Reviews
"Providing an insightful account of the roots of Western classical musical style, Van der Merwe looks at melody, counterpoint and harmony, and traditional tonality in the 18th century. The author draws on a variety of sources to demonstrate the relative simplicity of musical constructions that theorists and historians have previously considered complex. He also looks beyond the traditional sources, examining the importance of styles from alternative repertoires such as children's song and dances of Central Europe. The strengths of this book are the breadth of Van de Merwe's examples and his perspective, which is relatively free of the value judgments commonly placed on the selected repertoires. By avoiding the good music/bad music dichotomy, the author provides some fresh insights on the origins of classical style...Highly recommended." --CHOICE, "Providing an insightful account of the roots of Western classical musical style, Van der Merwe looks at melody, counterpoint and harmony, and traditional tonality in the 18th century. The author draws on a variety of sources to demonstrate the relative simplicity of musical constructions that theorists and historians have previously considered complex. He also looks beyond the traditional sources, examining the importance of styles from alternative repertoires such as children's song and dances of Central Europe. The strengths of this book are the breadth of Van de Merwe's examples and his perspective, which is relatively free of the value judgments commonly placed on the selected repertoires. By avoiding the good music/bad music dichotomy, the author provides some fresh insights on the origins of classical style...Highly recommended." --CHOICE "A well-written, well-argued, well-illustrated and informative book. Here is a lively, scholarly and ultimately very valuable contribution to music history."-Classical.net, '. . . looks beyond the traditional sources, examining the importance ofstyles from alternative repertoires such as children's song and dances ofCentral Europe. The Strengths of this book are the breadth of Van de Merwe'sexamples and his perspective, which is relatively free of the value judgementsplaced on the selected repertoires.'Choice, 'review from Previous Edition . . . a Marvellously Stimulating New Book.'martin Kettle, the Guardian, "This is a marvelously stimulating and important book: a masterpiece of canny observation, a miracle of effective organization, a model of colorful, pungent writing, and an ear-opener that should be read and pondered by all scholars and musicians who deal with music of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries in any and all of its genres."--Music & Letters"Providing an insightful account of the roots of Western classical musical style, Van der Merwe looks at melody, counterpoint and harmony, and traditional tonality in the 18th century. The author draws on a variety of sources to demonstrate the relative simplicity of musical constructions that theorists and historians have previously considered complex. He also looks beyond the traditional sources, examining the importance of styles from alternative repertoires such as children's song and dances of Central Europe. The strengths of this book are the breadth of Van de Merwe's examples and his perspective, which is relatively free of the value judgments commonly placed on the selected repertoires. By avoiding the good music/bad music dichotomy, the author provides some fresh insights on the origins of classical style...Highly recommended." --CHOICE, '. . . looks beyond the traditional sources, examining the importance of styles from alternative repertoires such as children's song and dances of Central Europe. The Strengths of this book are the breadth of Van de Merwe's examples and his perspective, which is relatively free of the valuejudgements placed on the selected repertoires.'Choice, 'Review from previous edition . . . a marvellously stimulating new book.'Martin Kettle, The Guardian'. . . looks beyond the traditional sources, examining the importance of styles from alternative repertoires such as children's song and dances of Central Europe. The Strengths of this book are the breadth of Van de Merwe's examples and his perspective, which is relatively free of the value judgements placed on the selected repertoires.'Choice, "This is a marvelously stimulating and important book: a masterpiece of canny observation, a miracle of effective organization, a model of colorful, pungent writing, and an ear-opener that should be read and pondered by all scholars and musicians who deal with music of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries in any and all of its genres."--Music & Letters "Providing an insightful account of the roots of Western classical musical style, Van der Merwe looks at melody, counterpoint and harmony, and traditional tonality in the 18th century. The author draws on a variety of sources to demonstrate the relative simplicity of musical constructions that theorists and historians have previously considered complex. He also looks beyond the traditional sources, examining the importance of styles from alternative repertoires such as children's song and dances of Central Europe. The strengths of this book are the breadth of Van de Merwe's examples and his perspective, which is relatively free of the value judgments commonly placed on the selected repertoires. By avoiding the good music/bad music dichotomy, the author provides some fresh insights on the origins of classical style...Highly recommended." --CHOICE
