Product Description

This text presents music that is challenging, yet not overwhelming to young musicians. Drawing on their own extensive experience as composers and arrangers who adapt music for their own students, the authors have struck a balance between rigor and accessibility.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #766683 in Books
• Published on: 2000-01-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 532 pages

Review
I like the fact that the bulk of the material is specifically composed— and well written at that. The material is varied and musical, making it very easy to comment on and insist on musicality in performance. Well done.

Another strength is the obvious attention to the whole organization of the text. Rhythm and melody concepts (with attention to ’melodized harmony’) are very well thought out. The sequence of ideas and exercises is excellent.

About the Author
Thomas E. Benjamin has recently retired as Chair of the Department of Music Theory at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University. A composer, conductor, performer, and music theorist with more than 40 compositions published and recorded, he also holds fellowships and awards from the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Customer Reviews

not the best choice
Of the three texts I have used to teach college-level ear training, this is definitely the weakest. Most of the material is composed by the authors, and it is often ugly, awkward stuff. The chapters could be definitely be sequenced in a more reasonable way (the minor mode, for example, is not introduced until Ch 6) and the level of difficulty is very poorly managed. Indeed, it doesn't seem like the authors have many good ideas about how students actually learn to sight-sing - many of their primitive early exercises (rhythms without meters, melodies that wander randomly up and down the scale) are actually much more difficult than later ones.

I would strongly recommend either Richard's Ottman's "Music for Sight-Singing" or Berkowitz-Fontrier-Kraft's "A New Approach to Sight Singing" over this book.

Very solid sight reading book
While the organization of the book might be lacking the material inside is quite strong. The dedicated sight reader has many avenues to travel through rhythmic exercises, varying difficulties in solo lines and repertoire selections. I personally enjoy the duet and repertoire sections. A fine teaching tool and great asset to singers learning to sight read.

Music fo Sight Singing
Love it, just great. superior book for serious musician wanting to improve their sight singing skill!