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Popular History of the Art of Music

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By: (1837-1912)

Popular History of the Art of Music by W. S. B. Mathews is an informative and insightful overview of the history of music, perfect for both beginners and seasoned music enthusiasts. Mathews does a fantastic job of providing a comprehensive look at the evolution of music from its early beginnings to the present day.

One of the highlights of this book is Mathews' ability to explain complex musical concepts in a clear and easy-to-understand manner. His writing style is engaging and allows the reader to follow along even if they have limited knowledge of music theory.

Additionally, Mathews includes various anecdotes and stories about famous composers and musicians, which adds a personal touch to the book and makes the history of music come alive. The book is also filled with illustrations and musical examples, making it easier for the reader to visualize the concepts being discussed.

Overall, Popular History of the Art of Music is a must-read for anyone interested in learning more about the history of music. Mathews' passion for the subject shines through in his writing, making this book an enjoyable and educational read.

Book Description:
Preface by W.S.B. Mathews: I have here endeavored to provide a readable account of the entire history of the art of music, within the compass of a single small volume, and to treat the luxuriant and many-sided later development with the particularity proportionate to its importance, and the greater interest appertaining to it from its proximity to the times of the reader.

The range of the work can be most easily estimated from the Table of Contents (pages 5-10). It will be seen that I have attempted to cover the same extent of history, in treating of which the standard musical histories of Naumann, Ambros, Fétis and others have employed from three times to ten times as much space. In the nature of the case there will be differences of opinion among competent judges concerning my success in this difficult undertaking. Upon this point I can only plead absolute sincerity of purpose, and a certain familiarity with the ground to be covered, due to having treated it in my lectures in the Chicago Musical College for five years, to the extent of about thirty-five lectures yearly. I have made free use of all the standard histories—those of Fétis, Ambros, Naumann, Brendel, Gevaert, Hawkins, Burney, the writings of Dr. Hugo Riemann, Dr. Ritter, Prof. Fillmore, and the dictionaries of Grove and Mendel, as well as many monographs in all the leading modern languages.


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