully a third are names of compositions. The musical polymath Slonimsky, who has also given us a lexicon of musical invective, treats all entries with an inimitable authority mixed with wit and telling anecdote. An occassional prejudice surfaces, as in the entry for animal voices: the "gibbon . . . has the loudest voice among primates, not excluding coloratura sopranos." Recommended, especially for public libraries.
- Steven J. Squires, Univ. of North Carolina Lib., Chapel Hill
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 521 pages
  • Publisher: Anchor (August 1, 1990)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0385414218
  • ISBN-13: 978-0385414210
  • Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 1.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,490,626 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

More About the Author

Nicolas Slonimsky
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Visit Amazon's Nicolas Slonimsky Page

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?


Tag this product

 (What's this?)
Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.
Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

 

Customer Reviews

2 Reviews
5 star:    (0)
4 star:    (0)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
2.5 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, with some caveats, June 16, 2003
There is no question that Slonimsky's Lectionary is an educated, entertaining and astonishingly encyclopedic resource worthy of repeated samplings. It is full of fascinating trivia, juicy invective, idiosyncratic perspectives and potent conversation starters. But as one of the editorial reviews cautions: keep your Harvard or Oxford dictionary around. It is not necessarily a reference.

Slonimsky appears to have a profound grasp of "classical music", though he is uneven. See the write-up on "fugue" and, if you are knowledge in the subject, you will likely find it wanting and even, in places, misinformed. Surprising, given the importance of the subject. But Slonimsky really shows his biases in any of his several entries on American musical genres. Read any of the following and you will find misconception, error, a dismissive attitude and a lack of sophistication, exposure and understanding: blues, jazz, bluegrass, pop, ragtime, and even, despite the editorial review, banjo. This is not a case of humorous invective: it is a case of erroneous glibness. The entries should quite simply be removed from the book.

Perhaps no one would expect to find detailed and revealing entries for these topics in Slonimsky's books. But why are they even included? Worse, it casts suspicions on other entries that stray from the classics (e.g. world musics). In the end, it suggests that his apparently encyclopedic output is in fact too good to be true. But I would be the first to admit that his book got me thinking enough to respond. Fun and informative, but at times, mis-informative. In the end, I would not consider it a reference.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars correction of previous review by same author, December 11, 2003
By Kai Christiansen (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Lectionary of Music (Hardcover)
I was curious to see if my own slightly negative but objective, fair and even balanced review would be displayed by Amazon. Happily, it is (see above). However, the caveat about my review applying to a previous or no longer available version of the book is NOT true. In fact, there is no way for the editors to know what version I have. Indeed, it is the very same version currently available from Amazon (521 pages, 1989). This seems like a mistake that ought to be corrected, or it is a dishonest way to disclaim my criticism. I would challenge others to refute my claims. I will also think less of Amazon if this is followup is not posted or my original review corrected by removing the erroneous note from the editors.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 

Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   



So You'd Like to...


Create a guide

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:







i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...
 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.



Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.