Michaël Andrieu

Les Essentiels de la Musique

In this two-part book, the History of Music section offers all the useful and necessary points of reference for the discovery and understanding of the main musical currents, from the Middle Ages to the present day, including a history of musical notation, and syntheses on tango, jazz, rock, and rap.

A complete panorama from the eighth to the twentieth century plunges us into each period of the history of music with in the margins, synthetic historical landmarks, instrumental characteristics, different musical forms, as well as the composers of each era.

The Analysis section offers a vast and practical toolbox for those who wish to deepen the process of exploring and understanding musical works.

It provides an effective methodological approach in the form of easy-to-assimilate and memorized diagrams, enriched by an assortment of practical supplements:
• The characteristic rhythms of the dances
• Rhythmic modes
• Musical forms
• Foreign musical terms in Italian, German and English.