Read more
This classic reference on musical acoustics and performance practice begins with a brief introduction to the fundamentals of acoustics and the generation of musical sounds. It then discusses the particulars of the sounds made by all the standard instruments in a modern orchestra as well as the human voice, the way in which the sounds made by these instruments are dispersed and how the room into which they are projected affects the sounds.
List of contents
to Acoustics.- Structure of Musical Sound.- Tonal Characteristics of Musical Instruments.- Directional Characteristics.- Foundations of Room Acoustics.- Acoustical Properties of Old and New Performance Spaces.- Seating Arrangement in the Concert Hall.- Acoustic Considerations for Instrumentation and Playing Technique.- Acoustical Problems in the Opera House.
About the author
Jürgen Meyer, geboren 1964, ist Bild-Redakteur beim Reutlinger General-Anzeiger. Seit über zwei Jahrzehnten dokumentiert er mit der Fotokamera Land und Leute in der Region Neckar-Alb. Er ist in Belsen aufgewachsen und lebt dort.
Summary
This classic reference on musical acoustics and performance practice begins with a brief introduction to the fundamentals of acoustics and the generation of musical sounds. It then discusses the particulars of the sounds made by all the standard instruments in a modern orchestra as well as the human voice, the way in which the sounds made by these instruments are dispersed and how the room into which they are projected affects the sounds.
Additional text
From the reviews of the fifth edition:
“The present book is a translation of the fifth German edition published in 2004. The translator, Uwe Hansen, deserves praise for the quality of his writing in the English language. … Given the material in this text, orchestral musicians and conductors can … appreciate how to use any given acoustical space most advantageously and acousticians and architects can optimize the spaces in which musical groups perform. … The book will certainly benefit all those involved with musical performance.” (Leo Beranek, International Journal of Acoustics and Vibration, Vol. 14 (2), 2009)
“The abundance of easy to understand graphic illustrations help the reader go through the relatively complex subjects. The writing is easy to read … . The quality and quantity of illustrations (some of them color plates) are exceptional. … A well written subject index helps find subjects of interest to the reader. There is also a composer-composition index at the end of the book. In summary, this is a highly recommended valuable book for professionals as well as for students interested in musical performance.” (Alberto Behar, Noise Control Engineering Journal, Vol. 58 (5), September-October, 2010)
Report
From the reviews of the fifth edition:
"The present book is a translation of the fifth German edition published in 2004. The translator, Uwe Hansen, deserves praise for the quality of his writing in the English language. ... Given the material in this text, orchestral musicians and conductors can ... appreciate how to use any given acoustical space most advantageously and acousticians and architects can optimize the spaces in which musical groups perform. ... The book will certainly benefit all those involved with musical performance." (Leo Beranek, International Journal of Acoustics and Vibration, Vol. 14 (2), 2009)
"The abundance of easy to understand graphic illustrations help the reader go through the relatively complex subjects. The writing is easy to read ... . The quality and quantity of illustrations (some of them color plates) are exceptional. ... A well written subject index helps find subjects of interest to the reader. There is also a composer-composition index at the end of the book. In summary, this is a highly recommended valuable book for professionals as well as for students interested in musical performance." (Alberto Behar, Noise Control Engineering Journal, Vol. 58 (5), September-October, 2010)
