Origins and Development of Musical Instruments [Hardcover]

...it is a concise, intelligent, contemporary equivalent, evincing the benefits of six decades of thought on the place of musical instruments in human life. It is also an antidote to flash but vapid presentations...as a readable organological treatise of modest size, this book is unsurpassed. Essential.It is a pleasure to read a comprehensive book on the subject of the origin and development of musical instruments, especially when written by an expert on the subject....I highly recommend this volume...A welcome addition to the field of organology.... It is clear that he not only loves his subject, but also has knowledge of it from many different vantage points.... A fine textbook for a semester survey of musical instruments...as well as a fine resource for laypersons who wish to know more about musical sounds in many cultures throughout many periods.Montagu's publication is broad in its scope, and represents a study of the cultural, social and technological developments of the world's instruments. The quality of writing keeps the reader fully engaged. Each chapter introduces the terminology relating to instruments of a specific type and provides explanations that should be comprehensible to a non-specialist. This book contains material that will be widely referenced and will be of immense value to anyone wishing to gain an informed overview of the field.Montagu provides an exceptional discussion....Montagu is masterful in his presentation of intricate organological material that crosses boundaries of time and space....Beautifully written and chocked full of a lifetime of research.A survey of the origins and development of musical instruments world-wide from Paleolithic times to the present day. Illustrated with pictures of several hundred instruments from all over the world on 120 plates, with five maps for ease of reference to exotic places.Origins and Development of Musical Instruments describes the creation, use, and development of musical instruments from the OllE