TEACHERS of Music have often unusual difficulties to contend with. The artist who had to instruct colour-blind students in the rudiments of painting could hardly expect results of an altogether satisfactory nature. But tone-deafness is probably a more common infirmity than colour-blindness. We have been surprised to find that young ladies, accustomed to play their parents to sleep after dinner, have been unable to tell us which was the higher of two notes, successively struck on the piano or pezzicatoed on the violin, when ...
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TEACHERS of Music have often unusual difficulties to contend with. The artist who had to instruct colour-blind students in the rudiments of painting could hardly expect results of an altogether satisfactory nature. But tone-deafness is probably a more common infirmity than colour-blindness. We have been surprised to find that young ladies, accustomed to play their parents to sleep after dinner, have been unable to tell us which was the higher of two notes, successively struck on the piano or pezzicatoed on the violin, when these notes were separated by an interval of a major third, or even, in some cases, of a fifth. Such pupils are by no means uncommon; and, though they may attain to a mechanical proficiency on the pianoforte, all niceties of sound-modulation must be to them a matter of faith. To those, however, who possess a delicate ear, and take an interest in, as well as extract enjoyment from Music, we can recommend the perusal of Mr. Harris's little volume. And to all those who teach or really study music we go further, and recommend its mastery. In the introductory chapter, "On the Origin of a Musical Sound," we see at once that Mr. Harris does not intend us to rest content with taking things for granted, but that his basis is experimental; and throughout the work experiment and illustration help us at every turn. The first seven chapters deal with simple tones, the mode of their transmission, their pitch, melodic relations, and intensity; with the auditory apparatus that receives them, and their sympathetic relations arising out of co-vibration. The next chapter introduces us to quality or timbre, which is clearly shown to depend upon the number, order, and relative intensities of the constituent partials, or the modification of the fundamental tone by overtones. The influence of partials, and their nature, in the several types of musical instruments are carefully traced; after which a chapter is devoted to "combination tones." "When two musical tones are sounded together, new tones are often heard, which cannot be detected when either of the two tones is sounded by itself. For example: press down the keys corresponding to the notes C 2 and A 1 on the harmonium, and blow vigorously. On listening attentively a (deeper) tone may usually be heard nearly coinciding with F 1 , which will not be heard at all when either of the two notes above is separately sounded." Here, as elsewhere throughout his book, Mr. Harris shows, and acknowledges, his indebtedness to Holmholtz. The phenomena of interference, treated in the next chapter, leads us on to new results-to beats, and to dissonance as resulting therefrom. Consonant intervals and their relative harmoniousness then pave the way for a consideration of chords, and fairly land us at the threshold of Music proper. The causes of the consonance and dissonance of chords are well explained; but we doubt whether any scientific explanation, invaluable as we hold such explanation to be, will weaken the force of Browning's words in Abt Vogler - "And I know not if, save in this, such gift be allowed to man, That out of three sounds he form, not a fourth sound, but a star. Consider it well: each tone of our scale in itself is nought; It is everywhere in the world-loud, soft, and all is said: Give it to me to use! I mix it with two in my thought, And, there! Ye have heard and seen: consider and bow the head!" A final chapter deals with the tempered scale. The whole scheme of the book is well thought out. A summary is given at the end of each chapter. Questions and examination papers form a valuable appendix. - Journal of Education , Volume 9
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Add this copy of Handbook of Acoustics for the use of Musical Students to cart. $19.72, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2025 by Hutson Street Press.
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Add this copy of Handbook of Acoustics for the use of Musical Students to cart. $29.16, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2025 by Hutson Street Press.
Add this copy of Handbook of Acoustics for the Use of Musical Students to cart. $38.17, new condition, Sold by Just one more Chapter rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Miramar, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2025 by Hutson Street Press.
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Add this copy of Handbook of Acoustics for the Use of Musical Students to cart. $53.77, good condition, Sold by Lawrence Jones rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Nobby Beach, QLD, AUSTRALIA, published 1889 by J Curwen & Sons.
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Near Very Good. 12mo. No date (advertisements dated 1889). viii, 286pp + ii pp book catalogue, text-figures, questions, examination papers for Trinity College, London; Cambridge; and London University. Decorative green cloth boards with surface silverfishing to cloth and lightly edge-worn, gilt titles on the front board and on the spine. Prev owner's name in pencil and shop stamp on the front flyleaf. The author intended his work to furnish the student, as far as is possible in an elementary work, a complete view of Acoustical science and its bearings on the art of music. It was considered that a mastery of the book's contents would enable a candidate to successfully work any papers set in Acoustics at the ordinary musical examinations.
Add this copy of Handbook of Acoustics for the Use of Musical Students to cart. $59.74, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Clarita, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2016 by Palala Press.
