Music in the 20th Century (3 Vol Set) [Hardcover] DiMartino, Dave

From School Library Journal Grade 7 Up-This eclectic encyclopedia covers a variety of artists and styles from classical music to grunge. When browsing the volumes, the connections and influences among so many disparate types of music are striking. See-also references help readers to make many other connections. World music is particularly well covered. Nonmusicians who influenced the field, such as disc jockey Alan Freed, are also included. An extensive bibliography gives sources for much more detailed information on specific artists. While there is much to admire here, the comprehensive approach means that some topics are given short shrift. However, an extensive "Biographical Digest" lists numerous individuals who did not receive main entries (including major artists such as Paul Simon, James Taylor, and Billy Joel). The articles are written by several contributors and vary in quality. It is hard to understand the focus of some of the entries, such as the one on children's songs that mentions primarily Disney film music, but not Raffi. Some of the entries on music styles are puzzling. There is an article on "Rock Music" as well as "Rock'n'Roll," and one on "Pop Music" as well as "Popular Music." Although the terms are defined in these entries, it still seems like hairsplitting. The "Suggested Listening" lists at the end of each article are not comprehensive and do not include record labels or other identifying information. The black-and-white photographs are minimal. Purchase only where there is strong demand for reference materials on music. Tim Wadham, Dallas Public Library, TX Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. Product Description This is an examination of the crucial formative period of Chinese attitudes toward nuclear weapons, the immediate post-Hiroshima/Nagasaki period and the Korean War. It also provides an account of US actions and attitudes during this period and China's response. From Library Journal These two titles cover the same material in a similar format but on a different scale. The Cassell Companion to 20th-Century Music, an updated revision of Pickering's Brewer's Twentieth-Century Music (Cassell, 1995) is a one-volume ready-reference work comprising brief entries. Music in the 20th Century, on the other hand, is a more encyclopedic three-volume set, with articles ranging from one to eight pages. Most of these articles also feature brief bibliographies and discographies. Both works follow a broad definition of 20th-century music, with coverage encompassing classical, rock, pop, blues, jazz, and country. Neither is especially strong on ethnic or world music, but Music in the 20th Century does contain articles such as "Cuba," "South African Jazz," and "Zouk." While there is little in either of these two sources that could not be found in either the Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (LJ 12/95) or the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (LJ 12/15/80), the Cassell book could be especially useful in answering the odd reference question, with entries such as "Fifth Beatle" and "donkey music" and cross references from The Boss, Slow Hand, or King of Swing. Music in the 20th Century does contain some information that updates the New Grove but seems aimed more at the general reader or undergraduate nonmusic major. It would be a good choice for libraries that cannot afford the two larger sets.AMichael Colby, Univ. of California, Davis Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Booklist In this broad approach to music of the twentieth century, classical and popular genres stand side by side. Among the 500 headings included are those for performers (The Beatles, Billie Holiday, Whitney Houston, Machito, Lauritz Melchior); composers (George Gershwin, Darius Milhaud, Thelonious Monk, Carl Orff); types of music (Colombian cumbia, electronic music, gypsy music, hard bop, highlife, opera, zouk); places (Cuba, the Middle East, South East Asia); and other aspects (film music, impressi