Listening to Music (with CD)

This chronological text, which covers all the major periods in music history, offers instructors and students particular help in developing listening skills in three ways: First, a free "Introduction to Listening" CD comes packaged with each student copy of the text. This CD plays all of the music discussed in the music fundamentals chapters of the text and provides an audio guide called "Instruments of the Orchestra." The guide presents the instruments and then tests students' ability to recognize them by themselves and in various combinations. Second, every chapter in Wright's text offers unique listening exercises. It is the only music appreciation book to have listening exercises built into and fully integrated with the text. Third, interactive listening guides and listening quizzes for all of the music in the text are available free via download from the Schirmer website. More than any other music appreciation text, LISTENING TO MUSIC challenges students to develop and refine their listening skills. Wright covers traditional Western music from medieval to modern, and integrates non-Western music throughout the text where appropriate, drawing comparisons between music of Western and other cultures. Concluding chapters discuss popular music and its impact on the world of music. Musical examples from each historical period are discussed within their social context, giving students a broad sense not only of a piece's composition, but also of its historical and cultural meaning.