The Facts on File Dictionary of Music - Softcover

Ammer is the author of three earlier editions (1972, 1987, 1995) that all have different titles, the most recent being The HarperCollins Dictionary of Music. This edition has a new publisher and has been expanded and updated. The majority of entries pertain to classical music, but there are long definitions of jazz and rock and a few terms (Vamp, Riff) that apply to these styles of music.

The definitions are clear and readable, with most less than a page long. All aspects of music are included: instruments, composers, musicians, types of music, music theory, and names of compositions and titles of operas. Line drawings of instruments and examples of music theory accompany the text.

There are tables listing important operas; piano, cello and violin concertos; twentieth-century composers; notable symphonies; and more. Indexes of composers and instruments complete the volume. The indexes refer only to "principal information" on a composer or instrument, whether this be a main entry or a mention within another entry. Up-to-date entries include Digital recording, DVD, and MIDI. New compositions by John Harbison (Requiem Mass, 2003) and Mark Adamo (Little Women, 2000) are noted. Topics that readers won't find in this volume include demotic music, pantonality, and the famous harpsichordist, Igor Kipnis.

The Facts On File Dictionary of Music is not as comprehensive as Baker's Dictionary of Music (Schirmer, 1997) and not as scholarly as the fourth edition of the Harvard Dictionary of Music [RBB My 1 04]. However, it would be a very appropriate purchase for high-school or small public libraries. Christine Bulson
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Grade 9 Up–This revision of Ammer's HarperCollins Dictionary of Music, Third Edition (1995) includes some new articles and a number of updated entries. Despite the title, this book's emphasis is on classical music. The more than 3000 entries include definitions of terminology, explanations of styles, biographies of composers, and descriptions of musical instruments. Phonetic pronunciations are given for all non-English terms. Many clear, detailed line drawings of instruments and musical notation are included. Lists of important composers and major ballets, operas, violin concertos, and symphonies are helpful. However, researchers seeking detailed information on topics such as African-American, folk, or gospel music will need to look elsewhere for adequate descriptions of these genres and those who compose and perform within them. For example, the entry on folk music mentions that "outstanding folk singers of the second half of the 20th century were Burl Ives, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, Odetta, and Bob Dylan." Of these musicians, only Guthrie is featured in a separate biographical entry. This is a good basic reference tool for collections in need of classical music resources.–Ginny Gustin, Sonoma County Library System, Santa Rosa, CA
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