Reviewed by:
alex_hnatiuk, on march 21, 2008
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Richness of Content: Daniel Levitin provides a wealth of information on the construction and impact of music, and addresses many of the issues which seem to elude and yet consume musicians and music appreciators alike; why we like the music we do, how virtuoso's are made, and the anthropological and evolutionary origins of music in our culture. The book begins lightly, drawing the reader in and developing a basis for the rest of the book. His explanations will appeal to musician and non-musician alike, as he covers the structural components of music and how they interplay. Elements like Harmony, rhythm, tempo, timbre, and many more, are all concisely explained and contextualized -within the needs of the book; he himself acknowledges that none of these components can be explained completely within the brevity he uses. From here the books depth picks up, as he beings to explain more precisely the elements of notes and timbre; musicians will appreciate the explanations of overtone theory and how timbre is shaped, but this section may be hard for a non-musician to fully understand. Fortunately he keeps things interesting by constantly providing examples from modern society for his theories, citing bands and performers such as Led Zeppelin, Steely Dan, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, and dozens more. Many readers may have trouble sticking through the middle chapters of the book, which delve into the cognitive interpretation of the elements of music, but perseverance pays well; the concepts illustrated throughout only help to provide a new and enriched understanding of music and it's connection to our history and intellectual development. // 9
Style: Levitin should be given high regard for managing obtuse topics in an efficient and informative way; the faults which arise during the later chapters are a symptom of the dense material. The chapters are lean and fairly complete, but occasionally Daniel dangles a piece of provocative information at the reader and then passes it by, leaving the proverbial mouth watering for more. In some ways this is a positive; the reader feels encouraged and inspired to read more on the topic. The result however is a short-term letdown. At times the writing (just like this review, I'm sure) feels tedious and lecture-hall, but the payoff comes in understanding the concepts (re-reading is a definite). Overall, Levitin can't be faulted for his efforts. He seamlessly integrates ideas on the structure of music with it's application in popular music and manages to come across as a remarkably human voice, in spite of the heady dialect. // 8
Impression: This is an immaculate introductory piece for anyone interested in "the science of a human obsession", as it works from the ground up to explain what music is made of, how we compile the components in our minds, and why it even exists. There are a few short-comings, but the cohesive range of the books topics leaves a lasting, significant gestalt. I strongly urge anyone interested in music, especially musicians, to get themselves a copy of this book and learn the principles set forth in it. It's by no means a discourse on music theory in the traditional sense, but rather a reassessment of what music IS, and how we can manipulate it to achieve very significant reactions and emotional responses. So yes, this book will teach you how to get laid. // 9
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