Modern Musical Drift

Henderson, W. J. (William James), 1855-1937Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 269K words
Chapters: 27

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Modern Musical Drift by W. J. HendersonAuthor: Henderson, W. J. (William James), 1855-1937,Language: English, Class: ML: Music: Literature of music, Release Date: Mar 25, 2017

Editor's review

This book is a collection of essays by music critic W. J. Henderson on musical trends and the evolution of style, belonging to the literature of music. From a critic's perspective, it discusses changes in musical creation and aesthetic taste, written in the typical tone and judgment of music criticism from the late nineteenth to early twentieth century. For today's readers, its value lies not in offering the latest music news, but in presenting the listening tastes and critical discourse of an era, serving as circumstantial material for understanding the history of Western music criticism and how the idea of "modern music" took shape. As the original is a public-domain English ebook, it should be treated as historical material and a text rather than a systematic textbook. It is suitable for comparative reading when studying music history, criticism history, or translation studies, and also for readers interested in old-style music essays to browse at leisure, appreciating the rhythm and rhetoric of the critical genre.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers studying the history of Western music criticism and the evolution of musical ideas
Readers interested in the essay style of music writing from the late nineteenth to early twentieth century
Those who need English public-domain historical material for textual analysis or translation practice
Music lovers who enjoy slow reading of old-style criticism and do not seek a systematic course

Not a good fit for

Readers hoping for contemporary music news or practical performance guidance
Beginners who need systematic music theory textbooks and course structures
Readers unaccustomed to English originals and old-style critical tone

Reading tips

Begin with the table of contents and chapter titles, start with pieces related to "modern" and "trend," then return to the remaining chapters.
While reading, note the critic's grounds for judgment and preferred wording to better understand his critical stance.
Read alongside general histories of Western music to understand the criticism in its historical context.
For the English original, read slowly in sections; when encountering old-style expressions, read the whole paragraph first, then check word meanings.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a systematic textbook on music theory?

No. It belongs to music criticism and the literature of music, focusing on commenting on musical trends and changes in taste rather than teaching theory, harmony, or form chapter by chapter. For systematic theory study, choose another textbook; this book is better read as historical material and a critical text.

Can I read this book if my English is not good?

The original is in English, and the critical style carries the tone of its era, so it demands a certain level of English reading. Readers with weaker English can read slowly in sections with a dictionary, or consult relevant Chinese materials on music history for background before returning to the original to appreciate the wording and judgments of the criticism.

Are the views in the book still applicable today?

The specific judgments belong to their historical context and should not be taken directly as today's conclusions. Its main value lies in presenting the listening tastes and critical discourse of the time, helping readers understand how the idea of "modern music" was discussed. Readers should distinguish between historical value and present-day applicability.

Is it suitable for reading from cover to cover?

Yes, but it is not necessary. A more effective approach is to read the table of contents first, start with pieces related to musical trends and modern taste, then read the remaining chapters. For research use, excerpt the critic's judgments and wording by theme to build your own index of materials.

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About the author

Henderson, W. J. (William James), 1855-1937 Author

W. J. Henderson (William James Henderson, 1855–1937) was an English-language writer on music active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Public information about his life, education, posts and nationality is limited; what can be confirmed are chiefly three works. How Music Developed traces the historical course of music, Some Forerunners of Italian Opera examines the musical antecedents of Italian opera before its formation, and Modern Musical Drift discusses the musical trends and directions of its time. These works show a style that emphasizes historical narrative and analysis of works, addressed to general readers and music lovers, in plain and clearly organized prose. They remain useful references for understanding Western music history and the early forms of opera, and established his place in popular music writing.