America's Musical Life: A History [Hardcover] Review

In the late 1980s, having passed the US Foreign Service written test, I took the Oral Exam, one part of which was basically aimed at probing - in front of a panel of 3 Foreign Service officers - one's general knowledge of American history, culture, and world affairs, plus ability to think on one's feet.Among other questions, I was presented with the following (without any advance warning): `pretend you are a high school teacher giving a lecture on the history of American music; you have 3 minutes - GO!' Well, all I can say is, I wish that Richard Crawford's "America's Musical Life: A History" had been available back then, and that I had read it, because, let's just put it this way, there's a good reason why I didn't pass the Oral Exam!!Having now read Crawford's book, I feel like asking for a second shot at the question...
Basically, what this extremely learned, intelligent, well-organized, readable (and mercifully free of musicologist jargon) book does is to help us understand America from the perspective of music (i.e., what music meant to America), and also to understand American music from the perspective of its social, cultural, economic, political, racial, geographic, and technological history (i.e., what America meant to music).As Crawford states in his introduction, his goal is to undertake a study from a "broader scope [which] might illuminate parallels and intertwinings that give the country's music...its distinctive identity." Crawford accomplishes this, and more, starting from American music's early origins (Native American, Early Christian, "Old, Simple Ditties," and New England Psalmody), moving on to 19th century music (devotional music, minstrels, parlor songs, patriotic and war songs, classical music, etc.) to the folk, jazz, blues, pop, theatrical, and rock music of the 20th century.Throughout, Crawford makes it clear: 1) that there IS such a thing as "American" music; 2) that this music is extremely diverse, both in its expression and its origins; and 3) that to fully understand America, one needs to understand its music, and vice versa.
In sum, this book represents an obvious labor of love by an extremely well qualified author.I highly recommend it, whether or not you are a Foreign Service candidate!

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What to Listen For in Music [Paperback] Review

THIS IS A BOOK FOR PEOPLE AT ALL LEVELS - LAYMAN, COMPOSER, OR ADVANCED MUSIC LOVER."Why should one have to learn or need guidance on how to listen to what one is hearing?" is the question that William Schuman asks in his Preface."The answer is simple.Listening to music is a skill that is acquired through experience and learning.Knowledge enhances enjoyment."
What makes What to Listen for in Music so invaluable is that it is the ONLY book on musical appreciation written by a GREAT COMPOSER."This is a composer's book," Aaron Copland states."Given the chance, every composer would like to know two very important things about anyone who takes himself seriously as a music lover...1. Are you hearing everything that is going on? [and] 2. Are you really being sensitive to it?"
The only shortcoming of this book is that it should be taken as part of a class to make sure that one gets everything out of it.It would be great if it came with a CD of all the examples to which Copland makes reference.However, each chapter does end with a list of "recommended listening."To make specific points, Copland does include sheet music (but I didn't read this book sitting next to my piano).However, these problems are minimal, considering we live in an age of the cheap CDs and music downloads.
Copland covers EVERY aspect of music, starting with "how we listen," - on the sensuous plane, the expressive plane, and the sheerly musical plane.He then goes on to explain to us the Four Elements of Music - Melody, Rhythm, Harmony, and Tone Color.We find out about all the musical instruments, their history and classifications.We find out about all the genres in music - Sectional Form, Variation Form, Fugal Form, Sonata Form, Free Form.Did you know that Sonata Form includes symphonies as well?And that symphonies grew out of operatic overtures?
This is a book that bears re-reading.A lot of technical jargon gets bandied about and, although Copland does his best to explain it all, it still gets a tad confusing.I advise reading this book, listening to a LOT of music, and then reading it again.I know my own knowledge and appreciation of music has grown from reading it.Now I DO have an idea of the nuances I should be listening for in a Mozart piano concerto.

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