Poul Ruders

This relatively unique interactive guide to the orchestra is a combination of book and compact disk. The CD features a new work by the Dutch composer Poul Ruders called Concerto in Pieces, a variation on the "The Witch's Chorus" from Henry Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. The lively piece is first performed in its entirety, and then taken apart instrument by instrument. Symbols in the text show readers when to turn on the CD player and hear the particular instrument shown on that page; there is a helpful musical index to the CD, as well. The text itself has facts on the orchestra as a whole, the conductor, composer, and each instrument. General information on how each group of instruments works, be it brass or strings, is provided. The full-color photographs and reproductions are of high quality. A history section features a timeline, names of musicians and composers, definitions of musical forms with examples, and a glossary.

The book's first part, "Making Music," briefly discusses each instrument and places it within its family (stringed, woodwind, brass instruments, etc.). Clear photographs show musicians playing the instruments, and diagrams show how the sounds are created. Readers are directed to play a track on the enclosed CD to hear each instrument played. The second part of the book surveys the history of serious or art music, divided into periods such as ancient, baroque, and modern. Small photos or artworks accompany short descriptions of significant musical events. The music on the compact disc, which fits into the cover of this large-format book, is Poul Ruders' Concerto in Pieces, composed with 10 variations on a theme from Purcell, each highlighting a different section of the orchestra. BBC Orchestra conductor Andrew Davis then discusses the work, illustrating ideas with excerpts from the piece.… (más)