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The Dears: Lost in the Plot (Bibliophonic #1)
By Lorraine Carpenter. 2011
Over a decade after the release of their first album, The Dears have weathered the indie fringes, the collapse of…
the music industry as we knew it and the near implosion of the band itself, with their creative vision and gang dynamic intact. The Dears: Lost in the Plot looks at how The Dears survived the fallout, and helped launch the acclaimed mid-aughts music scene in their hometown of Montréal. The Dears: Lost in the Plot is the first book in Invisible Publishing’s new Bibliophonic series. The Bibliophonic Series is a catalogue of the ongoing history of contemporary music. Each book is a time capsule, capturing artists and their work as we see them, providing a unique look at some of today’s most exciting musicians.This book examines the performance strategies used by contemporary Iranian artists and activists to reimagine “Iranian-ness” in the context of…
Iran’s local, regional, and global position. This study identifies the important social and political interventions made by theatrical and performance pieces, visual art, and electronic music that articulate and reformulate Iranian-ness by breaking away from fixed and constructed stereotypes projected on them by both the Islamic regime and Western power. This book explores the reception and context within which artworks become meaningful performative acts. Looking closely at the works of a notable female Iranian photographer, Shadi Ghadirian, in conjunction with the new generation of Iranian nonconformist artists/activists such as Tahmineh Monzavi and Hedieh Ahmadi; the visionary theatre productions of Ali Akbar Alizad; and radically untraditional sound/noise of the electronic music movement in Tehran, this book calls attention to the Iran-based artists who are tirelessly trying to raise awareness regarding the political violence imposed on Iranian identity at the legal (top-down) and everyday (bottom-up) levels. This volume will be of great interest to student and scholars in theatre and performance, photography, art, music, sociology, and politics.Music and Identity in Twenty-First-Century Monasticism (Routledge Research in Music)
By Amanda J. Haste. 2023
Twenty-first-century monastic communities represent unique social environments in which music plays an integral part. This book examines the role of…
music in Catholic, Anglican/Episcopalian and neo-monastic communities in Britain and North America, engaging closely with communities of practice to provide a penetrating insight into the role of music in self-care and as a vector for identity construction on both individual and community levels. The author explores the essential role of music in community dynamics, the rationale for using instruments, the implications of both chant-based and freestyle composition, gender-related differences in musical activity, the role of dance (‘music made visible’) in community life, the commodification of monastic music, the ‘Singing Nun’ phenomenon and the role of music in established and emerging neo-monastic communities. The result is a comprehensive and compelling study of the agency of music in the construction and expression of personal and community identity.Sticking It Out: From Juilliard to the Orchestra Pit: A Percussionists's Memoir
By Patti Niemi. 2016
&“By turns reflective and dramatic, poignant and hilarious, Sticking It Out offers an irresistible portrait of the artist as a…
young percussionist&” (San Francisco Chronicle). When Patti Niemi was ten years old, all the children in her school music class lined up to choose their instruments. Boy after boy chose drums, and girl after girl chose flute—that is, until it was Patti&’s turn. From that point onward, Patti devoted her life to mastering the percussive arts. Cymbals, snare drum, marimba, timpani, chimes: she practiced them all, and in 1983, she entered Juilliard, the most prestigious music conservatory in in the world. Set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing New York City in the 1980s, Sticking It Out recounts Patti&’s years mastering her craft and struggling to make it in a cutthroat race to a coveted job in an orchestra. Along the way, she has to compete with friends, face her own crippling anxiety, and confront the delicate, and sometimes perilous, balance of power between teachers and their students. Bringing us inside a world that most of us never get to see, Patti&’s vivid memoir is &“an eye-opening tale of demanding teachers, grueling practice schedules, severe performance anxiety and bias against &‘girl drummers&’—a funny, poignant first-person account of the fierce commitment it takes to succeed in classical music&” (San Jose Mercury News). &“One of the funniest-ever classical-music books . . . and certainly among the best written.&” —The Philadelphia Inquirer &“A shattered-mirror insight into the bizarre world of hitting things with sticks.&” —Neil Peart, bestselling author, lyricist, and drummer for RushAncient Dynasties: The Families that Ruled the Classical World, circa 1000 BC to AD 750
By John D. Grainger. 2019
A guide to the over 150 families that ruled the Classical world, from the 10th century BC to the 8th…
century AD, from western Europe to central Asia. Ancient Dynasties is a unique study of the ruling families of the ancient world known to the Greeks and Romans. The book is in two parts. The first offers analysis and discussion of various features of the ruling dynasties (including the leading families of republican Rome). It examines patterns, similarities and contrasts, categorizes types of dynasty and explores common themes such as how they were founded and maintained, the role of women, and the various reasons for their decline. The second part is a catalog of all the dynasties (over 150 of them) known to have existed between approximately 1000 BC and AD 750 from the Atlantic Ocean to Baktria (roughly modern Afghanistan). It provides genealogical tables as well as information on where and when they held power. Altogether, Ancient Dynasties offers an invaluable reference to ancient history buffs interested in the families that wielded power in the Classical world.Julius Caesar's Disease: A New Diagnosis
By Hutan Ashrafian, Francesco M. Galassi. 2016
In this groundbreaking study, two medical historians present a provocative new diagnosis of the ailment that famously afflicted Julius Caesar.…
It is generally accepted as a historical fact that Julius Caesar suffered from epilepsy, an illness which in classical times was sometimes associated with divinely bestowed genius. The ancient sources describe several episodes when, sometimes at critical junctures, one of the most accomplished military commanders in history was incapacitated by a condition referred to as morbus comitialis. But does the evidence of his illness really suggest a diagnosis of epilepsy? And if it was not epilepsy that afflicted Caesar, what was it? These are the questions that doctors Francesco M. Galassi and Hutan Ashrafian seek to answer by applying modern medical knowledge to the symptoms and circumstances described by primary source documents—including statements made by Caesar himself. The result is a fascinating piece of historical-pathological detective work that challenges received wisdom about one of the most famous men of all time.Warum Musik in unseren Genen liegt
By Jörn Bullerdiek, Christine Süßmuth. 2023
Wussten Sie, warum Johann Sebastian Bach ganz legal lange Finger machte? Und was Sie alles mit einer Haarlocke Mozarts anfangen…
könnten, wenn Sie sie besäßen? Beides könnte Sie auf die Spur eines uralten Geheimnisses bringen, nämlich warum Menschen Freude am „Hervorbringen musikalischer Töne“ haben, wie Darwin es formulierte. Liegt das wortwörtlich in unserer DNA und was hat es dort zu suchen? Die Autoren sind in gefährlicher Nähe am Felsen der Sirenen vorbei gesegelt und haben Orpheus in die Unterwelt begleitet. Sie haben den Weg von Schallwellen von ihrer Quelle bis zum Gehirn der Hörenden verfolgt und ebenso den Stammbaum der Familie Bach wie den Gesang von Zebrafinken analysiert. Schließlich sind sie nicht nur in den Sonderzug nach Pankow gestiegen, sondern haben auch noch die Caprifischer in ihrer Heimat aufgesucht. Alles in allem ist eine unterhaltsame und informative Analyse dessen entstanden, was vom alten Ägypten bis in heutige Zeit die Faszination von Musik im Spiegel unserer Gene ausmacht.A Chronology of Ancient Greece
By Timothy Venning. 2015
This helpful reference offers a timeline of ancient Greece&’s political and military history. This chronological history begins with the…
necessarily approximate course of events in Bronze and early Iron Age, as estimated by the most reliable scholarship and the legendary accounts of this period. From the Persian Wars onwards, a year-by-year chronology is constructed from the ancient historical sources—and where possible, a day-by-day narrative is given. The geographical scope expands as the horizons of the Greek world and colonization increased, with reference to developments in politico-military events in the Middle Eastern (and later Italian) states that came into contact with Greek culture. From the expansion of the Greek world across the region under Alexander, the development of all the relevant Greek/Macedonian states is covered. The text is divided into events per geographical area for each date, cross-referencing where needed. Detailed accounts are provided for battles and political crises where the sources allow this—and where not much is known for certain, the different opinions of historians are referenced. The result is a coherent, accessible, and accurate reference to what happened and when.Sparta At War: Strategy, Tactics and Campaigns, 550–362 BC
By Scott M. Rusch. 2014
The story of this military powerhouse of ancient Greece, and its nearly two centuries of battlefield triumphs. During the…
eighth century BC, Sparta became one of the leading cities of ancient Greece, conquering the southern Peloponnese, and from the mid-sixth century BC until the mid-fourth, Sparta became a military power of recognized importance. For almost two centuries the massed Spartan army remained unbeaten in the field. Spartan officers also commanded with great success armies of mercenaries or coalition allies, as well as fleets of war galleys. Although it is the stand of the Three Hundred at Thermopylae that has earned Sparta undying fame, it was her victories over both Persian invaders and the armies and navies of Greek rivals that upheld her position of leadership in Greece. Even a steady decline in Spartiate numbers, aggravated by a terrible earthquake in 464 BC, failed to end Spartan dominance. Only when the Thebans learned how to defeat the massed Spartan army in pitched battle was Sparta toppled from her position of primacy. In this volume, Scott Rusch examines what is known of the history of Sparta, from the settlement of the city to her defeat at Theban hands, focusing upon military campaigns and the strategic circumstances that drove them. Rusch offers fresh perspectives on important questions of Spartan history, and illuminates some of antiquity&’s most notable campaigns.Brutus: Caesar's Assassin
By Dr Kirsty Corrigan. 2015
The extraordinary life of the &“noblest Roman of them all.&” Although Marcus Junius Brutus is one of the most…
famous, or infamous, conspirators of Rome and the ancient world, if not of all time, knowledge of this historical figure has principally been passed to the modern world through the literary medium of Shakespeare&’s tragedy, Julius Caesar. Furthermore, any interest in Brutus has tended to focus only on events surrounding his most legendary act: Caesar&’s murder. This biography instead considers Brutus in his historical context, gathering details from ancient evidence and piecing together, as much as possible, his whole life. While his actions played a pivotal role in Roman history, ultimately, although completely unintentionally, bringing about the downfall of the Roman republic, Brutus has often been neglected. Indeed, he has rarely been considered on his own merits, instead featuring as part of the biographies and studies of other leading political figures of the time, especially those of Julius Caesar, Cicero, and Octavian. As the first dedicated biography in over thirty years, this full and balanced reconsideration of this significant Roman republican is long overdue.Edward I's Conquest of Wales
By Sean Davies. 2017
A study of medieval warfare and a formative event in the history of Britain. Edward I&’s conquest of Wales…
has not been the subject of a scholarly book for over a century. Research has advanced since then, changing our perception of the medieval military mind and shining fresh light on the key characters involved in the conquest. That is why Sean Davies&’s absorbing new study is so timely and important. Taking a balanced approach, he gives both the Welsh and English perspectives on the war and on the brutal, mistrustful, and ruthless personal motives that drove events. His account is set in the context of Welsh warfare and society from the end of Rome to the time of Edward&’s opening campaign in the late thirteenth century. The narrative describes in vivid detail the military history of the conflict; the sequence of campaigns; Welsh resistance; Edward&’s castle building and English colonization; the cost of the struggle to the Welsh and the English; and the uneasy peace that followed.The Secret History of the Roman Roads of Britain: And Their Impact on Military History
By M. C. Bishop. 2014
There have been many books on Britain's Roman roads, but none have considered in any depth their long-term strategic impact.…
Mike Bishop shows how the road network was vital not only in the Roman strategy of conquest and occupation, but influenced the course of British military history during subsequent ages. The author starts with the pre-Roman origins of the network (many Roman roads being built over prehistoric routes) before describing how the Roman army built, developed, maintained and used it. Then, uniquely, he moves on to the post-Roman history of the roads. He shows how they were crucial to medieval military history (try to find a medieval battle that is not near one) and the governance of the realm, fixing the itinerary of the royal progresses. Their legacy is still clear in the building of 18th century military roads and even in the development of the modern road network. Why have some parts of the network remained in use throughout?The text is supported with clear maps and photographs. Most books on Roman roads are concerned with cataloguing or tracing them, or just dealing with aspects like surveying. This one makes them part of military landscape archaeology.Sparta: Unfit For Empire
By Godfrey Hutchinson. 2014
The end of the Peloponnesian War saw Sparta emerge as the dominant power in the Greek world. Had she used…
this position wisely her hegemony might have been secure. As it was, she embarked on actions that her former allies, Thebes and Korinth, refused to support. The rise of Thebes as a threatening power to Sparta's control of Greece was largely the result of the brilliant exploits of Epaminondas and Pelopidas whose obvious examination of Spartan tactics allowed them to provide counters to them. While noting the political issues, Godfrey Hutchinson's focus is upon the strategic and tactical elements of warfare in a period almost wholly coinciding with the reign of the brilliant commander, Agesilaos, one of the joint kings of Sparta, who, astonishingly, campaigned successfully into his eighties.Early Imperial Romans: Early Imperial Romans (Painting Wargaming Figures)
By Andy Singleton. 2019
A professional figure painter&’s guide to re-creating the legions of the Roman Empire. Andy Singleton has been modeling and…
painting most of his life and has been a professional commission figure painter for some years now. In this book, he shares his experience and tips of the trade with those collecting Early Imperial Romans. The emphasis is on achievable results and practical advice that is applicable to painting units or whole armies for wargaming purposes in a reasonable time frame, not on spectacular individual display pieces. Most of the figures featured in the numerous illustrations are either 28 or 25mm but the techniques described are easily adaptable to smaller sizes and both plastic and metal figures are covered. Clear, step-by-step guidance takes you through the process from the initial preparation and assembly of the figure, to finishing and basing. Themed chapters cover armor, weapons and equipment, clothing, skin tones, shields, and horses. All together it contains all the help you need to recreate your own legions of this most iconic army of ancient history.Pieces of Tradition: An Analysis of Contemporary Tonal Music
By Daniel Harrison. 2016
This book is about how music "in a key" is composed. Further, it is about how such music was composed…
when it was no longer compulsory to do so, starting a few years before the First World War. In an eclectic journey through the history of compositional technique, Daniel Harrison contends that the tonal system did not simply die out with the dawn of the twentieth century, but continued to supplement newer techniques as a compelling means of musical organization, even into current times. Well-known art music composers such as Bartok, Hindemith, Prokofiev, and Messiaen are represented alongside composers whose work moves outside the standard boundaries of art music: Leonard Bernstein, Murice Durufle, Frank Martin, Xiaoyong Chen. Along the way, the book attends to military bugle calls, a trailer before a movie feature, a recomposition of a famous piece by Arnold Schoenberg, and the music of Neil Diamond, David Shire, and Brian Wilson. A celebration of the awesome variety of musical expressions encompassed in what is called tonal music, Pieces of Tradition is a book for composers seeking ideas and effects, music theorists interested in its innovations, and all those who practice the analysis of composition in all its modern and traditional variations.Masters of Tonewood: The Hidden Art of Fine Stringed-Instrument Making
By Jeffrey Greene. 2022
The wood used by master craftsmen to create many of the world’s legendary stringed instruments—violins and cellos, mandolins and guitars—comes…
from seven near-mythic European forests. In his latest book, Jeffrey Greene takes the reader into those woodlands and into luthiers’ workshops to show us how the world’s finest instruments not only contribute to great musical art but are prized works of art in themselves.Masters of Tonewood describes the "hidden life" of stringed instruments, beginning with the unique wood, expertly chosen and sometimes cured for decades, that gives them voices that rivet audiences. Greene takes us to forests in Italy, France, Switzerland, Austria, Romania, Poland, and the Czech Republic. We are introduced to the acoustical and aesthetic properties of the spruce that Stradivari treasured, and the mystery of why just one in a thousand maple trees contains decorative figuring worthy of the highest-quality instruments. Greene visits the greatest traditional centers of this craft, from Spain to the United States. He recounts the ideas and experiences of tonewood millers, luthiers, and musicians and discusses their concerns about environmental issues associated with a tradition dependent on ancient woodlands in a modern world.Fifty Sides of the Beach Boys: The Songs That Tell Their Story
By Mark Dillon. 2012
&“A vivid account . . . Young and old fans alike will enjoy&” (Publishers Weekly). This book offer a unique journey through…
The Beach Boys&’ long, fascinating history by telling the stories behind fifty of the band&’s greatest songs from the perspective of group members, collaborators, fellow musicians, and notable fans. Filled with new interviews with music legends such as Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Alan Jardine, Bruce Johnston, David Marks, Blondie Chaplin, Randy Bachman, Roger McGuinn, John Sebastian, Lyle Lovett, Alice Cooper, and Al Kooper, and commentary from a younger generation such as Matthew Sweet, Carnie Wilson, Daniel Lanois, Cameron Crowe, and Zooey Deschanel, this story of pop culture history both explores the darkness and difficulties with which the band struggled, and reminds us how their songs could make life feel like an endless summer.By the Emperor's Hand: Military Dress and Court Regalia in the Later Romano-Byzantine Empire
By Timothy Dawson. 2012
As absolute as Hitler's control over the German war machine was, it depended on the ability, judgment and unquestioning loyalty…
of the senior officers charged with putting his ideas, however difficult, into effect.Top military historian James Lucas examines the stories of fourteen of these men: all of different rank, from varied backgrounds, and highly awarded, they exemplify German military prowess at its most dangerous. Among his subjects are Eduard Dietl, the commander of German forces in Norway and Eastern Europe; Werner Kampf, one of the most successful Panzer commanders of the war; and Kurt Meyer, commander of the Hitler Youth Division and one of Germany's youngest general officers.The author, one of the leading experts on all aspects of German military conduct of the Second World War, offers the reader a rare look into the nature of the German Army a curious mix of individual strength, petty officialdom and pragmatic action.Early Roman Warfare: From the Regal Period to the First Punic War
By Jeremy Armstrong. 2016
While copious amounts have been written about the Roman army, most study has focussed on the later Republic or the…
Imperial period when the legionary system was already well-developed. Here Dr Jeremy Armstrong traces the development of Rome's military might from its earliest discernible origins down to the First Punic War. He shows how her armies evolved from ad-hoc forces of warriors organized along clan lines and assembled for the city's survival, to the sophisticated organization of the legions that went on to dominate all of Italy and then (after the period covered) the entire Mediterranean world. The author reviews both the literary sources and the latest archaeological evidence to provide a fresh analysis of Roman military organization, equipment, tactics and strategy. He shows how Rome's military apparatus adapted to meet the changing strategic needs of new enemies and broader ambitions. This study of the origins of the Classical world's most formidable war machine will be welcomed by anyone with an interest in Classical, and especially Roman, military history.Discovering Classical Music: Mozart (Discovering Classical Music)
By Ian Christians. 1943
"I recommend this book wholeheartedly to new music lovers" Sir Charles Groves CBE Thanks to Nigel Kennedy and Pavarotti, millions…
of people have recently discovered that classical music is a highly enjoyable experience, perhaps contrary to their expectations. But the world of classical music can be highly intimidating and confusing. Ian Christians, for many years a passionate believer in broadening the interest in classical music, has developed a unique approach, designed to make it as easy as possible for both newcomers to classical music and those who have started down the path to explore with confidence. Discovering Classical Music concentrates on the greatest composers. The author takes you step-by-step into their most approachable music and, in some cases, boldly into some of the greatest works traditionally considered too difficult for newcomers. Rarely does a book offer such potential for continued enjoyment.This volume concentrates on the life, personality and music of Edward William Elgar.