Music

A Description and History of the Pianoforte - by A. J. Hipkins Illustrated by John Hipkins Purchase through Amazon Alfred James Hipkins spend a lifetime surrounded by music. Born on June 17, 1826, in England, he began his career at the age of 14, working as a piano tuner. He was such an expert at it, that by the age of 20 he… Continue reading

A Dictionary of Old English Music & Musical Instruments - by Jeffrey Pulver Purchase through Amazon Jeffrey Pulver wrote numerous works on music, including Paganini, the Romantic Virtuoso, and Aids to Elementary Violin Playing. This particular work seeks to rescue and herald the English history of music, and to elevate it to the status of music found in France, Italy and other European nations in… Continue reading

A Manual Of Harmony - Of this work, A Manual of Harmony, Jadassohn suggested, "A thorough and complete knowledge of the chords and their inter-combination, such as the artist needs not only for original free composition, but also for preluding and modulating, and for a correct and intelligent rendition of mater-works, can be attained solely by means of earnest, diligent, and preserving work."

Bedouins: Mary Garden, Debussy, Chopin and More - by James Huneker Purchase through Amazon Croquet was all the rage in England in 1860s. It derived from earlier games, and was introduced by France. Interest in the game spread to the United States. The different forms of croquet, and similar games such as golf, trucco, pall-mall, and kolven, actually derive from games dating as… Continue reading

Complete Instructive Manual for the Bugle, Trumpet and Drum: Signals and Calls for the US Military Service and Boy Scouts’ Service - by V. F. Safranak Purchase through Amazon Drill signals, quicksteps, sound offs, and more are the contents of this manual, which is aimed at those in the armed services, school bands, and scouting. V. F. Safranek gives an extremely detailed account, even covering how to properly tie trumpet cords. The manual does require some working… Continue reading

Deep Sea Chanties: Old Sea Songs - by Frank Shay, Illustrated by Edw. A. Wilson, Introduction by William McFee Purchase through Amazon Deep Sea Chanties offers a unique lens upon seafaring life punctuated with fabulous woodcut illustrations by Edward A. Wilson. From the editor, Frank Shay: “In bringing these songs together I have sought to catch for the moment the spirit of… Continue reading

Famous Stars of Light Opera - by Lewis C. Strang, Introduction by Matthew Brewer Purchase through Amazon | Purchase through CreateSpace In his catalogue of their character and artwork, Strang’s book becomes as much an exploration of the requisites of comedic performance as of the individuals who epitomized it. In the narratives of their lives, one sees the power these individual… Continue reading

Fiat Lux: Full Score, Parts Included - Composed by by Gregory Thomas Woolford Martin Purchase on Amazon (Fiat Lux: Full Score, Parts Included) | Purchase on CreateSpace Purchase on Amazon (Fiat Lux: Piano & Vocal Score) | Purchase on CreateSpace Gregory Thomas Woolford Martin has composed for small and large ensembles, electronica, choir, film, theater, dance and orchestra. He has received grants from… Continue reading

Gems of Poetry and Song on James A. Garfield - by J. C. McClenahan Purchase on Amazon | Purchase on CreateSpace The outpouring of grief over the assassination of James Garfield coincided with a Victorian high tide in emotional display about the dear departed, and produced enormous amounts of glassware, statues and other memorabilia to preserve the memory of the martyred president. This not atypical volume… Continue reading

Gems of Song for Eastern Star Chapters - compiled by Pitkin & Mathews Purchase on Amazon | Purchase on CreateSpace Although the Order of the Eastern Star at one time claimed ties to orders in the seventeenth and eighteenth century Swedish royal court, the consensus is that it was largely invented as a companion secret society to Freemasonry in the nineteenth century. Both… Continue reading

Harvard University Songs - by E. F. DuBois Purchase through Amazon | Purchase through CreateSpace Eugene Floyd DuBois (1882-1959) studied medicine at Columbia after doing his undergraduate work at Harvard and graduating in 1903. At Harvard he was business editor of the Harvard Lampoon, the humor magazine, and rowed. He had a lifelong avocational interest in music but as professor… Continue reading

How to Make a Violin and Violin Notes - by John Broadhouse and Ole Bull Purchase through Amazon With an attention for detail, John Broadhouse explains how to build a violin. The work is well illustrated to help explain the process, and all the options available. Broadhouse produced numerous works, including Musical Acoustics; or, The Phenomena of Sound as Connected with Music (1892), and… Continue reading

Overtones: A Book of Temperaments - by James Huneker Purchase through Amazon James Gibbons Huneker was born in 1857 in Philadelphia. He began his life with a career in law in order to please his parents, but at 21 abandoned that path, and fled to Paris to learn piano, accompanied by his pregnant girlfriend. He only spent a year there, which… Continue reading

Star Gleams: A Collection of Songs, Odes, and Ceremonials - by Carrie B. Jennings Purchase on Amazon | Purchase on CreateSpace Although sometimes claiming seventeenth and eighteenth century Scandinavian origins and found in Scotland and Canada and Australia, the Eastern Star is really an American secret society closely tied to Freemasonry. Women largely lead it, although some male Masons serve as officers. This collection, made by… Continue reading

The Song Lore of Ireland: Erin’s Story in Music and Verse - Chloe Angeline Stickney Hall (1830 - 1892) was a gifted mathematician and a pioneer for women's rights.

The Victor Book of the Opera - By Victor Talking Machine Co., Introduction by Matthew Brewer Purchase through Amazon | Purchase through CreateSpace The Victor Book of Opera carries on the proud tradition of operatic synopsis compendiums with a rich array of historic photos and recording references. With its intricate descriptions of opera synopses spanning the length and breadth of the repertoire,… Continue reading

The Violin and Old Violin Makers: A Historical & Biographical Account of the Violin - by A. Mason Clarke Purchase through Amazon | Purchase through CreateSpace There is no question about the fascinating tales that come with celebrated violins, as in this volume, and the enormous prices. In 2011, a 1721 Stradivari was sold for nearly ten million pounds. Yet the storied value of old violins has been challenged by the… Continue reading