Listen to Top 100 Audiobooks in Arts & Entertainment, Music

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Title: The Art of Teaching Music

Author: Estelle R. Jorgensen

Narrator: Hillary Huber

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-15-11

Publisher: University Press Audiobooks

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 12 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Music

Publisher's Summary:

The Art of Teaching Music takes up important aspects of the art of music teaching ranging from organization to serving as conductor to dealing with the disconnect between the ideal of university teaching and the reality in the classroom. Writing for both established teachers and instructors on the rise, Estelle R. Jorgensen opens a conversation about the life and work of the music teacher.

The author regards music teaching as interrelated with the rest of lived life, and her themes encompass pedagogical skills as well as matters of character, disposition, value, personality, and musicality. She reflects on musicianship and practical aspects of teaching while drawing on a broad base of theory, research, and personal experience. Although grounded in the practical realities of music teaching, Jorgensen urges music teachers to think and act artfully, imaginatively, hopefully, and courageously toward creating a better world.

Critic Reviews:

"The beauty of this book lies in its embrace and discourse of the ways in which people become music educators, develop their craft over the course of their lives, and influence those around them." (Music Educators Journal)

Members Reviews:

Estelle R. Jorgensen is fantastic!

Nice book, nice reading.

There is one moment when Estelle says,

"My objective in this book is not to define music education, for I have

tackled this task in an earlier book, In Search of Music Education. Nor is it

to examine the changes that are needed in music education, because I have

begun to do this in my book Transforming Music Education."

I would love to listen to both books as well!!

Really liked when she puts: "Regrettably, in the pervasive search for propositional knowledge in

education, the objective is too often what Paulo Freire aptly calls banking

education, in which the teachers purpose is to deposit knowledge in students heads so that they acquire a certain stock of knowledge. She continues, "Freires liberatory education

stands in stark contrast to banking education in its call for conscientization,

or developing a felt critical response to ones own and anothers

predicament and the commitment, disposition, and courage to act against

oppression."

I was so happy to listen to this. I've stopped the CD, and listen over and over to write it down here for you. Because I think Paulo Freire is the greatest philosopher of Education, and it is recognized by the people really concerning education, like Estelle R. Jorgensen does.

- But as any work of art, it is incomplete -

I just think that she should mentioned as well Freire's "Pedagogy of Freedom", where the big gap of this book is reminded: The teacher is always a student. Maybe in the next edition she could put an additional chapter called: "Student"? As Salvador Dali, who used to go to museums to paint on his own paintings, Estelle R. Jorgensen probably will need to revisited this book many times...

As I will do as well

- Keep Teaching means Keep Studying -

Thank you, Estelle R. Jorgensen

we need more academic books

it is a point of view this book - egocentric, true - but we need more academic books around - that's why five stars -

ZZZZZZZZ!!!!!

As a music educator I bought this book hoping to be inspired or gain some new insight. This book is very clinical. The author enjoys stringing together long words and hearing them read back.

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Title: The Musical Body: Illumination

Author: David Ison

Narrator: David Ison

Format: Original Recording

Length: 2 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-06-10

Publisher: Sounds True

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 12 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Music

Publisher's Summary:

This musical journey through your seven chakras utilizes The Ison Method to awaken your energetic body by releasing blockages created by years of emotional and physical stress. As your vital force begins to flow freely, you will experience an expansive sense of emotional freedom as old patterns fade and new possibilities for healing, thinking, and living reveal themselves to you.

This transformational music uses The Ison Method to align your mind, body, and spirit with the Universal Life Force, the boundless, life-giving energy that surrounds us all. As you listen, cascading waves of subtle energy descend from the crown of your head to the base of your spine, leading you on a journey of self discovery and opening the doorway to your truest, Essential Self.

Please note: This is a nonverbal meditation program.

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Title: Our Noise

Subtitle: The Story of Merge Records, the Indie Label That Got Big and Stayed Small

Author: John Cook, Mac McCaughan, Laura Ballance

Narrator: Ray Porter

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 10-19-09

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 29 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Music

Publisher's Summary:

For 20 years, Merge Records has remained true to their belief that you can sign bands because you love their music and respect what they're trying to do. As giant corporate labels struggle for survival, Merge has garnered a secure and growing fan base while releasing some of the best music of our time. Our Noise is the history of the much loved label as seen by those who were there. It features interviews with and profiles of now releases some of indie rock's biggest names.

©2009 Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance; (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic Reviews:

"Merge Records might be responsible for more indie-rock classics than any other label in the past two decades." (Magnet)

Members Reviews:

Great book, uplifting story

With the music business in such a poor state, the story of Merge Records is an inspiration. The book is well written, and gives a good understanding of why this label is still great and so many of their early bands are still together.

Sometimes the Good Guys Win.

Merge is a really interesting indie rock success story. Pretty much by holding true to their core values, Mac and Laura have grown the label from stuffing 7" in a bedroom to invites to the Grammys. It's a cool story with a great soundtrack.

This book, written in 2009 for the label's 20th anniversary, is a pretty good look at what makes Merge, and the bands they choose to work with, special. Half biography of the label and it's bands and half oral history, the story moves along at a rapid pace and really leaves you with a good feeling about the whole Merge operation.

To address some of the other reviews, yeah, it is a bit self-congratulatory. What did you expect from a book written to celebrate Merge's 20 years in the business? At the same time, I didn't ever have the feeling that there was some big thing being whitewashed or anything like that. Even the breakup of Mac and Larua's relationship was covered honestly and fairly, I think.

Smugness? Umm...sorry. Didn't hear it. Nor was I bothered by Ray Porter's performance of this book, aside from the fact that the oral history part made it difficult at times to determine who was talking.

And to complain about hammering on the "big bad" major labels is to miss the point of Merge's existence entirely. The whole operation has been run since day one as an alternative to the major label system. It's baffling to me how someone can listen to a history of a fiercely independent label such as Merge and feel the case against major labels is overstated.

My biggest complaint is that the book ends where it does. Not the author's fault, but the last five years have been pretty action packed for Merge. Arcade Fire won an Album of the Year Grammy. Superchunk released two more albums. The label is now home to some pretty important back catalog from some of their heroes. And I'd love to hear how their distribution deal with ADA has worked out for them.

It's also a huge bummer that audiobook purchasers are deprived of the photographs and memorabilia print buyers have access to.

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Title: Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures

Subtitle: 33 1/3 Series

Author: Chris Ott

Narrator: Danny Gerard

Format: Unabridged

Length: 2 hrs and 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-01-09

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 17 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Music

Publisher's Summary:

Joy Division's career has often been shrouded by myths. But the truth is surprisingly simple: over a period of several months, Joy Division transformed themselves from run-of-the-mill punk wannabes into the creators of one of the most atmospheric, disturbing, and influential debut albums ever recorded. Chris Ott carefully picks apart fact from fiction to show how Unknown Pleasures came into being, and how it still resonates so strongly today.

Rock on: listen to more of the

series.

©2004 Chris Ott; (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Editorial Reviews:

Originally written as an essay outlining the career of Joy Division for popular music blog Pitchfork, music writer Chris Ott, focuses on the band's 1979 debut album, Unknown Pleasures. He looks at the unique sound of the album and its production, its pulsing rhythms, haunting melodies, and dark themes. He charts the mythic, almost mystical elements that have made it grow from an underground cult album to required listening for any underground or popular rock fan. Danny Gerard performs the audiobook, putting the facts into place with an engaging delivery while keeping the tone reverent and as upbeat as possible in the face of the work's sometimes fatalistic romanticism.

Members Reviews:

The sound of Windows text to speech!!

AVOID!!

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Title: Joan Baez in Conversation with Anthony DeCurtis at the 92nd Street Y

Author: Joan Baez

Narrator: Anthony DeCurtis

Format: Abridged

Length: 1 hr and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-15-09

Publisher: 92nd Street Y

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 14 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Music

Publisher's Summary:

Anthony DeCurtis is a contributing editor at Rolling Stone and the author of In Other Words: Artists Talk About Life and Work.

Editorial Reviews:

In 1960, young folk singer Joan Baez was invited to the 92nd Street Y to give her first New York City concert. In September 2008, elder stateswoman Baez returned for this interview with Anthony DeCurtis, author and editor at Rolling Stone. This interview focuses on just what happened in the 48 years between her appearances at the Y: a career in music and advocacy rivalled only by Bob Dylan, whom she was instrumental in bringing to light.

Listeners will delight in her recollection of her role as a song interpreter, political activist, and private woman. Throughout, Baezs grace and humility - and of course her lovely voice - lift the listeners spirits. Yes, fans: she picks that sweet guitar and raises her voice for three stellar songs!

Members Reviews:

Startlingly Intelligent, Newly Relevant Folk Icon

This is a combination concert and interview with Joan Baez, a folksinger extraordinaire who needs no introduction. She has a somewhat weaker singing voice in her older age (mostly due to decreased breath support, from the sounds of it; she audibly takes a breath in the middle of some lyrics), but acutely intact, richly articulate intelligence and razor-sharp wit that comes as a fresh surprise even to fans who imagined they knew her before. I had seen her in concert in the mid-nineties and she was splendid then, but this is a richer and more intimate experience because one gets to hear her speak at length on the topics that are important to her.

These topics are exactly what you would think: the importance of nonviolence and of creating a global community. I purchased this recording AFTER reading the previous review in which the reviewer alleged that Baez was shockingly left-wing, "so far left she's almost right." This made me curious: Joan Baez, a lifelong pacifist, was suddenly now, in her old age, a RADICAL? So I listened very carefully, waiting for the shocking revelation. Finally, about two minutes from the end of the program, it came. A young person in the audience stood up during the Q & A and asked Ms. Baez what kind of change she'd like to see in this country going forward. She said she'd like to see a future in which Americans stop thinking of themselves as Americans, and start thinking of themselves as citizens of the world instead. Then she explained that this is why she will not salute the flag--"any flag"--and has not done so since her teen years; she believes that since our status as Americans is simply "an accident of birth," we should stop congratulating ourselves for it and begin working on what might really deserve congratulations: the creation of a true and peaceful global community.

Not so radical; not so shocking. Ms. Baez, as she reminds her audience, was raised a Quaker. Her views are nowhere near the farthest left you'll ever hear; in fact, many minutes before she confesses to not saluting the flag, she relates an anecdote wherein she calls a fellow musician (Steve Earle) "Pinko" because he's so much more of a leftie than she is.

I really enjoyed listening to this program, and I'm sure I will listen again.

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Title: Film Music

Subtitle: The Pocket Essential Guide

Author: Paul Tonks

Narrator: Victoria Gaskell-Watkins

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 03-31-09

Publisher: Matrix Digital Publishing

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Music

Publisher's Summary:

This book celebrates the rich history behind all these views.

Who have been the most influential composers and who have they influenced? Which scores have best served a film and why? What have been the historical, social, and technological changes that have affected the industry? This book addresses all these points in a chronological examination of this much-maligned art form.

From Ben Hur to Star Wars and Psycho to Scream, film music has played an essential role in such genre-defining classics. Making us laugh, cry, and jump with fright, it's the manipulative tool directors cannot do without.

There are many differing approaches and opinions about what achieves a desired emotional effect, with composers always hunting a golden rulebook of tricks they can employ. This isn't that particular book.

What's in it? The turbulent history, the ever-changing craft, the reclusive or limelight-loving superstars, the enthusiastic world of fandom surrounding it, and the best way to build a collection. It's all streamlined into a user-friendly guide for buffs and novices alike.

Members Reviews:

Interesting Book. God Awful Narrator

What disappointed you about Film Music?

the narrator had no idea how to pronounce things. And No I'm not just saying that because she is british. She blatently mispronouces names.

How could the performance have been better?

Learn How to Pronounce your subject matter!

What character would you cut from Film Music?

The Narrator

A boring dissertation, not a vivid presentation

Would you try another book from Paul Tonks and/or Victoria Gaskell-Watkins?

Perhaps naively, I was expecting to hear an exciting review of film music with musical examples and illustrations lavishly sprinkled throughout the narration - if not the original musical scores, then at least a few piano notes of the melody to remind us of what particular piece of music the book was talking about. Instead, I got a long and dry dissertation that might be of interest to diehard film or music historians, but offers nothing to relate to those of us who are unfamiliar with or forgetful of many of the artifacts from the voluminous lore of cinematic history. It appears that you would need to have immediate access to all of the many films mentioned in the book in order to understand what it is talking about. It is a not a book you would listen to while driving, walking, exercising etc.

Has Film Music turned you off from other books in this genre?

I decided that I will be very careful next time and will listen to a preview first.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator could not have been more boring. It appears she was mostly concerned with making sure her English sounded posh and educated, in the British sense, instead of trying to make this listless book come alive at least a little. I am only at the first 15 minutes of Chapter 2 and I already know I am not going to listen to much more of it, lest I fall asleep behind the wheel.

Horrid narration

This is mostly about scores to films--not songs as used in films. While I love film scores and found the material in this book interesting, I'd love to be able to recommend it to others, but the narration was so poor, though, that I really can't recommend this title.

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Title: More Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas

Author: Ace Collins

Narrator: Marc Cashman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-07-09

Publisher: Zondervan

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 17 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Music

Publisher's Summary:

Ace Collins helps you uncover the background of 32 favorite Christmas songs. Learn the surprising tale of how each song was created. Explore specific times and places that gave birth to each message. Hear these familiar melodies with new understanding as their stories find their way into your heart.

©2006 Andrew Collins (P)2008 Zondervan

Members Reviews:

Lots of great information on Christmas Songs

I really enjoy learning the history behind things, and this book includes not just details about how these songs came into being, but history on the holiday itself, and how it was shaped into what we know today. The songs include old-standbys from Handel's Messiah to We Wish You a Merry Christmas, to contemporary hits like The Christmas Shoes, all profiled in more detail than I expected, and always including reminders of the true meaning of the season. The main gripes I had were that the Table of Contents doesn't seem to be recognized as such in the Kindle version (at the time of this review), so you can't jump directly to it. And the lyrics of many of the songs (recent ones mainly) are not always included...due to copyright license but still kind of disappointing that no more than a couple lines of some of them were included with the story. Some of the songs are fairly obscure, and some stories were stretched to encompass multiple songs (notably three songs by Albert Burt included). Overall though, I really enjoyed it and would highly recommend it for all lovers of Christmas carols.

Super-informative, great stories behind the songs!

Ace Collins does it again! In the same style asStories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas (Stories Behind Books), Collins explores the origins of even more of our favorite Christmas songs. Collins is incredibly entertaining and informative in his style - he's easy to read, presenting engaging stories even as he gives his own insight and inspiration.

As a pastor, I've used several of Collins' books now to help flesh out sermons during Christmastime, and I highly recommend them as an excellent addition to your Christmas book collection!

So many Christmas jewels!

I have told many of these stories at Christmas parties and get-togethers and I love every one of them. I have given copies of the Ace Collins books to musical friends and they also love to use them. A lot of people have told me they enjoy hearing the stories as it makes the song so much more special. A big 'thank you' to Ace Collins and to Amazon for making the books available.

Learn the history behind the songs

Great book with most of the Christmas classics. Has a lot of detailed info. Used this as a source for a history project for my kids on Christmas carols. Would recommend. It adds so much to know the history behind the songs.

Ace Collins is an Ace Author

This book is thoroughly interesting and useful. The contents are so fascinating, and author Ace Collins' well-articulated insights are quite inspired and inspiring. This book and its previous volume make much-appreciated gifts.

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Title: Appetite for Self-Destruction

Subtitle: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age

Author: Steve Knopper

Narrator: Dan John Miller

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 01-06-09

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 131 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Music

Publisher's Summary:

In a comprehensive, fast-paced account full of larger-than-life personalities, Rolling Stone contributing editor Steve Knopper shows that, after the incredible wealth and excess of the '80s and '90s, Sony, Warner, and the other big players brought about their own downfall through years of denial and bad decisions in the face of dramatic advances in technology.

Based on interviews with more than 200 music industry sources - from Warner Music chairman Edgar Bronfman Jr. to renegade Napster creator Shawn Fanning - Knopper is the first to offer such a detailed and sweeping contemporary history of the industry's wild ride through the past three decades.

From the birth of the compact disc, through the explosion of CD sales in the '80s and '90s, the emergence of Napster, and the secret talks that led to iTunes, to the current collapse of the industry as CD sales plummet, Knopper takes us inside the boardrooms, recording studios, private estates, garage computer labs, company jets, corporate infighting, and secret deals of the big names and behind-the-scenes players who made it all happen.

Members Reviews:

Awesome Book

This is an awesome book about the music business, where it's been, and where it's going. A lot of deep dark secrets are revealed here in how the corporatization of rock 'n roll corrupted the music, ripped off the performers, cheated the fans, and battled the technology that threatened corporate profiteering. Robert Johnson may have made a deal with the devil at the crossroads, but our favorite musicians and singers didn't do much better with the record label companies. Those who were lucky enough to be "signed" found themselves in a corporate profit machine, manufacturing music as a product. First it was 45s and LPs. Then came CDs. We consumers made those corporate devils rich. But this is changing as we speak. So before you buy another CD, get this book. If you're a musician, composer, or performer, this book is a must read for your future.

This will cure any lingering sympathy for RIAA

This book details the events and highlights the colorful characters who shaped the music industry since the disco era. They were tech dinosaurs and Luddites and protectors of their obscene multimillion dollar salaries. The death of the major labels was foretold, Napster and file sharing were inevitable. We all knew we were paying $16 for a CD that cost pennies to make, and only a tiny fraction of that went to the artist. Plus the top-down focus on big hits from agents to labels to big box stores and even radio stations limited our choices.

The writing style is a little strange. It's almost like a column in Spin or Rolling Stone where the author injects his own opinions instead of always quoting others. The familiarity was a little jarring but I got used to it.

What We Can Learn from the Record Industry

We should always pay attention when whole industries implode before our eyes. In my lifetime I've seen the rise of the the big corporate music industry (music industry complex?) as multinational music companies rode the ridiculous profits of the star system and the CD and then rapidly eroded into irrelevancy as technology changed the game.

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Title: Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas

Author: Ace Collins

Narrator: Marc Cashman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-11-08

Publisher: Zondervan

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 28 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Music

Publisher's Summary:

Behind the Christmas songs we love to sing lie fascinating stories that will enrich your holiday celebration. Taking you inside the nativity of over 30 favorite songs and carols, Ace Collins introduces you to people you've never met, stories you've never heard, and meanings you'd never have imagined.

©2001 Ace Collins (P)2008 Zondervan

Members Reviews:

Jingle Bells was not written for Christmas.

Ace Collins rights of wonderful book of the origin of Christmas songs, discover just where that cool Christmas song that you love came from. this is perfect for those cold winter nights just before Christmas. wishing you all a white Christmas.

Wonderful book

The stories of the songs were very well told, and amazing. I was especially blown away with the story of The Twelve Days of Christmas. I'll never hear it the same again. Some of the songs have a much older history than I ever imagined. Loved it!

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Title: The Modern Scholar: Understanding the Fundamentals of Classical Music

Author: Richard Freedman

Narrator: Richard Freedman

Format: Original Recording

Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-22-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 50 votes

Genres: Arts & Entertainment, Music

Publisher's Summary:

Music is a performative art. It stresses movement through time and engages our suggestive sense of its passing. Music has tendency, it normally invokes goals of various sorts, both near and far. Music has closure, a sensation not just of ending, but of expecting no more. Music also has accent. It is a dynamic process of stresses and nuance that often varies in dimension from one performance to the next.

This course is not designed as a chronological survey of musical history and its many stylistic periods or moments, nor an exploration of the lives and output of individual composers. Instead, these lectures focus on the development of listening skills. Through this course you will develop new levels of aural awareness that will allow you to better appreciate the richness, complexity, and excitement at the heart of all great concert music.

Members Reviews:

Somewhat dull...

Note: I'm a classically trained musician.

While I was able to follow this with no problem, I had difficulty keeping myself engaged, even with the supplemental materials.

Part of the problem was in the Audible format: it was somewhat difficult to rewind and repeat recordings, which meant I lost patience and stopped bothering after a few sections. Thus, his point was lost, and when he later elaborated, I just didn't care.

I will try this another day, however, and see if I like it better then.

Quick overview of classical music

It may be me, but a bunch of it was a bit above my head. It is probably good listen for those with more than basic musical understanding.

Not my best pick

I was eager to listen to this audiobook after listening to another title in the same collection (Masterpieces of Western Music) but I was finally disappointed with Mr. Freedman.

The lectures are full of "if you listen carefully you will hear" - which of course presupposes an exercised ear which is not my case - while Mr. Lependorf (Masterpieces) would take small bits of music apart to MAKE you hear.

I have no musical preparation but could enjoy fully from Masterpieces... while felt left aside in these lectures. Probably someone with more musical experience would profit more but I'd say that these classes should be thought for basic students and not for intermediate.