Music
Every valley : the desperate lives and troubled times that made Handel's Messiah
Charles King
780.92 /Handel
History, Literary Nonfiction, Music
"The epic, dramatic story of the 18th century men and women behind the making of Handel's Messiah, one of the world's most beloved works of classical music, from a New York Times bestselling historian and National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. George Frideric Handel's Messiah is arguably the greatest piece of participatory art ever created. Adored by millions, it is performed each year by renowned choirs and orchestras as well as by fans singing along to the lyrics on their cell phones. But this work of triumphant joy was born in an age of anxiety. Britain in the early eighteenth century, the so-called age of Enlightenment, was a time of war, enslavement, political conspiracy, social polarization, and conflicts over everything from the legitimacy of government to the meaning of truth. Contrary to popular belief, the Messiah was not the product of a lone genius scribbling furiously on a musical staff. It came about because of a depressive political dissenter; an actress plagued by an abusive husband; an Atlantic sea captain and penniless philanthropist; an African Muslim man held captive in the American colonies; and Handel himself, once composer to kings but, at midlife, in ill health and straining to keep an audience's attention. Set amid royal intrigue and theatrical scandal, and exploring the rich ideas of its day, Every Valley is a cinematic drama of the entangled lives that shaped a masterpiece"--
All you need is love : the Beatles in their own words
Peter Brown
781.66092 /Beatles
Music
"An oral history of The Beatles from never-before-seen interviews. All You Need Is Love is a groundbreaking oral history of the one of the most enduring musical acts of all time. The material is comprised of intimate interviews with Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, their families, friends and business associates that were conducted by Beatles intimate Peter Brown and author Steven Gaines in 1980-1981 during the preparation of their international bestseller, The Love You Make, which spent four months on the New York Times bestseller list in 1983 and remains the biggest selling biography worldwide about the Beatles Only a small portion of the contents of these transcribed interviews have ever been revealed. The interviews are unique and candid. The information, stories, and experiences, and the authority of the people who relate to them, have historic value. No collection like this can ever be assembled again. In addition to interviews with Paul, Yoko, Ringo and George, Brown and Gaines also include interviews from ex-wives Cynthia Lennon, Pattie Harrison Clapton, and Maureen Starkey, as well as the major social and business figures of the Beatles' inner circle. Among other sought-after information the interviews contribute definitively as to why the Beatles broke up"--
While not for the average Beatles fan, it's for sure fun for the hardcore fan. I find transcripts are generally a little more difficult to read, and since these are from 1980-81, from interviews used to create another book a few decades ago, it does seem a little disjointed at times. However, if you're interested in the business aspects of the Beatles, more theories about why the band broke up, and loads of random little trivia, you'll get something out of this. -Amanda
Jam, too?
JaNay Brown-Wood
jE Brown-Wood
Kids, Picture Books, Music
"A jam session forms, instrument by instrument, and welcomes a child who loves dancing along"--
Janay Brown-Wood's latest, "Jam, Too?" is a rhythmic delight! Look for this one in preschools and storyJAMs near you soon. -Casey
Sounds good! : discover 50 instruments
Ole Könnecke
j784.19 Konnecke
Music, Kids, Nonfiction
Explore over 50 common and uncommon instruments as showcased by a fun group of animals. Learn interesting, practical and curious things about music and making music. Discover instruments of all kinds-- from the electric guitar and steelpan to the theremin, from viola to vibraphone to ukulele. Listen through QR codes on each page to a piece of music composed to showcase every instrument by an award-winning musician-- and to a full band that brings together all the instruments in the book!"--Adapted from back cover.
I don't know anything about music except if I like or don't like something when I listen to it, based on nothing but a gut reaction. So this book taught me a lot! Accompanied by hilarious illustrations of random animals playing the instruments, each instrument gets one page of accessible, yet interesting information. Like, I never considered that a harmonica makes one note when you inhale and a different note when you exhale, so that's why it can be so small as to fit in your pocket! There is history, practical info, and fun facts, all presented in a straightforward writing style. -Anne W
Living the Beatles legend : the untold story of Mal Evans
Kenneth Womack
781.66092 /Beatles
History, Music
"Malcolm Evans, the Beatles' long-time roadie, personal assistant, and devoted friend, was an invaluable member of the band's inner circle. A towering figure in horn-rimmed glasses, Evans loomed large in the Beatles' story, contributing at times as a performer and sometime lyricist, while struggling mightily to protect his beloved "boys." He was there for the whole of the group's remarkable, unparalleled story: from the Shea Stadium triumph through the creation of the timeless cover art for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and the famous Let It Be rooftop concert. Leaving a stable job as telecommunications engineer to serve as road manager for this fledgling band, Mal was the odd man out from the start--older, married with children, and without any music business experience. And yet he threw himself headlong into their world, traveling across the globe and making himself indispensable. In the years after the Beatles' disbandment, Big Mal continued in their employ as each embarked upon solo careers. By 1974, he was determined to make his name as a songwriter and record producer, setting off for a new life in Los Angeles, where he penned his memoirs. But in January 1976, on the verge of sharing his book with the world, Evans's story came to a tragic end during a domestic standoff with the LAPD. For Beatles devotes, Mal's life and untimely death have always been shrouded in mystery. For decades, his diaries, manuscripts, and vast collection of memorabilia was missing, seemingly lost forever...until now. Working with full access to Mal's unpublished archives and having conducted hundreds of new interviews, Beatles' scholar and author Kenneth Womack affords readers with a full telling of Mal's unknown story at the heart of the Beatles' legend. Lavishly illustrated with unseen photos and ephemera from Mal's archives, Living the Beatles' Legend: The Untold Story of Mal Evans is the missing puzzle piece in the Fab Four's incredible story."--Amazon.com
This was an absolute joy to read and I HIGHLY encourage any fan of the Beatles to add this to your TBR and follow through. It's a wonderful tribute that will leave you smiling. -Amanda
Tegan and Sara : junior high
Tegan Quin
jGRAPHIC NOVEL Quin
Music, Graphic Novels, Memoir
"Before Tegan and Sara took the music world by storm, the Quins were just two identical twins trying to find their place in a new home and new school. From first crushes to the perils of puberty, surviving junior high is something the sisters plan to face side by side, just like they've always faced things. But growing up also means growing apart, as Tegan and Sara make different friends and take separate paths to understanding their queerness. For the first time ever, they ask who one sister is without the other"--
Kids, and Millennials in their 30s :), will love this portrayal of junior high, and for me the fact that it was written by one of my favorite bands of my teens and 20s makes it even better! Tillie Walden is such a wonderful comic artist, and the semi-autobiographical story of twins Tegan and Sara as 7th graders in a new school quickly had me invested. The feelings and experiences felt authentic, and as a twin I could relate to a lot their relationship as sisters and best friends in the same class at school. Over the course of a year of pretty typical teenager moments including a lot of self-discovery, the story also loosely depicts their beginnings as a band. A must read for fans of Raina Telgemeier, Shannon Hale, Hope Larson and Jennifer Holm. -Mari
Bing! Bang! Chugga! Beep!
Bill Martin
jE Martin
Kids, Picture Books, Music
Bing! Bang! Chugga! Beep! This old car has been everywhere from the backyard to the sky, from the hills to the water. Bouncing between the mud in the ground and the clouds up high, the old car is loved by a clever young boy ... --Publisher.
This old car it's so fun, It's a hit with everyone! With a "Bing! Bang! Chugga! Beep!" You'll surely sing along, This great book's based on a song! -Casey
Beatles '66 : the revolutionary year
Steve Turner
781.66092 /Beatles
Music, Nonfiction
On the fiftieth anniversary of this seminal year, music journalist and Beatles expert Steve Turner slows down the action to investigate in detail the enormous changes that took place in the Beatles’ lives and work during 1966. He looks at the historical events that had an impact on the group, the music they made that in turn profoundly affected the culture around them, and the vision that allowed four young men from Liverpool to transform popular music and serve as pioneers for artists from Coldplay to David Bowie, Jay-Z to U2.
Since the release of the Get Back series I've been on a Beatles kick. This book covers one of their pivotal years and contains a lot of primary source interview quotes. Turner describes local and global cultural and political landscapes to help ground us in what they were dealing with as artists at the time. -Jason
Before music : where instruments come from
Pimentel, Annette Bay, author.
j784.19 Pimentel
Nonfiction, Music
"Music doesn't come out of nothing. It always starts somewhere... with something... with someone. Discover how music is made in this survey of musical instruments from around the world."
Added by Casey
Everything I need I get from you : how fangirls created the Internet as we know it
Kaitlyn Tiffany
302.23 /Tiffany
Music
"A thrilling and riotous dive into the world of superfandom, One Direction, and the fangirls who shaped the social internet"--
Even if you aren't a One Direction fan, you're probably a fan of something else, musical group or TV show or movie franchise, and you will recognize a lot of yourself and fellow fans in this book about the effect fandom has on the internet. A fun read! -Amanda
"It took a universe of pain to make a musical monument to hope." Charles King provides a riveting account of how Handel's Messiah came to be. -Anne M