Reference Book Analysis

1. Reference Book Analysis Susan Hanzelka LIBR 150: Spring 2008 Week 2 (300s, 700s)

2. The Complete Encyclopedia ofMusical Instruments Call Number: 784.19 MLS Bibliographic Citation: Oling, Bert, and Heinz Wallisch. The Complete Encyclopedia of Musical Instruments. Edison, New Jersey: Chartwell Books, Inc., 2003.

3. Arrangement • Entriesarearrangedbysubjectchapters. • Sectionsofthebook: • Part 1:PerceptionandReception • Culture and the Cult of Listening • The Origins of Musical Instruments • Organized Sound • A Magical Dimension • Sound and Tone • Hearing

4. Arrangement • Part 2:Classification(Organology:theScientificStudyofMusicalInstruments) • Part 3:Instruments • This section is divided up by instrument categories, e.g., PercussionInstruments, Noisemakers, Scrapers, FrictionInstruments, WindInstruments WoodwindInstruments, BrassInstruments, StringedInstruments (plucked, struck, bowed), Mouth-organs and Concertinas, Accordions, Organ Music, Electronic Instruments, Audio Equipment, the Voice, etc.). • The last few sections include Internet Resources, Glossary of Terms, and Index.

5. Indexing Theindexisalphabeticalandincludes various instruments (some familiar, and some exotic!). Chittarone Ocarina

6. Scope • This book covers “old instruments and contemporary instruments,… the development of music and the role that music has played in people’s lives from the distant past to the present day.” • This book not only covers musical instruments, but also the origins of music, its range (50-12,000 hz; 20-100 dB) and its effects (e.g., one experiment showed that “pumpkins liked the music of Haydn and Brahms, but they did not like rock music whatsoever.”)

7. Currency • Thisbookis up-to-date, covering both historical and present day instruments. Hurdy-Gurdy

8. Intended andAdditional Purposes Thisbookisformusicians (of all genres), students of music and music history, and collectors of musical instruments (historical and modern day; of different ethnic origins). It could be an introduction for students. Not recommended for small children. Thumb Piano

9. Additional Purposes • Someone interested in building instruments might use this book as a starting point. • An artist might take a look at this book to get ideas on a mixed media project--instruments are made from many materials, and a lot of them are also decorated with paint, carving, etc. • Students doing research on different countries and peoples might like to add a musical component to their project.

10. Additional Purposes • For use in studying effects of music: • Calming dental patients. • Detering unwanted groups (e.g., skinheads near German subway stations). • Encouraging patrons to eat more in restaurants. • Increasing work performance by employees. • Overcoming fears of soldiers. • Hearing loss. • Changing the rhythm of breathing and heartbeat in fetuses. • Human motor responses (e.g., clapping).

11. Additional Purposes(Reference Questions) • Sample reference question: What’s the difference between a Hawaiian guitar and a classical one? • Answer: Hawaiian guitars are played flat and mounted on a tripod. The metal strings are played with a plectrum and are strung higher up the fingerboard than on a classical guitar. The neck is fretless. Hawaiian Guitar

12. Additional Purposes(Reference Questions) • Sample reference question: What does A capella mean? • Answer: “In chapel mode.” It is singing (usually a group of soprano, contralto, tenor and bass) without instrumental accompaniment. • Sample reference question: What kind of wood are harps made out of? • Answer: “Sycamore, a wood that is odorless, tasteless, and very strong, is used throughout for the construction of the modern day harp.”

13. Format Thisisahardboundbookwith 256 pages. Its dimensions are 9.3 x 6.5 x 1 inches. ItincludesthesectionsmentionedontheArrangementpageofthispresentation. Itisonly available in hardbound,notanyotherversions. Panpipes

14. Sample from Book Portuguese or Fado Guitar Portugal has itw own, distinctive guitar culture. The Portuguese guitar is used as accompaniment to fado (fate) songs, with their melancholy overtones. In its construction the fado guitar appears to be a mixture of the guitar and the cittern. The pegbox design is very unusual.

15. Special Features • There is a glossary of musical terms (e.g., Allegro, Measure, Tempo, Vibrato, etc.) • There is also a list of websites for more information on the various music instrument categories (e.g., Brass Instruments, Stringed Instruments, etc.). • There are lots of full-color photos of instruments.

16. Authority/Credentials • Bert Oling has a degree in history and music history. He was a manager of the audio-visual entertainment of several people involved in jazz and classical music. Mr. Oling is also a music critic, and has reviewed concert performances and sound recording media for the Dutch press. He coaches freelance authors.

17. Authority/Credentials • Heinz Wallisch is a music and literature critic, editor, proofreader, and lexicographer. His involvement in books/publishing dates back to the age of 15. He worked for the European Commission in Luxembourg (a publishing house). His articles are published in daily and weekly newspapers, monthly magazines, and other media.

18. Reviews I found one review, by Bob Zeidler (Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Encyclopedia-Musical-Instruments/dp/0785818707). Mr. Zeidler states that it’s “a treasure trove of instrument arcana” and of interest to “those of an inquisitive musical instrument bent, looking for a place to start in terms of identifying and cataloging instruments of antiquity and pre-modern times, as well as those of non-Western origin.” He thought it was very comprehensive and mentioned the web resources several times in his review. His one negative comment was that there were a few oversights/omissions. His summary: “Not perfect or complete, but an excellent bargain and a good starting point for someone needing such information and willing to read further.”

19. Personal Impressions • I thought this book would only cover traditional instruments found in an orchestra (especially from the cover art), but there were instruments from around the world, some of which are no longer in use. • I found the stringed instruments history interesting. I’d never seen the 8-stringed viocta or the trumpet violin!

20. Personal Impressions • I thought this book was very comprehensive. • The color photos throughout added much to this reference book. • The glossary was very helpful for terms I hadn’t heard before, or needed clarification on. • I hope to explore some of the internet sites listed in the back of the book.

21. Reference Uses • Musical instrument historians. • Musical instrument students. • Musical instrument collectors (both historical and new). • Music historians. • Music history students. • Musicians. • Lovers of music, music history, and musical instruments. • A general resource for those new to music, music history and musical instruments.

22. Complementary Sources • Instrument Encyclopedia (http://www.si.umich.edu/chico/instrument/) • General Reference (instruments in general, organized by instrument types: Percussion, String, Wind, and Electronic). • Browse by Geography (by country of origin. Click on a continent of interest on a clickable world map). • This site was less verbose (per entry), but contained basic information on each instrument (see example on next page).

24. Complementary Sources • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Musical Instruments: From All Eras and Regions of the World (Abrashev, Bozhidar, and Vladimir Gadjev. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Musical Instruments: From All Eras and Regions of the World. Lulin, Bulgaria: Kibea Publishing Company, 2006).http://www.amazon.com/Illustrated-Encyclopedia-Musical-Instruments-Regions/dp/0841602689/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239386418&sr=8-1