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The Story of Music

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The Story of Music

By: Howard Goodall
Narrated by: Howard Goodall
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About this listen

Accompanies BBC2's major new TV series and The Story of Music in 50 Pieces on Radio 3

Music is an intrinsic part of everyday life, and yet the history of its development from single notes to multi-layered orchestration can seem bewilderingly specialised and complex.

In his dynamic tour through 40,000 years of music, from prehistoric instruments to modern-day pop, Howard Goodall does away with stuffy biographies, unhelpful labels and tired terminology. Instead he leads us through the story of music as it happened, idea by idea, so that each musical innovation – harmony, notation, sung theatre, the orchestra, dance music, recording, broadcasting – strikes us with its original force.

He focuses on what changed when and why, picking out the discoveries that revolutionised man-made sound and bringing to life musical visionaries from the little-known Pérotin to the colossus of Wagner. Along the way, he also gives refreshingly clear descriptions of what music is and how it works: what scales are all about, why some chords sound discordant and what all post-war pop songs have in common.

The story of music is the story of our urge to invent, connect, rebel – and entertain. Howard Goodall’s beautifully clear and compelling account is both a hymn to human endeavour and a groundbreaking map of our musical journey.

©2013 Howard Goodall (P)2013 Random House AudioGo History & Criticism Social Sciences

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Profile Image for Milamber

An argument for audio samples.

i loved everything about this book EXCEPT there was a great opportunity to add musical samples to compliment the various referenced pieces. if you don't already know what hes talking about in a certain peice you need to either pause and go and find it or just take his word for it.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.