Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

This Companion covers many diverse aspects of brass instruments and in such detail. It provides an overview of the history of brass instruments, and their technical and musical development. Although the greatest part of the volume is devoted to the western art music tradition, with chapters covering topics from the medieval to the contemporary periods, there are important contributions on the ancient world, non-western music, vernacular and popular traditions and the rise of jazz. Despite the breadth of its narrative, the book is rich in detail, with an extensive glossary and bibliography. The editors are two of the most respected names in the world of brass performance and scholarship, and the list of contributors includes the names of many of the world's most prestigious scholars and performers on brass instruments.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• List of illustration (p. ix)
• Note on the contributor (p. xi)
• Preface (p. xv)
• Acknowledgements (p. xvi)
• Nomenclatures (p. xviii)
• Introduction (p. 1)
• 1 Lip-vibrated instruments of the ancient and non-western world (p. 5)
• 2 How brass instrument work (p. 19)
• 3 Design, technology and manufacture before 1800 (p. 24)
• 4 Bnass instruments in art music in the Middle Ages (p. 38)
• 5 The cornett (p. 51)
• 6 ÆSackbufÆ: the early trombone (p. 68)
• 7 The trumpet before 1800 (p. 84)
• 8 The horn in the Baroque and Classical periods (p. 103)
• 9 Design, technology and rnanufacture since l800 (p. 115)
• 10 Keyed brass (p. 131)
• 11 The low brass (p. 143)
• 12 Brass in the modern orchestra (p. 157)
• l3 Brass bands and other vernacular brass traditions (p. 177)
• 14 Playing, learning and teaching brass (p. 193)
• 15 The post-classica1 horn (p. 207)
• 16 Jazz, improvisation and brass (p. 217)
• 17 Brass solo and chamber music from l800 (p. 236)
• 18 Frontiers or byways? Brass instrurnents in avant-garde music (p. 255)
• Glossary (p. 273)
• Notes (p. 285)
• Select bibliography (p. 31l)
• Index (p. 327)

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

This valuable new volume is not strictly a history of brass instruments, but rather a collection of 18 essays about various aspects of brass. Though most of the essays are concerned with brass in the Western tradition, the opening essay deals with "lip-vibrated instruments of the ancient and non-western world." A sampling of the topics covered: design, technology and manufacture of instruments (one essay covers before 1800, another since 1800), the cornett, the sackbut, keyed brass, literature for brass during various musical eras, the use of the instruments in different types of groups in different eras, the brass band tradition, jazz and improvisation on brass, brass in the avant-garde. All essays are authoritatively written, although none pretends to be exhaustive. Some focus much of their attention on primarily academic terminology and issues--such as the jazz article's discussion of "phallic" and "postphallic" styles, individualizing and collectivizing techniques and styles. A helpful glossary and a fairly comprehensive select bibliography. This book does not really replace any other volumes about brass, but it will certainly be a noteworthy addition to the literature. Academic collections serving undergraduates, graduates, faculty. K. R. Dietrich Ripon College