The Language of Music

By: Deryck Cooke

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Paperback | 16 November 1989

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304 Pages

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21.59 x 13.97 x 1.73

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This important and controversial book has come to be regarded as a modern classic. Originally published in 1959, it has exerted a profound influence on all subsequent discussion in the field of musical aesthetics. The author''s thesis is that the main characteristic of music is to express and evoke emotion, and that all composers whose music has a tonal basis have used the same, or closely similar, melodic phrases, harmonies, and rhythms to express and evoke the same emotions. He supports this view with numerous musical examples, varying from plainsong to Stravinsky. Based on this evidence he argues that music is a language in the quite specific sense that idioms can be identified and a list of meanings compiled. While acknowledging that a ''dictionary'' of the language of music cannot easily be provided, he attempts to supply what could at least be regarded as a ''phrase book''. The enlightening analysis of two complete symphonies by Mozart and Vaughan Williams demonstrates the expressive function of musical form, the latter being an element which the author considers inseparable from musical content.

Industry Reviews

One of the most important publications of post-war English musicography...its honesty, its individualism, and its empiricism reflect the best intellectual traditions of English literature.--Music and Letters

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You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Arts & Entertainment Music Theory of Music & Musicology Techniques of Music / Music Tutorials / Teaching Of Music

Acknowledgements	p. viii
Preface	p. ix
What Kind of an Art is Music?	p. 1
The Elements of Musical Expression	p. 34
Some Basic Terms of Musical Vocabulary	p. 113
The Process of Musical Communication	p. 168
The Large-Scale Functioning of Musical Language	p. 211
Index of Subjects	p. 275
Index Of Names And Works Referred To In The Text Without Adjacent Quotation	p. 279
Index Of Music Examples	p. 283
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

The Language of Music

At a Glance

Paperback

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

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