The World of Great Composers by David EwenReview by: Helen E. BushNotes, Second Series, Vol. 21, No. 1/2 (Winter, 1963 - Spring, 1964), pp. 137-138Published by: Music Library AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/894852 .

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that no copies of the songsters have been located.

There were no less than 3,788 different songs published in the 118 songsters brought out by Beadle and Adams be- tween 1858 and 1870-a tremendous repertory. A study of the repetitions which went to make up the total of 6,600 is in itself very revealing; a comparative examination of this listing and that of the Library Company's collection is even more so. Music librarians will probably not wish to have this volume on their own shelves, but they should surely be aware of its existence (and its potential usefulness to their clientele) elsewhere in their institutions.

IRVING LOWENS

A Survey of Christian Hymnody. By William Jensen Reynolds. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1963. [xv, 320 p., music, bibl., 8vo; $6.00]

This volume was designed-and very well designed-as a textbook for courses in hymnody at the college level which might be offered by seminaries. The sub- ject is approached historically through concise and clearly written treatments of five major subject areas: early church song; the Lutheran chorale; psalmody; English hymnody; and American hym- nody. Just how concise the text is can be gathered from the fact that only 135 of its 320 pages are devoted to the actual narrative.

Two features of the volume strike me as being unusual enough to merit men- tion-the anthology of 160 hymns it con- tains which was planned to illustrate the development of the genre, and the notable stress on the history of American hymnody. When these are added to Dr. Reynolds' neat, plain prose style, his decidedly rare ability to condense a com- plicated subject without distorting it, and a refreshingly accurate and unbiased treatment, you come up with a distinctly superior job. Indeed, I know of no better textbook in this field, and I have an idea that this Survey of Christian Hym- nody will set the standard for some time to come.

IRVING LOWENS

that no copies of the songsters have been located.

There were no less than 3,788 different songs published in the 118 songsters brought out by Beadle and Adams be- tween 1858 and 1870-a tremendous repertory. A study of the repetitions which went to make up the total of 6,600 is in itself very revealing; a comparative examination of this listing and that of the Library Company's collection is even more so. Music librarians will probably not wish to have this volume on their own shelves, but they should surely be aware of its existence (and its potential usefulness to their clientele) elsewhere in their institutions.

IRVING LOWENS

A Survey of Christian Hymnody. By William Jensen Reynolds. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1963. [xv, 320 p., music, bibl., 8vo; $6.00]

This volume was designed-and very well designed-as a textbook for courses in hymnody at the college level which might be offered by seminaries. The sub- ject is approached historically through concise and clearly written treatments of five major subject areas: early church song; the Lutheran chorale; psalmody; English hymnody; and American hym- nody. Just how concise the text is can be gathered from the fact that only 135 of its 320 pages are devoted to the actual narrative.

Two features of the volume strike me as being unusual enough to merit men- tion-the anthology of 160 hymns it con- tains which was planned to illustrate the development of the genre, and the notable stress on the history of American hymnody. When these are added to Dr. Reynolds' neat, plain prose style, his decidedly rare ability to condense a com- plicated subject without distorting it, and a refreshingly accurate and unbiased treatment, you come up with a distinctly superior job. Indeed, I know of no better textbook in this field, and I have an idea that this Survey of Christian Hym- nody will set the standard for some time to come.

IRVING LOWENS

that no copies of the songsters have been located.

There were no less than 3,788 different songs published in the 118 songsters brought out by Beadle and Adams be- tween 1858 and 1870-a tremendous repertory. A study of the repetitions which went to make up the total of 6,600 is in itself very revealing; a comparative examination of this listing and that of the Library Company's collection is even more so. Music librarians will probably not wish to have this volume on their own shelves, but they should surely be aware of its existence (and its potential usefulness to their clientele) elsewhere in their institutions.

IRVING LOWENS

A Survey of Christian Hymnody. By William Jensen Reynolds. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1963. [xv, 320 p., music, bibl., 8vo; $6.00]

This volume was designed-and very well designed-as a textbook for courses in hymnody at the college level which might be offered by seminaries. The sub- ject is approached historically through concise and clearly written treatments of five major subject areas: early church song; the Lutheran chorale; psalmody; English hymnody; and American hym- nody. Just how concise the text is can be gathered from the fact that only 135 of its 320 pages are devoted to the actual narrative.

Two features of the volume strike me as being unusual enough to merit men- tion-the anthology of 160 hymns it con- tains which was planned to illustrate the development of the genre, and the notable stress on the history of American hymnody. When these are added to Dr. Reynolds' neat, plain prose style, his decidedly rare ability to condense a com- plicated subject without distorting it, and a refreshingly accurate and unbiased treatment, you come up with a distinctly superior job. Indeed, I know of no better textbook in this field, and I have an idea that this Survey of Christian Hym- nody will set the standard for some time to come.

IRVING LOWENS

The World of Great Composers. Edited by David Ewen. Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice-Hall, 1962. [xiii, 576 p., bibl., 8vo; $10.00]

There is no one better qualified to write a book for the general public on the world's great composers than David Ewen. For some 30 years now Mr. Ewen has been covering every phase of musical knowledge with his interests varying from the popular music encyclopedia to the more serious biographies of Haydn, Schubert, Toscanini, Richard Rogers, Jerome Kern, and Leonard Bernstein. Many of his more than 40 books have dealt with music in the United States which is all to the good since it is claimed that more people have read his works than those of any other living writer on music and musicians.

With this extensive background, then, it is interesting to see how such a writer approaches the presentation of thirty-seven of the world's greatest com- posers ranging in time from Palestrina to Debussy. What Mr. Ewen has come up with is quite a novel organization of his material. A chapter is devoted to each composer, describing him from four points of view. First there is a brief biography written by the editor himself. Next comes an informal revealing por- trait of the composer as a man, written by a contemporary. After that there is the real heart of each chapter, a critical appraisal of the composer's work by a leading musicologist, scholar, or critic. Finally there is an excerpt from the com- poser's own writings discussing some work or phase of a work, his health, his frustrations, hopes, and successes. It is a novel approach but one that is emi- nently effective. For instance, we read with interest what Karl Geiringer writes about Brahms the man, and what Alma Mahler Werfel reveals about her husband. It is not only informative but worth our serious attention to read what Paul Bekker has to say about Beethoven, or what Edward Dent has written about Richard Wagner from the same point of view. And on the personal side few would surmise from Vivaldi's charming and delightful music that he "had an ailment that has burdened me since

The World of Great Composers. Edited by David Ewen. Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice-Hall, 1962. [xiii, 576 p., bibl., 8vo; $10.00]

There is no one better qualified to write a book for the general public on the world's great composers than David Ewen. For some 30 years now Mr. Ewen has been covering every phase of musical knowledge with his interests varying from the popular music encyclopedia to the more serious biographies of Haydn, Schubert, Toscanini, Richard Rogers, Jerome Kern, and Leonard Bernstein. Many of his more than 40 books have dealt with music in the United States which is all to the good since it is claimed that more people have read his works than those of any other living writer on music and musicians.

With this extensive background, then, it is interesting to see how such a writer approaches the presentation of thirty-seven of the world's greatest com- posers ranging in time from Palestrina to Debussy. What Mr. Ewen has come up with is quite a novel organization of his material. A chapter is devoted to each composer, describing him from four points of view. First there is a brief biography written by the editor himself. Next comes an informal revealing por- trait of the composer as a man, written by a contemporary. After that there is the real heart of each chapter, a critical appraisal of the composer's work by a leading musicologist, scholar, or critic. Finally there is an excerpt from the com- poser's own writings discussing some work or phase of a work, his health, his frustrations, hopes, and successes. It is a novel approach but one that is emi- nently effective. For instance, we read with interest what Karl Geiringer writes about Brahms the man, and what Alma Mahler Werfel reveals about her husband. It is not only informative but worth our serious attention to read what Paul Bekker has to say about Beethoven, or what Edward Dent has written about Richard Wagner from the same point of view. And on the personal side few would surmise from Vivaldi's charming and delightful music that he "had an ailment that has burdened me since

The World of Great Composers. Edited by David Ewen. Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice-Hall, 1962. [xiii, 576 p., bibl., 8vo; $10.00]

There is no one better qualified to write a book for the general public on the world's great composers than David Ewen. For some 30 years now Mr. Ewen has been covering every phase of musical knowledge with his interests varying from the popular music encyclopedia to the more serious biographies of Haydn, Schubert, Toscanini, Richard Rogers, Jerome Kern, and Leonard Bernstein. Many of his more than 40 books have dealt with music in the United States which is all to the good since it is claimed that more people have read his works than those of any other living writer on music and musicians.

With this extensive background, then, it is interesting to see how such a writer approaches the presentation of thirty-seven of the world's greatest com- posers ranging in time from Palestrina to Debussy. What Mr. Ewen has come up with is quite a novel organization of his material. A chapter is devoted to each composer, describing him from four points of view. First there is a brief biography written by the editor himself. Next comes an informal revealing por- trait of the composer as a man, written by a contemporary. After that there is the real heart of each chapter, a critical appraisal of the composer's work by a leading musicologist, scholar, or critic. Finally there is an excerpt from the com- poser's own writings discussing some work or phase of a work, his health, his frustrations, hopes, and successes. It is a novel approach but one that is emi- nently effective. For instance, we read with interest what Karl Geiringer writes about Brahms the man, and what Alma Mahler Werfel reveals about her husband. It is not only informative but worth our serious attention to read what Paul Bekker has to say about Beethoven, or what Edward Dent has written about Richard Wagner from the same point of view. And on the personal side few would surmise from Vivaldi's charming and delightful music that he "had an ailment that has burdened me since

137 137 137

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birth" even to the extent of precluding him from celebrating Mass.

This book should be read not only by the layman but by the serious musician as well as it is highly readable and at the same time factual. While a compila- tion of so many various writings neces- sarily eliminates continuity of style, nevertheless the make-up of the book offers an authenticity about each com- poser that far outbalances any stylistic loss that might occur.

The author has chosen not to encum- ber each chapter with its own bibli- ography or bibliographical footnotes but has collected all pertinent detail in the three appendices. The first appendix lists the principal works of each com- poser. The second offers selected bibli- ographies in English only, both of a general nature and on the individual composers. The third appendix contains a short statement concerning each con- tributor.

This is a book worthy of any and every man's library.

HELEN E. BUSH

The Way of Music. By William E. Brandt. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1963. [viii, 630 p., illus., ports., music, bibl., 8vo; $6.95]

Teachers of introductory courses in music will find in Brandt's The Way of Music one more possible textbook for their classes. It is attractively printed, sensitive to certain standard works in the literature, and reasonable in price. At the same time it is in no way re- markable. It follows the same sound plan as most introductory texts: an ex- planation of the elements of music, cou- pled with some consideration of the flow of music history in terms of biography, periods, and stylistic changes; however, one might question the proportions and the manner of presentation in the book. The two chapters dealing with the ele- ments of music come to only 62 pages, the remainder to 552. Part of the first chapter, entitled "Theory for the Lis- tener," is devoted to esthetics and part to the relationship between music and the other arts. Chapter II is given over en- tirely to the instruments of the orchestra.

birth" even to the extent of precluding him from celebrating Mass.

This book should be read not only by the layman but by the serious musician as well as it is highly readable and at the same time factual. While a compila- tion of so many various writings neces- sarily eliminates continuity of style, nevertheless the make-up of the book offers an authenticity about each com- poser that far outbalances any stylistic loss that might occur.

The author has chosen not to encum- ber each chapter with its own bibli- ography or bibliographical footnotes but has collected all pertinent detail in the three appendices. The first appendix lists the principal works of each com- poser. The second offers selected bibli- ographies in English only, both of a general nature and on the individual composers. The third appendix contains a short statement concerning each con- tributor.

This is a book worthy of any and every man's library.

HELEN E. BUSH

The Way of Music. By William E. Brandt. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1963. [viii, 630 p., illus., ports., music, bibl., 8vo; $6.95]

Teachers of introductory courses in music will find in Brandt's The Way of Music one more possible textbook for their classes. It is attractively printed, sensitive to certain standard works in the literature, and reasonable in price. At the same time it is in no way re- markable. It follows the same sound plan as most introductory texts: an ex- planation of the elements of music, cou- pled with some consideration of the flow of music history in terms of biography, periods, and stylistic changes; however, one might question the proportions and the manner of presentation in the book. The two chapters dealing with the ele- ments of music come to only 62 pages, the remainder to 552. Part of the first chapter, entitled "Theory for the Lis- tener," is devoted to esthetics and part to the relationship between music and the other arts. Chapter II is given over en- tirely to the instruments of the orchestra.

This means that such essentials as meter, rhythm, melody, scales, intervals, tonality, or texture must necessarily be com- pressed into a very small space. Granted that many of these elementary concepts can and must be explained in the class- room, one nevertheless wonders if an average or, indeed, an above-average stu- dent could cope with the historical sec- tion on such a meager theoretical founda- tion.

In the historical section the progress of music history is taken up in order from the Medieval Period-the Preface says Renaissance!-to the present. The author obviously has a wide grasp of musical literature and an understanding of the main events which shaped its history. But once again so much is at- tempted in such relatively little space that the reader may well boggle at what he is expected to learn. Many statements are so general that they dissolve into vagueness, or else so concentrated that they are hard to digest. Also, unfortu- nately, they are sometimes downright wrong. Wagner is a case in point. The author chooses excerpts from the Ring and Tristan as his examples. At one point he states that "Siegfried's Rhine Journey" occurs "one opera later than the 'Magic Fire Music'," which is not the case. Was Tristan really dead when Isolde arrived in Act III? The tenor would certainly be unhappy if this were true. Which of the printed musical mo- tives apply to the "Liebestod?" The author never says, and the two most im- portant ones are copied out of Act II anyhow, not from the "Liebestod" to which the students have presumably lis- tened.

It would be picayune to complain about the treatment of Wagner if this were an isolated instance in an otherwise out- standing book, but the same laxness of responsibility occurs, perhaps to a lesser degree, in other areas. Despite its good features, the book contains careless errors in typography, specific information, and musical notation which may raise need- less, time-consuming questions in the classroom, and which mar the author's good intentions.

PHILIP KEPPLER

This means that such essentials as meter, rhythm, melody, scales, intervals, tonality, or texture must necessarily be com- pressed into a very small space. Granted that many of these elementary concepts can and must be explained in the class- room, one nevertheless wonders if an average or, indeed, an above-average stu- dent could cope with the historical sec- tion on such a meager theoretical founda- tion.

In the historical section the progress of music history is taken up in order from the Medieval Period-the Preface says Renaissance!-to the present. The author obviously has a wide grasp of musical literature and an understanding of the main events which shaped its history. But once again so much is at- tempted in such relatively little space that the reader may well boggle at what he is expected to learn. Many statements are so general that they dissolve into vagueness, or else so concentrated that they are hard to digest. Also, unfortu- nately, they are sometimes downright wrong. Wagner is a case in point. The author chooses excerpts from the Ring and Tristan as his examples. At one point he states that "Siegfried's Rhine Journey" occurs "one opera later than the 'Magic Fire Music'," which is not the case. Was Tristan really dead when Isolde arrived in Act III? The tenor would certainly be unhappy if this were true. Which of the printed musical mo- tives apply to the "Liebestod?" The author never says, and the two most im- portant ones are copied out of Act II anyhow, not from the "Liebestod" to which the students have presumably lis- tened.

It would be picayune to complain about the treatment of Wagner if this were an isolated instance in an otherwise out- standing book, but the same laxness of responsibility occurs, perhaps to a lesser degree, in other areas. Despite its good features, the book contains careless errors in typography, specific information, and musical notation which may raise need- less, time-consuming questions in the classroom, and which mar the author's good intentions.

PHILIP KEPPLER

138 138

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