Music Books

The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music

Victor L. Wooten

Amazon Price: $10.20 List Price: $15.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Berkley Trade Amazon Marketplace: 45 new & used starting at $7.79

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Musical Genres -> Religious & Sacred Music -> General
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Theory, Composition & Performance -> Appreciation
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Warmed Over New Age Cliche' 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I will state first that my spiritual beliefs are liberal, so I am not giving this book a poor review because it goes against any "dogma" I may have. I agreed with everyone's review who mentioned how great a bass player Victor is.
So why one star? Because this is rehashed, 101, 1960 new age type philosophy (I hate to use the term as this is so elemental a book on music and spiritually). What we need is a complex discussion of the two, and there are examples do a google or Amazon search, of books, thesis and Research studies in the fields of Anthropology, Ethnomusicology, and even in books which discuss practicing an instrument.
I brought this book without really looking at it, since I assumethat Victor's writing would be as interesting and informative as his playing. Wrong.

My recommendation: Read someone else on this topic.

Editorial Review:

From Grammy-winning musical icon and legendary bassist Victor L. Wooten comes The Music Lesson, the story of a struggling young musician who wanted music to be his life, and who wanted his life to be great. Then, from nowhere it seemed, a teacher arrived. Part musical genius, part philosopher, part eccentric wise man, the teacher would guide the young musician on a spiritual journey, and teach him that the gifts we get from music mirror those from life, and every movement, phrase, and chord has its own meaning...All you have to do is find the song inside.

The Gospel according to Bruce Springsteen: Rock and Redemption, from Asbury Park to Magic (Gospel According To...) (Gospel According to...)

Jeffrey B. Symynkywicz

Amazon Price: $11.53 List Price: $16.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Westminster John Knox Press Amazon Marketplace: 34 new & used starting at $10.62

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Musical Genres -> Religious & Sacred Music -> General
Subjects -> Religion & Spirituality -> Judaism -> Music
Subjects -> Religion & Spirituality -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Thoughtful analysis is a must for diehard fans 4 out of 5 stars.
15 of 17 people found this review helpful.

Casual fans -- the ones who haven't shelled out cash money for a Springsteen album since "Born in the U.S.A." -- need not apply for "The Gospel According to Bruce Springsteen." They would probably find Jeffrey B. Symynkywicz's album-by-album, almost song-by-song evaluation of Springsteen's work from a spiritual perspective to be almost maddeningly comprehensive and, at times, just plain kooky: Who thinks this much about this stuff?

But for those of us who do think this much about this stuff -- we know who we are -- this detailed, thoughtful analysis is a welcome and thought-provoking look at the words of an important artist whose work has and continues to resonate on a spiritual level.

If there's an underlying philosophy that Symynkywicz points to in Springsteen's work, it's that we have to bring our own "love and joy" to our lives. "Nothing will change if we put all our hopes for salvation outside of ourselves," Symynkywicz writes, "if we waste the whole summer waiting `for a savior to rise from these streets.'"

There's a fair amount of lyrical analysis, some of it fairly obvious to anyone who's listened to these songs carefully (meaning most people who'd be interested in this book). But more interesting, to me at least, were Symynkywicz's looks at the underlying religious implications of some of the songs, including references to scripture. The allusions are intriguing, and make you want to listen to these songs again, either to try to hear what Symynkywicz hears or to dismiss it as a lot of hooey.

That's most true in the book's section on "The Rising," one of Springsteen's most spiritual albums. Because the lyrics are more oblique than some of his earlier tales of Magic Rats and '69 Chevys, they're more open to the type of interpretation Symynkywicz excels at -- and he rises (so to speak) to the challenge of analyzing them in the context of the horrific events of Sept. 11, which inspired them.

Granted, even the diehard Springsteen fans might not want to delve this deeply into his work, out of fear that it might become too academic and lose some of its primal power, or even its sense of fun, an important component of most Springsteen albums and certainly his concerts. Still, if you have all those albums on your shelf and have enjoyed them through the years -- and maybe even leaned on them to get you through the rough patches of life -- "The Gospel According to Bruce Springsteen" will at the very least have you nodding your head in enthusiastic agreement.

Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany: Liturgies and Prayers for Public Worship

Brian Wren

Amazon Price: $23.48 List Price: $29.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Westminster John Knox Press Amazon Marketplace: 6 new & used starting at $20.88

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Musical Genres -> Religious & Sacred Music -> General
Subjects -> Religion & Spirituality -> Christianity -> Ministry & Church Leadership -> Church Institutions & Organizations
Subjects -> Religion & Spirituality -> Christianity -> Education -> General

100 Carols for Choirs

Amazon Price: $17.05 List Price: $18.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Oxford University Press, USA Amazon Marketplace: 24 new & used starting at $12.49

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Instruments & Performers -> Voice
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Musical Genres -> Religious & Sacred Music -> General
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Songbooks

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

The masters do it again! 5 out of 5 stars.
15 of 15 people found this review helpful.

I had the pleasure of participating in a workshop with David Willcocks, and received this book as part of it. It was first published in 1987, but Sir David had some amusing anecdotes to share about how he and John Rutter, another name to reckon with in choral music circles, put it together.

This is what I like about it:

* These gentlemen are giants in the English choral music scene, and personify the English choral tradition in everything they do. So it's a pleasure to find that they have included many carols from other countries, as well as the English ones. It's very hard to find non-English-language carols, so this is a nice little collection.

* Their 4-part arrangements are imaginative but easy enough to sight-sing.

* It also includes a listing of church festivals other than Christmas, with the names and page numbers of carols that would be appropriate for each.

* For ease of navigation as you're singing, the verses are in Roman type while the refrains are in italics.

* For reasons that are not clear, they have chosen to include the text in the original language in some cases, but not all. The foreign language texts are immediately under the English translations, so you can sing in either language.

* At the very end of the book is the order of service for the traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, with instructions on the appropriate rank of each person to read, from chorister to bishop.

If you are only going to buy one carol book, this and the Oxford Book of Carols are the best ones to consider. The Oxford has more in it, and is hugely more expensive, so I recommend this one! it'll take you several Christmasses to sing your way through it.

Editorial Review:

This is a selection of the best-loved carols and hymns for Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, and Easter: 74 of the most popular titles from Carols for Choirs 1, 2 and 3, plus 26 titles new to the series. There are carols suitable for both sacred and secular occasions, and both accompanied and unaccompanied material. The Order of Service for a Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is included.

The Mysticism of Sound and Music (Shambhala Dragon Editions)

Hazrat Inayat Khan

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Shambhala Amazon Marketplace: 58 new & used starting at $9.64

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> History & Criticism
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Musical Genres -> Religious & Sacred Music -> General
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Theory, Composition & Performance -> Appreciation

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

The wave-like aspect of Life, not just about music 5 out of 5 stars.
24 of 25 people found this review helpful.

Other reviewers already dealt with the music side of the book, so i won't elaborate on that. There is in addition the purely sound-related aspect of reality. All words, thoughts, and emotions, carry on some power due to their vibratory nature. Everything, whatever it is can be seen as a wave. So don't think it is just about what you hear. All there is can be described in that way.

This book is of interest not for its esoteric nature, but rather to give the reader an intuition of what mystics perceive of reality, which is everything but magic. Science is currently concerned with a part of reality, namely those frequencies that can be detected and thus measured through physical (material) instruments. But the vibratory nature of the world goes beyond that. You as humans have access to more than the physical realm (mental, emotional, and let's say "spiritual" to give a rough picture). This books hints at those aspects captured by the concept of "sound", that are of utmost importance for all humans to uncover the possibilities life has given them. Everything you think, say or feel has an impact on you and your surroundings, so reading this book can help you to realize how important every single event of our life has, through its wave-like aspect. This book is about your very life.

Editorial Review:

Music, according to Sufi teaching, is really a small expression of the overwhelming and perfect harmony of the whole universe—and that is the secret of its amazing power to move us. The Indian Sufi master Hazrat Inayat Khan (1882-1927), the first teacher to bring the Islamic mystical tradition to the West, was an accomplished musician himself. His lucid exposition of music's divine nature has become a modern classic, beloved only by those interested in Sufism but by musicians of all kinds.

David Lanz - Christmas Eve: Piano Solo

David Lanz

Amazon Price: $14.95 List Price: $14.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Hal Leonard Corporation Amazon Marketplace: 7 new & used starting at $10.48

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Musical Genres -> Religious & Sacred Music -> General
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Songbooks
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A Favorite Book to Teach From 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.

Around the holidays, nearly all of my students want to play Christmas music. It can become really tiresome, but I love this book. Joy to the World, O Come O Come Emmanuel, The Christmas Eve Waltz/The First Noel, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, and Angels We Have Heard On High are played at just about all of my student Christmas recitals. A few of the arrangements are less than stellar, but the good ones are GREAT! The shorter improvised pieces with the theme of angels from the recording are also included. If you are an intermediate or above pianist, I highly recommend this collection. The arrangements are faithful to the traditional melodies, but add a new spirit to them.

One of the best Christmas Solo Books! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I have owned this for about 9 years now, and my family and friends beg me to play songs from the book every Christmas. If you like David Lanz's Christmas Eve cd, this is perfect because the songs are basically the same as he plays. His style is unique and beautiful.

Editorial Review:

This piano solo folio matches Lanz's holiday album. 17 songs: Angels We Have Heard on High * O Little Town of Bethlehem * O Holy Night * and more.

Best-Loved Christmas Carols: The Stories Behind Twenty-five Yuletide Favorites

Ron Clancy

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Sterling Amazon Marketplace: 40 new & used starting at $1.43

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> History & Criticism
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Musical Genres -> Religious & Sacred Music -> General
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Theory, Composition & Performance -> Songwriting

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great Background on Popular Christmas Carols 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I saw the author of this book interviewed on EWTN's Bookmark and was interested in reading the book based on his insights. The book delivers, not only do you get a great overview of each carol's history, but a cd is included that has an excellent version of the carol--so you can listen and read at the same time!
This would make an excellent Christmas gift (early) for a school teacher who might be looking to give his or her students some background on the origins of popular Christmas carols.

Editorial Review:

“Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly.” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” “Good King Wenceslas.” These are just three of the beautiful, enduring Christmas carols featured in this lavish book and CD set—and every one has become an integral part of the holiday. Exquisitely illustrated pages showcase fine art from the world’s great museums and libraries, along with fascinating information on each carol and its lyrics. The audio recordings come from widely renowned musical ensembles, and a superlative introduction provides historical perspective, with background on the origin of carols, the influence of medieval guilds and Mystery plays, and carols from different eras.

The Art of Torah Cantillation: A Step-by-Step Guide to Chanting Torah

Marshall Portnoy; Josee Wolff, Marshall Portnoy, Josee Wolff

Amazon Price: $15.61 List Price: $22.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Urj Press Amazon Marketplace: 22 new & used starting at $10.95

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Musical Genres -> Religious & Sacred Music -> Jewish
Subjects -> Religion & Spirituality -> Judaism -> Jewish Life
Subjects -> Religion & Spirituality -> Judaism -> Music

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

All you need to chant Torah 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I studied for 6 months with this book/CD combo and mastered the trope (Reform version) well enough to have chanted Torah for my synagogue twice in the last couple of months and am preparing for a 3rd parsha. You won't find every possible combination of cantillation marks here, but you will find 95+ % of what you'll ever run into in the Torah (including special sections for High Holidays, Song of the Seas and the Ten Commandments.)

The only thing better would be to combine this with the availability of a trained cantor. Highly recommended for anyone in a Reform schul.

Editorial Review:

This unique, step-by-step book and compact disc package will lead the novice through each step of learning how to chant Torah. Divided into 13 lessons and additional useful appendices and bibliography, the book allows the reader to "self-teach" the important principles of Torah cantillation. The only pre-requisite for this course of learning is a basic ability to read Hebrew and a willingness to learn! It is a perfect selection for B'nai Mitzvah students, beginning learners, and for adult education courses. Step-by-step exercises and instructions CD of recordings correspond with written exercises Includes both male and female voices on recording Includes glossary, list of parashiyot, High Holy Day cantillation and more!

Sacred Sounds: Magic & Healing Through Words & Music

Ted Andrews

Amazon Price: $11.16 List Price: $13.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Llewellyn Publications Amazon Marketplace: 56 new & used starting at $4.44

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Musical Genres -> Religious & Sacred Music -> General
Subjects -> Health, Mind & Body -> Alternative Medicine -> General
Subjects -> Health, Mind & Body -> Alternative Medicine -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In virtually every system of spirituality the world has ever known, sound has been considered a direct link between humanity and the divine. The ancient mystery schools all taught their students the use of sound as a creative and healing force.

Now, Sacred Sounds by Ted Andrews reveals how to tap into the magical and healing aspects of voice, resonance, and music. On a physical level, these techniques can be used to alleviate aches and pains, lower blood pressure, and balance hyperactivity in children. On a metaphysical level, they can be used to induce altered states of consciousness, open new levels of awareness, stimulate intuition, and increase creativity.

Sounds can heal through their vibratory energy. To understand how this works you need to understand the power of vibratory energies within your body. This book will teach you about the chakras and how energy flows through them. You'll see what happens if that energy is blocked and learn how sound can be used to free the energy, a practice that can result in healing the physical body.

To be even more specific, you'll learn the secrets of esoteric toning, healing method that involves vibrating certain vowel sounds. You will discover that each vowel has different pronunciations and different purposes. Thus, if you pronounce the vowel "a" as in "hay," you can help with problems of the chest and circulation. If you pronounce it as in "cat," you can heal respiration and mouth problems. And if you pronounce it as in "saw," it can aid digestive problems. All of this and more is fully explained in Sacred Sounds.

Perhaps the most famous users of sound were the bards. In Sacred Sounds you will learn their history, lore, training methods, healing techniques, and more.

In short, when it comes to using sound for magical and spiritual purposes, Sacred Sounds should be your key text. Get it today.

The Ultimate Guitar Christmas Fake Book: 200 Holiday Favorites with Melody, Lyrics and Chord Frames (Fake Books)

Amazon Price: $15.96 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Hal Leonard Amazon Marketplace: 24 new & used starting at $11.99

Buy at Amazon.com

Browse similar items by category:
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Instruments & Performers -> Guitar
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Musical Genres -> Religious & Sacred Music -> General
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Music -> Songbooks

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

No guitarist should be without this comprehensive collection of Christmas classics! It includes fake book arrangements of 200 terrific tinsel-time tunes, all in one convenient collection: A Caroling We Go · All Through the Night · Angels We Have Heard on High · Auld Lang Syne · Ave Maria · Away in a Manger · A Baby in the Cradle · Because It's Christmas · Carol of the Birds · The Chipmunk Song · The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) · Coventry Carol · Don't Make Me Play That Grandma Song Again · Feliz Navidad · The First Noel · Frosty the Snow Man · Goin' on a Sleighride · Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer · Happy Holiday · Happy Xmas (War Is Over) · He · The Holly and the Ivy · I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day · I'll Be Home for Christmas · It's Beginning to Look like Christmas · Jolly Old St. Nicholas · Mary Had a Baby · Must Be Santa · My Favorite Things · Noel! Noel! · Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree · Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer · Silver and Gold · Silver Bells · Tennessee Christmas · Up on the Housetop · We Need a Little Christmas · and many, many more! Please note: this collection does not include tablature.