Series in Appreciation
Books in Appreciation
Art in Flight
Presentation signed and dated by the artist on the half title page.
Constellation
Beginning in June 2015, a new constellation will rise nightly above a small island in the middle of the Hudson River, fifty miles north of New York City. Every evening as the sun goes down, starry points of light will emerge one by one with the stars of the night sky above the Bannermans' Castle ruin between Cold Spring and Beacon, NY. Constellation , the book, accompanies this mysterious but sublime installation, both as an extension and artifact of the project. The book is a visual and literary dialogue between artist Melissa McGill and several celebrated writers and poets, using the artwork as a springboard for inspiration and collaboration.
Musicophilia
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • With the same trademark compassion and erudition he brought to The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat , Oliver Sacks explores the place music occupies in the brain and how it affects the human condition. “Powerful and compassionate. . . . A book that not only contributes to our understanding of the elusive magic of music but also illuminates the strange workings, and misfirings, of the human mind.” — The New York Times In Musicophilia , he shows us a variety of what he calls “musical misalignments.” Among them: a man struck by lightning who suddenly desires to become a pianist at the age of forty-two; an entire group of children with Williams syndrome, who are hypermusical from birth; people with “amusia,” to whom a symphony sounds like the clattering of pots and pans; and a man whose memory spans only seven seconds-for everything but music. Illuminating, inspiring, and utterly unforgettable.
The Psychology of Music
Music has been examined from multiple perspectives: as a product of human history, for example, or a product of human culture. But there is also a long tradition, intensified in recent decades, of thinking about music as a product of the human mind. Whether considering composition, performance, listening, or appreciation, the constraints and capabilities of the human mind play a formative role. The field that has emerged around this approach is known as the psychology of music. Written in a lively and accessible manner, this volume connects the science to larger questions about music that are of interest to practicing musicians, music therapists, musicologists, and the general public alike. For example: Why can one musical performance move an audience to tears, and another compel them to dance, clap, or snap along? How does a "hype" playlist motivate someone at the gym? And why is that top-40 song stuck in everyone's head? ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
Who's Afraid of Classical Music?
Time magazine music critic Michael Walsh has created for the mellowing rock 'n roll generation a complete and totally irreverent guide to listening to, collecting and enjoying classical music.