A lively and provocative account of the arts in Britain, Building Jerusalem suggests that even after fifty years of state planning of Britain's "leisure industries" the country is nevertheless approaching the millennium in a state of cultural confusion. Drawing on a wealth of historical material from Scotland, Wales, and English provincial towns, as well as the more familiar London story, Pick and Anderton contend that the original meaning of cultural language has been distorted by the fashionable phrase-making of modern government agencies, and by the inaccurate and misleading view of cultural history that is constantly presented to the public. The authors unfold fascinating stories of Britain's cultural past, before state support of the arts. They vividly relate the great changes wrought by the industrial revolution and by the development of the twentieth century media and describe the long history of Church and Royal support for the arts, as well as the long periods when all of the arts

The Third Edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to cover recent developments and current concerns in the field.

What we think music is shapes how we hear it. This book traces the history of the idea of pure - 'absolute' - music from Pythagoras to the present, with special emphasis on efforts to reconcile the irreducible essence of the art with its profound effects on the human spirit. The core of this study focuses on the period 1850-1935, beginning with the collision between Richard Wagner and the Viennese critic Eduard Hanslick.

Third Day guitarist Mark Lee is no stranger to heartache and hopes deferred; the road to success is never traveled without missteps along the way. Life is messy and uncertain and full of surprises. And one of the best things he's ever done is let go of his expectations about how life should be in order to embrace life as it is: a moment-by-moment walk with God. Hurt Road is the engaging true story of a man who, as a teen, found in music a refuge from the uncertainties of life. Who set out to discover a better way to live than constantly struggling to make sure life turned out the way he planned it. Who stopped substituting what's next for what's now and learned the truth--that coming or going, God's got us. Poignant, funny, and thoughtful, Hurt Road dares anyone feeling knocked down or run over by their circumstances to give up control to the One who already has the road all mapped out. Includes black and white photos.

In his groundbreaking book 'Musical Truth, ' DJ-turned author/ researcher Mark Devlin showed how the true nature of the corporate music industry tells a very different story to what's conveyed on its glossy, glamorous surface. The manipulations run so deep, however, that the full story couldn't be told in just that first book. Here, in Volume 2, he continues to guide readers through the dark labyrinth of machinations. Discover the world of Lifetime Actors and the crucial part they play in social engineering; delve into Heavy Rock, frequently touted as the most 'satanic' of all music genres; consider the evidence for the hip-hop scene being a cult-like fraternity on a staggering scale; reflect on the nature of sound itself and the ways it can be used to affect human behaviour; and study the striking parallels between the 1960s counter-culture and the UK's Acid House scene that kicked off 21 years later, all bearing the hallmarks of Establishment manipulation. Crucially, Volume 2 reminds readers of how the music industry's activities form only one small part of what's really going on in this reality, and how the power to bring it all to an end lies with us and us alone. It always has. We've just been programmed to forget. Amazon review excerpts for 'Musical Truth, Volume 1' "I came across this book by chance, and am so glad I did. It's very well-written and a fascinating subject. It goes far deeper than just the music, too, the first chapter explaining how music fits into the larger scheme of things is spot-on. The author explains everything he speaks about, and provides links and other resources so the reader can check all the facts for themselves... and it all checks out!" "Excellent tome! Very well-researched, engagingly presented, pithy, witty, incisive and compelling." "I was aware of much of its content already, but Mark Devlin has brought so many pieces of a puzzling jigsaw together in an immensely comprehensive and articulate way. His style of writing is very natural and readable which makes it effortless for the reader - a skill that not all writers of this genre possess." "Beautiful, easy-reading language, where his soul combined with his intellect controls the pen. I just wanted to continue reading the whole night. Important stuff about our reality."

In Falling Through the Music, his fifth major book of poetry, Mark Halperin gives us consolation, guidance, and companionship while delivering an accomplished meditation on the first real glimpses of the limits on a life. Displaying an agility of formal invention--he moves easily from a Whitmanesque and witty litany to rhymed quatrains--Halperin deftly melds technique to theme. As in "Someone Pausing, he is able to place us in the mind of someone--any one of us--who has stood on an island in the street, fully attentive and present, knowing nothing stays, not even the observer.

Music of Latin America and the Caribbean, Second Edition is a comprehensive textbook for undergraduate students, which covers all major facets of Latin American music, finding a balance between important themes and illustrative examples. This book is about enjoying the music itself and provides a lively, challenging discussion complemented by stimulating musical examples couched in an appropriate cultural and historical context—the music is a specific response to the era from which it emerges, evolving from common roots to a wide variety of musical traditions. Music of Latin America and the Caribbean aims to develop an understanding of Latin American civilization and its relation to other cultures. NEW to this edition A new chapter overviewing all seven Central American countries An expansion of the chapter on the English- and French-speaking Caribbean An added chapter on transnational genres An end-of-book glossary featuring bolded terms within the text A companion website with over 50 streamed or linked audio tracks keyed to Listening Examples found in the text, in addition to other student and instructors’ resources Bibliographic suggestions at the end of each chapter, highlighting resources for further reading, listening, and viewing Organized along thematic, historical, and geographical lines, Music of Latin America and the Caribbean implores students to appreciate the unique and varied contributions of other cultures while realizing the ways non-Western cultures have influenced Western musical heritage. With focused discussions on genres and styles, musical instruments, important rituals, and the composers and performers responsible for its evolution, the author employs a broad view of Latin American music: every country in Latin America and the Caribbean shares a common history, and thus, a similar musical tradition.