The Harvard Dictionary of Music: Fourth Edition

Back around 1987 (or so), I walked into a local mega-bookstore to find a music dictionary that would help me navigate a couple of Renaissance and Medieval music books I was trying to read through. I'd written down various terms that I would use as the litmus test to gauge how effectively (clearly, concisely and thoroughly) each dictionary would be able to tell me what I needed and wanted to know, and/or how well it defined things I already knew well. So once I'd entered the store, I grabbed their three or four music dictionaries off the shelf and started comparing their enties for each of 8 or 10 musical terms/ideas. I found that the Harvard version was unsurpassed, and in fact rarely equaled in the quality of its entries. Oftentimes the other dictionaries flung around jargon; or their explanations were superficial, or would skirt some of the issues, assuming that I, for one, would already know what THEY were supposed to be explaining to me. I remember after having bought the book, that whenever I needed to find out something, it would give me what I needed almost without fail. One example of this occurred on the day I wanted/needed to learn how to read and understand figured bass (having never looked into this before). I was doubting that the Harvard would give me what I needed, as it seemed on the surface to be so very complicated. Was I ever wrong! After reading the Harvard entry, I was reading through and playing Corelli on my keyboard sequencer (albeit slowly) within about 15 minutes. Although I had also conversed with a friend who was a composition major, that was for no more than a minute or so.

I bought this book for my daughter. Our friend has a degree in music and received this book as a graduation gift back in 1984. Our daughter's piano teacher required this book for her. Our music major friend was impressed and told us it would probably be at least $50. Much to our surprise we found it here for $25. It is very professionally done. We found it to be college level at a great price. We are very very happy.

I received this book as a graduation gift from my high school and junior high band directors. I knew it would come in useful since I am starting as a music education major in the fall, but I wasn't sure exactly how often I would use it. Right away, I found myself able to find answers to little things I didn't know. I also have a violin student who asks questions about anything and everything. This has definitly come in useful with teaching him! This book has everything, some times a little more than I wanted, but still has the answers I look for.

This is a joy to read, hold and behold. The first thing that struck the bibliophile in me was that lovely quality paper. It gives the book heft but is a pleasure to read. I got this as well as the Groves/Norton. Why? Because I set out to buy the Oxford Companion but saw that I could get 2 reference books for the price of the Oxford. The Harvard omits all the biographical entries so the 2 are complementary. The Harvard uses all that space to provide great in-depth articles. If I had to go for one I would choose the Harvard - nowadays the Bios can be had in an instant on the net, whereas the Harvard assimilates a lot of learning in its entries.

One has to appreciate the thoroughness and range of this new edition of the well-known reference source for all things musical save biographical data which this dictionary has traditionally excluded, but then it is not a biographical dictionary of which there are many that can be consulted. This dictionary is not just for information, but also primarily for education. Therefore, don't stop reading just because the information you are looking for is getting too detailed; try to learn from it.