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Chris Ingham

Music: The Definitive Visual History (Dk Smithsonian) Paperback – October 6, 2015

by DK (Author)

269 ratings

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Humans have always made music and this authoritative and lavishly illustrated guide is your companion to its fascinating history across the globe.

Music – that mysterious alchemy of harmonies, lyrics, and rhythm – is a constant in our lives. Discover how music has evolved with human society, accompanying our leisure, religious rituals, and popular festivities. Watch its development during prehistory and before musical notation, when melodies were memorized or improvised. Enjoy galleries of historical instruments such as dulcimers, shawms, psalteries, and tabor pipes.

The universal language of music is expressed in an astonishing number of styles today, and Music presents its evolution around the globe, including the classical European tradition of JS Bach, the passionate sounds of Spain’s flamenco, and the sonic power of electronica and heavy rock.

With spectacular timelines of key events and profiles of musicians from Amadeus Mozart to David Bowie, Music is an unrivaled and comprehensive reference. Whether you are into the Blues, Brahms, or Bhangra, it is essential reading and guaranteed to hit the right note.

Print length

480 pages
Language

English
Publisher

DK
Publication date

October 6, 2015
Dimensions

8.44 x 1.14 x 10.06 inches
ISBN-10

9781465442468
ISBN-13

978-1465442468
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Music…guides readers through the progression of music from its prehistoric beginnings, discussing not just Western classical music, but music from all around the world." – Publishers Weekly

About the Author

DK was founded in London in 1974 and is now the world's leading illustrated reference publisher and part of Penguin Random House, formed on July 1, 2013. DK publishes highly visual, photographic nonfiction for adults and children. DK produces content for consumers in over 87 countries and in 62 languages, with offices in Delhi, London, Melbourne, Munich, New York, and Toronto. DK's aim is to inform, enrich, and entertain readers of all ages, and everything DK publishes, whether print or digital, embodies the unique DK design approach. DK brings unrivalled clarity to a wide range of topics with a unique combination of words and pictures, put together to spectacular effect. We have a reputation for innovation in design for both print and digital products. Our adult range spans travel, including the award-winning DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, history, science, nature, sport, gardening, cookery, and parenting. DK’s extensive children’s list showcases a fantastic store of information for children, toddlers, and babies. DK covers everything from animals and the human body, to homework help and craft activities, together with an impressive list of licensing titles, including the bestselling LEGO® books. DK acts as the parent company for Alpha Books, publisher of the Idiot's Guides series and Prima Games, video gaming publishers, as well as the award-winning travel publisher, Rough Guides.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1465442464
Publisher ‏ : ‎ DK; Reprint edition (October 6, 2015)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 480 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781465442468
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1465442468
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.47 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.44 x 1.14 x 10.06 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #27,033 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #6 in Musical Philosophy & Social Aspects
- #18 in Music History & Criticism (Books)
- #18 in Music Reference (Books)

Customer Reviews:
269 ratings

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5 star		86%
4 star		7%
3 star		4%
2 star 0% (0%)		0%
1 star		2%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Zayd

Excellent!

Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2021

Verified Purchase

This is an excellent book that offers an encyclopedic overview of music from ancient to modern times. It thoroughly details each musical era, its social and cultural context, and covers the life and work of every major composer who ever lived, making for a lovely all-in-one reference book of music history. A worthwhile addition to anyone's library.

Helpful

gwh

Buy this book for entertainment and an encyclopedic coverage of the wide world of music

Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2014

Verified Purchase

I'm glad that I bought this book, and I'm enjoying reading it.

It's comprehensive. Facing pages present one topic, and there are helpful and interesting photos. There are insets with descriptions of a related or more detailed topic. This is a coffee-table book, so it's big and heavy. It's high quality with glossy paper and high-resolution photographs.

I didn't give five stars because I have read about half of the book, and I've found a few minor errors, such as a wrong name or date. For examples, Domenico Scarlatti was born in 1685, the same year as J. S. Bach and Handel, and his father, Alejandro, wasn't still a child at his birth. The myth that the audience rioted at the premier of Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" due to dissonances in the music is perpetuated. (The audience was outraged at the dancing; the music was well received.)

This is a good book for a young person learning about music, as well as for myself. I know a lot about some genres of music, but I'm learning new things about other genres as I read. This book is truly encyclopedic.

14 people found this helpful

Helpful

Judy T.

Disappointed

Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2020

Verified Purchase

It looks very interesting but the print is very small and when I make the print larger, the pages are very difficult to work with. When I first open the book, there were instructions. I can't find those instructions so I can see if they can help me. The book looks very interesting and I am very disappointed that I can't make it work for me. Times are especially hard now and it is no time to not get your money's worth in a purchase.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Louise D.

Informative and interesting.

Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2020

Verified Purchase

My husband wanted a book that would give him the history of the development of music and after much searching I found this on Amazon. It was supplied by a bookstore as a preowned book but is in excellent condition. However, the print is very small so be prepared to use a magnifying glass to read it. Also, a very heavy book. Not for one's lap.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Angelo

Beautiful Book

Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2020

Verified Purchase

The photography in this book is spectecular. Focused short reading sections covering a good amount of material but not too much such it would be overly detailed.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Lorilicia

Beautifully written and illustrated

Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2020

Verified Purchase

I bought this for my Dad's birthday. He plays piano beautifully and absolutely loves all the detailed musical information it contains.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Emma

Great value

Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2021

Verified Purchase

Great insightful book, a good present for music enthusiasts.

Helpful

Great to read

Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2021

Verified Purchase

Love Smithsonian books.

Helpful

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Anna (Ontario, Canada)

Good book

Reviewed in Canada on February 9, 2019

Verified Purchase

The book itself is great. However, I was more interested in history of classical music but this book focuses on all genres and all countries. Only 1/3 (or less) of the book is about the classical period of music history. Overall good quality, illustrations, and presentation.

Arlei Machado França

Nunca vi nada igual!

Reviewed in Brazil on July 12, 2021

Verified Purchase

Comprei achando que era um bom livro sobre a história da música, instrumentos e alguns músicos, mas ele é simplesmente EXCELENTE! Aborda tudo e daí é pesquisar mais por conta própria. Leitura pra muuuuitos dias, meses... Coisa de expert pra quem tem qq interesse relacionado à música! Amei e vou recomendar sempre que puder!

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Yves Bégin

Très bien

Reviewed in Canada on December 23, 2020

Verified Purchase

La couverture était un peu endommagée. Il faudrait prendre plus de soin lors de l'envoi d'un livre .

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Elena P.

Panoramica sulla storia ed i generi della musica

Reviewed in Italy on August 29, 2018

Verified Purchase

Ottima panoramica sulla storia della musica ed i generi musicali. Una buona introduzione per chi non è esperto ma vuole imparare!

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ANGELO JR

Excelente

Reviewed in Brazil on August 20, 2021

Verified Purchase

Bom vendedor, estou muito satisfeito com a compra e o produto.

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