Book Reviews
A guide to books on music and creative work.
Book Reviews Why Classical Music is Classical: Thoughts on Reading “Listen to Classical Music!”
(Original posted on November 25, 1999)This time, I'll focus on "Listen to Classical Music!" by K...
Book Reviews Composition as a Building Process: Thoughts on Schoenberg’s “Fundamentals of Musical Composition”
(Originally posted on April 8, 2002)The author offers the following advice to beginner composers...
Book Reviews Review: “The Thematic Process in Music” by Rudolph Réti
(Originally posted on April 9, 2002)As its Japanese subtitle, "The Theme and Construction of Cla...
Book Reviews Thematic Structure as a Compositional Element: Thoughts on Reading “The Melodic Science of Masterpieces”
(Original posted on April 8, 2002)One could say that a characteristic of "large-scale works," su...
Book Reviews The Utility and Limits of Imitation: Reflections on “The Wonders of Music”
(Original posted on April 4, 2002)The author, Sadao Bekku, has a very clear way of writing, and ...
Book Reviews Architecture is Frozen Music (The Structure of Music) – Reflections on ‘The Wonders of Music’
(Originally posted on April 8, 2002)It seems that music has often been discussed in close compar...
Book Reviews Review: ‘A History of Western Music: The Twilight of “Classicism”‘ by Akeo Okada
(Original posted on November 28, 2008)This is a wonderfully ambitious work. Among music history ...
Book Reviews Seeking a New Tonal World ~ Reading “Blue Notes and Tonality”
(Original posted on October 22, 1999)Numerous questions regarding the music called "Blues" would...
Book Reviews Review: “Complete Orchestration” by Akira Ifukube
(Original posted on January 4, 2009)This is a masterpiece that has held an unshakeable position ...