Product Description

A comprehensive chronologically-ordered study of every aspect of the musical life of the Beatles, from the groups' beginnings in 1956 up to 1965. Of central importance is the discovery of the Beatles' innovative and captivating compositional techniques, beginning with a representative study of their performances of hundreds of songs written by others. The books main focus is on the materials and structures of the Beatles' melodies, harmonies, counterpoint, rhythms, forms, colours,
and textures, and the expressive ways in which these devices portray the themes and imagery of their poetry. The book also addresses performance practice, recording procedure, historical context, and reception history.The Beatles as Musicians is a richly interpretative study, with authoritative judgements and creative suggestions for ways of hearing, interspersed with recording data and composition credits.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #513792 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 472 pages

Journal of Musicological Research
"... features a huge variety of musical examples ... particularly beneficial when used in conjunction with the actual recordings."

Synopsis
The Beatles as Musicians: The Quarry Men through Rubber Soul is a comprehensive, chronologically-ordered study of every aspect of the group's musical life - composition, performance, recording and reception histories - from its beginnings in 1956 through 1965. Richly authoritative interpretations from every available reliable musical document are interwoven through a documentary study of many thousands of audio, video, print, and multimedia sources. The text will enable general readers and musicians as well as educated music theorists to learn new levels of beauty in the music of the Beatles.

About the Author
Walter Everett is Associate Professor of Music in Music Theory at the University of Michigan. He is the author of The Beatles as Musicians: Revolver through the Anthology (OUP, 1999).