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 enlarge | Author: Stuart Isacoff
Publisher: Knopf
Category: Book
List Price: $23.00
Buy Used: $9.00
You Save: $14.00 (61%)
Used (12) Collectible (3) from $9.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  49 reviews
Sales Rank: 809865
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1st
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.4 x 1.2
ISBN: 0375403558
Dewey Decimal Number: 784.1928
EAN: 9780375403552
ASIN: 0375403558
Publication Date: November 13, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 A book for all musicians. October 9, 2002
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I'm a pianist and I've read Temperament for the third time. Stuart Isacoff is an excellent writer who has explained tempered-tuning and how it developed throughout the history of Art. Piano students should be more aware of playing within the vibrations of the instrument after reading this book. I have purchased two copies of Temperament as gifts for friends. Highly Recommended!
Glen Coleman September 23, 2002
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
I cannot give this book enough praise. In an engrossing 230 pages, I was both time traveler and world traveler as I discovered the forces that gave birth to the piano and chromatic scale. It's a marvel that the musical scale, which we now take for granted, came to represent the heart of conflict between science and religion in Europe. By reading Temperment, I saw Pythagorus, Galileo, and Newton struggle over the mathematics of creating the 12 tone musical scale; I saw composers martyred at the hands of tyrannical churches and governments; I saw churches and governments fail in their effort to quell the music within inspired souls; and in their understanding of music, I saw unknown lovers of music triumph where towers of intellect - i.e. Descartes - fell. In Temperment, history, music, science, art, and religion collide, resulting in the birth of the piano. Take the journey with Isacoff. You will not be disappointed.
Masterly written - you WILL enjoy it July 19, 2002
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
I found the book extremely absorbing and interesting, more for its philosophic, religious, scientific, artistic, and historic observations than for its actual musical content. Stuart Isacoff is a remarkably clear writer and some very technical concepts are presented in an easily understandable way. Even a person who professes no interest in music, let alone tuning theory, will enjoy the stories in this book about philosophers, scientists, popes, and other historical figures. The simple title belies the enormous amount of research that must have gone into this work.
 Nice Beginner Read June 12, 2002
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
This is one of the most readable books on the history of temperment I have ever encountered! If you have ever wanted to know a little something about European music history, or the theory behind European music - definitely pick this up. It's a comfortable read, full of short anecdotes, and a non-technical style that is fresh and uninitimidating.Unfortunately, it sacrifices well-roundedness, and limits itself in the interest of a reader-friendly view. This is certainly not a comprehensive view on the subject and includes nothing of non-European music systems. I don't see this as a failing, merely different target. I would encourage the interested reader to take the basis provided with this book to further research and form one's own opinion
 Over Blown and Out of Tune May 1, 2002
7 out of 15 found this review helpful
Too many sweeping claims unsubstantiated. Too much gushing and waxing poetical. A dissappointing romantic and culturally biased performance. If, however, you believe that all other music is inferior to Western musical culture because we have the tempered scale, and that Western music is the pinnacle of human accomplishment (and, yes, Martha, we can lump Wagner and Destiny's Child together for this one), you will find this book very comforting.
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