Hello everyone, I’ll keep this brief.
I’m looking for a solid book on music history to help me prepare for a seminar I’ll be attending in a few weeks. Ideally, it should start with the very origins of music—going back to early human times—and follow its development up to modern styles.
I’d like it to cover not only musical terms and what defines good music, but also its impact on people throughout history. One aspect that’s especially important to me is the evolution of lyrics—their themes, poetic quality, and how they’ve influenced listeners over time.
This could be a single comprehensive book or several that cover these areas separately. I know I can’t master the entire history of music in just a few weeks, but a reliable guide would be incredibly helpful. Thanks in advance!
by Total-Revenue-312
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I’m currently reading This Is Your Brain On Music by Daniel J Levitin; I can’t speak to the whole book obviously, but the first couple chapters start with a definition of common music terms (pitch, melody, etc) and then delves into the neuroscience behind why we like music. It’s really interesting so far!