The Oxford Dictionary Of Music

Behold, the Oxford Dictionary of Music (1994) — the heavyweight champion of musical name-dropping, compiled by Michael Kennedy with the calm authority of a conductor who can silence a brass section by merely raising an eyebrow. This is the reference book that lets you glide from Albinoni to Zydeco without breaking a sweat or spilling your tea.

Inside you’ll find:

• Composers who died heroically of consumption (or of deadlines).

• Instruments that sound like mythological creatures (hello, ophicleide).

• Terms that make you nod wisely at concerts (try “appoggiatura” next time and see what happens).

• Tiny entries that start, “Probably born c. 1680,” which is musicology’s way of saying, “We did our best.”

Kennedy’s prose is crisp, dry, and well-tempered — like a piano that’s seen some things. You’ll learn why counterpoint isn’t a debate tactic, how aleatoric music isn’t strictly about dice, and why orchestral players secretly judge you for calling it a “clarinet stick.” He also settles petty classical feuds with a diplomat’s grace: who was first, who stole whose theme, and who wrote the piece you’ve been humming since that advert in 1991.

This Good condition copy has the scholarly patina you crave: pages ready to be fanned like a deck of trills and cadenzas, corners lightly rehearsed, and enough heft to press your unruly sheet music flat. It’s the sort of book that sits on a shelf like a resident expert — not loud, but always right.

Perfect for:

• The pianist who keeps saying, “I know that name…”

• The choir soprano who wants receipts.

• The jazz enthusiast who insists on learning all the words before the notes.

• Anyone who’s ever wondered what a basset horn is and whether it requires a permit.

Adopt it from Crappy Old Books, and you’ll never be unprepared for a post-concert argument again. With this on your desk, you can pronounce Dvořák confidently, decode liner notes like ancient runes, and deliver the killer line: “Ah yes, as Kennedy notes.” That’s the sound of intellectual fortissimo.

Keep browsing: See more Music books Other books by Michael Kennedy