Concise Oxford History of Music

Author: Gerald Abraham
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-12-01
Features: The table of contents introduces: Chapter 1: Mesopotamia and Egypt; Chapter 2: The Greek Contribution; Chapter 3: The Hellenized and Roman World; Chapter 4: Music in the Christian World. In the Western intellectual and cultural circles (especially in the English-speaking world), "Oxford" represents a certain kind of trusted authoritative authority. In the field of music academia alone, authoritative works named after "Oxford" include the renowned Oxford Companion to Music (now translated into Chinese), the New Oxford Companion to Music, and even the multi-volume New Oxford History of Music. This A Concise Oxford History of Music is part of this "Oxford" series in music and is a superior work in Western music history. The features of this book are: 1. The sense of historical continuity not only reflects the evolution of mainstream trends but also lies hidden in the interweaving of branches, undercurrents, and even counterflows. Abraham, in this book, attempts to present such colorful, complex, and sometimes even seemingly chaotic scenes of musical history. His effort lies in placing great figures and great works back into their "natural" and "ecological" environment. 2. The book contains over two thousand footnotes (!), more than three hundred musical examples, and nearly seventy illustrations. These footnotes (and the main text) not only often point out the sources of information and the current state of research with an authoritative tone but also, with a detective-like instinct, expose the factual errors of previous scholars. This kind of "Qian Zhongshu-style" extensive citation and mastery of various languages are beyond the reach of those who are not erudite. Although for ordinary readers, paying attention to these sources of information may only hinder the smooth flow of reading, for professional scholars and music students, this meticulous scholarly spirit and serious attitude serve not only as an example but also guide further learning and research. 3. Abraham's long-standing practice of music criticism in broadcasting, television, and newspapers has nurtured another outstanding academic-artistic quality: vivid musical sensitivity and sharp literary expression. Unlike more objective historical research, the criticism and evaluation of music must fully display the current, personal artistic insight. This may be the most distinctive feature that distinguishes art history from ordinary history. In this book, Abraham adopts a "low-key" approach, writing little and just hinting at his points. As an experienced music critic, his aesthetic judgments and artistic critiques of musical styles, composers, and individual works are extremely accurate and precise. But as a historian, he pays attention to controlling his pen, focusing on the formal structure of music, never exaggerating in his language, and even rejecting emotional over-enthusiasm.