Don Michael RandelThe Harvard Dictionary of Music (Harvard University Press Reference Library)

Seller sent this very quickly and and in good condition considering it was used. It looked brand new. It’s a bit expensive brand new, but it is worth it for those who like to learn more about music.

Same name different editor. I found it a little harder to read than the early 50s version. Many expanded entries. Still an excellent source.

This dictionary is extremely thorough. I was actually glad that one of the reviews stated it did NOT have the biographies of composers. I didn't want one with all of that. The definitions of terms, symbols, etc. are easy to understand and there are so many entries with terms I've never heard of (and I've been playing the piano for almost 50 years!). I was also impressed with the quality of the paper. So many books today have the recycled paper that looks yellow when new and only gets worse in a few years. This paper is brighter and is of higher quality. With my increasing number of piano students, I am glad to have this book to help answer questions of my more advanced students. Totally satisfied with this purchase!!

I'm a music major and two of my profs suggested I get a music dictionary. They both suggested this one! This dictionary is very comprehensive! It's printed on nice paper and is easy to read (yes I wear glasses). It contains a wealth of musical information with clear, easy to understand definitions that also have cross references. What it doesn't have is bios on composers and that's ok. There are tons of books and info on the web if you're intrested in that aspect. It's very hefty and solidly constructed. I can see it lasting me well beyond my college years. It doesn't matter what kind of music you prefer. It's all in here and I can see this is going to be an valuable book to have in my music library.

At the tender age of 67, I have decided to finally study music.Mysterious things happening in music theory.This "Dictionary " is more like an encyclopedia.Great reference to have. But sometimes more than I can handle .Definitly not written for the novice. Still very useful .

This reference book is important to have on hand. As a music major, I prefer to not "Google" all of the terms that are in my music. Additionally, the information contained in here is far more interesting than any Google Search will provide. The wording is clear and concise. If you're giving lessons to students or are a student yourself, either way this will serve you for years to come!Make sure to place this on a bookshelf somewhere where you can quickly refer to it! It is great teaching and learning material.

It's good for many reasons. Consider it an essential for the proactive musician. Has good formatting and relatable information.

This is the definitive music reference dictionary. Back when I was in music school at Indiana University, Willi Apel was the editor. Don't look for composers or musical works. They aren't there. But for everything else, The Harvard Dictionary of Music is the ONLY dictionary you will ever need. It is nice to see that the production values have not declined. No serious musician or music lover can be without it. It would unthinkable for it not to be at arm's length from my chair in the listening room. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED now and forwever!

It is a very reliable reference. Complex topics are discussed in great detail (spanning many pages) when necessary, while straightforward topics receive an appropriately succinct treatment.It should be noted that this book does not contain very much, if any, information on topics outside of the traditional Western European or Jazz spheres.

I'm learning a Poulenc song cycle which has musical terms I've never seen before. No more sweating, I have my dictionary. Plus, it's so interesting, you can just read it cover to cover for fun. I don't know if I like the cover, but there's definitely no need to judge this book by it. I have an older addition and this updated version is more pleasant to the eye (different font, too).

I'm glad that I was able to purchase a low cost second hand copy of this book. Why? Well, my first foray into it after I had received it presented no information on what I was looking for! I was looking for information about the African Kora instrument. Not because I wanted to know about it, but because I wanted to read what the book had to say about it. The fact that there is no mention of this instrument instils doubt in my mind as to the usefulness of the book. The book is not worthless - there appears to be a wealth of information contained within it. I merely wanted to warn anyone willing to pay the full price that there is at least one very important omission.

Well written reference/ guide for any musician, teacher or music student.I will be using this for years to come.

A very good addition to you music dictionaries collection."The book includes a number of articles which offer up-to-date information on the performance practise"