The title of a great musical composition is not always a clear or simple matter. An allusive title, particularly in a foreign language, or a title that does not seem related to the work, can confuse even the most devoted music lover. Here are histories of the creation of 3,500 titles for symphonies, operas, oratorios, ballets, orchestral works, choral works, chamber music, keyboard compositions, and songs, ranging from the popular to the obscure. Each entry (arranged by English, French, German, Italian or Spanish title) includes alternate titles where appropriate, the composer's name, date of composition and first performance, opus number where appropriate, a description of the work, and the origin of the title or any story behind it. A bibliography and an index conclude the work.

A musician's vocabulary needs more than Do, Re, Mi... Written in clear, concise, easy-to-understand language, The Complete Idiot's Guide® Music Dictionary covers a multitude of musical aspects indispensable to any musician. Author and music professor Stanford Felix has compiled the most commonly found terms and explains them in a way that even the most novice musician can comprehend. • The only dictionary geared toward the beginner musician • Gives clear, concise definitions of terms, theories, and instruments, as well as important works, musicians, and composers

What is a fugue? What is the difference between a saxophone and a saxhorn? Who besides Puccini wrote an opera called La Boheme? In what year, was the National Broadcasting Company Orchestra formed under Arturo Toscanini's direction? These and thousands of similar questions are answered in this comprehensive dictionary that remains unrivaled as a single-volume summary. A New Dictionary of Music is a basic reference work for anyone interested in music, whether performer or layman.It covers orchestral, solo, choral and chamber music, opera, and (in its musical aspects) the ballet. There are entries for composers (with biographies and details of compositions); works well known by their titles, such as operas and symphonic poems; orchestras, performers and conductors of importance today; musical instruments (including those of the dance and brass bands); and, technical terms. English names and terms are used whenever possible, but foreign terms in general use are cross-referenced. Particular importance has been attached to bringing the reader abreast of new musical developments.The composers and musical works chosen were those most likely to be encountered. Where an opera is given an entry, a brief explanation of the title follows. Similarly explication is provided for other works bearing literary or otherwise allusive titles. Among performers and conductors, only the following are included: those who, although dead, continue to be prominent through recorded performances (e.g. Gigli); the highest-ranking international artists of today, plus a very few apparently on the verge of attaining that rank; and, a few who, though not necessarily at the very head of their profession, are closely associated with composers in bringing out new works, or are conductors in charge of important orchestras.

A Guide to Library Research in Music introduces the process and techniques for researching and writing about music. This informative textbook provides concrete examples of different types of writing, offering a thorough introduction to music literature. It clearly describes various information-searching techniques and library-based organizational systems and introduces the array of music resources available. Each chapter concludes with learning exercises to aid the students' concept application and skill development. Appendixes provide short cuts to specific topics in library organizational systems, including Library of Congress Subject Headings and Classification. The concluding bibliography provides a quick overview of music literature and resources, emphasizing electronic and print publications since 2000, but including standard references that all music researchers should know.

Since it was first published in 1993, the Sourcebook for Research in Music has become an invaluable resource in musical scholarship. The balance between depth of content and brevity of format makes it ideal for use as a textbook for students, a reference work for faculty and professional musicians, and as an aid for librarians. The introductory chapter includes a comprehensive list of bibliographical terms with definitions; bibliographic terms in German, French, and Italian; and the plan of the Library of Congress and the Dewey Decimal music classification systems. Integrating helpful commentary to instruct the reader on the scope and usefulness of specific items, this updated and expanded edition accounts for the rapid growth in new editions of standard works, in fields such as ethnomusicology, performance practice, women in music, popular music, education, business, and music technology. These enhancements to its already extensive bibliographies ensures that the Sourcebook will continue to be an indispensable reference for years to come.

This classic reference work, the best one-volume music dictionary available, has been brought completely up to date in this new edition. Combining authoritative scholarship and lucid, lively prose, the Fourth Edition of The Harvard Dictionary of Music is the essential guide for musicians, students, and everyone who appreciates music. The Harvard Dictionary of Music has long been admired for its wide range as well as its reliability. This treasure trove includes entries on all the styles and forms in Western music; comprehensive articles on the music of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Near East; descriptions of instruments enriched by historical background; and articles that reflect today’s beat, including popular music, jazz, and rock. Throughout this Fourth Edition, existing articles have been fine-tuned and new entries added so that the dictionary fully reflects current music scholarship and recent developments in musical culture. Encyclopedia-length articles by notable experts alternate with short entries for quick reference, including definitions and identifications of works and instruments. More than 220 drawings and 250 musical examples enhance the text. This is an invaluable book that no music lover can afford to be without.

The specialized jargon of some sports can be quite esoteric. Non-Americans, for example, are likely puzzled by baseball terms such as bunt, cut-off man, and safety squeeze, while the non-British may pause over cricket's Chinaman, doosra, golden duck, off-break, popping crease, and yorker. This new dictionary gives the definitions of more than 8,000 terms used in sports and games from around the world, including mainstream sports like basketball and billiards alongside the more obscure netball and snooker. Entries cover sports equipment, strategies, venues, qualifying categories, awards, and administrative bodies, while a comprehensive system of cross-references offers assistance and clarification when needed. An appendix lists standard abbreviations of sports ruling bodies and administrative organizations.

Piano Pedagogy: A Research and Information Guide provides a detailed outline of resources available for research and/or training in piano pedagogy. Like its companion volumes in the Routledge Music Bibliographies series, it serves beginning and advanced students and scholars as a basic guide to current research in the field. The book will includes bibliographies, research guides, encyclopedias, works from other disciplines that are related to piano pedagogy, current sources spanning all formats, including books, journals, audio and video recordings, and electronic sources.

In this useful work, detailing more than 2,500 African placenames of all types, each entry identifies the country and, in most cases, geographical location within the country. An account of the name's origin and meaning follows, along with appropriate historical, topographical, and biological references. Cross references provide former names, alternate spellings, and alternate forms of current names. An introduction comprises a geographical summary, a chronological survey of the exploration and colonization of Africa, and an overview of African languages.