Item Detail
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Unger, Melvin P.
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Historical dictionary of choral music
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Book
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Historical dictionaries of literature and the arts ; no. 40
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Lanham, Md.
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2010
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Scarecrow Press
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xxvii, 555 p. ; 23 cm.
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English
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0810873923 (ebook); 9780810873926 (ebook); 9780810857513 (cloth : alk. paper); 0810857510 (cloth : alk. paper)
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Choral music--Dictionaries.
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ML 102 .V6 U53 2010
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Unger, Melvin. Historical Dictionary of Choral Music. Lanham, Maryland: The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2010.
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A dictionary containing over 1,000 entries about composers, genres, conductors, institutions, styles, and terminology associated with choral music; intended for use by a layperson or anyone wanting to research any general choral music topic.
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This dictionary primarily deals with composers of Western music and their works, but to a lesser degree also deals with technical terms, genres, conductors, choirs, institutions/organizations, collections, and in some cases, individual choral works. Composers have been selected based on their significance to the history and development of choral music as a whole. Some technical terms beyond the vocabulary of a layperson are included. Operatic and vocal compositions, operatic choral ensembles, and operatic directors have been excluded. When sources disagree on certain facts, the author defaults to the information and definitions in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.
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The first item in the book is a list of acronyms and abbreviations followed by a chronology of significant historical events that impacted the world of choral music.
The chronology is followed by an introduction that defines choral music provides a general history of choral singing. The dictionary itself contains alphabetically integrated entries by composer name, institution, genres, and ensembles. Composer entries, at the very least, include birth and death dates and a brief biographical sketch describing style and legacy. Entries on important or influential composers will also include a short list of important choral works with date of publication and instrumentation. Institution entries include a short history, its purposes, and sometimes famous members or information regarding its publications. Genre entries include a description of the genre and occasionally list prominent composers who wrote for it. Lastly, ensemble entries typically provide a spare account of the ensemble’s history and activities.
The dictionary is followed by a bibliography and an introduction. The bibliography is divided into nine sections categorized by different types of sources. Entries are organized by author’s last name in each section and include a complete bibliographic citation. -
York, Steven. Booklist, 15 February 2011, 86.
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BYU Mus Ref
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693