I'm looking to get a decent book (or books) on the History of Western Music. I know that for many years, the Grout History of Western Music has been the pretty standard text, but I wondered what else was out there? (I've already got a falling-apart copy of this)

I've had a look on Amazon and come up with a few options:

Also published by W.W. Norton are the separate books, e.g. Medieval Music, Renaissance Music etc. Like the original Grout, you can also buy anthologies for each volume.

There's also an Oxford History of Western Music, but looking at the volumes individually, they don't have fantastic reviews.

I've also seen a series called the Cambridge Companion to Music, but they look more history than music-based.

Any other suggestions? I'm really looking for something with plenty of depth, musical examples etc. not just featuring all the really obvious composers and pieces, and particularly with plenty of examples for listening etc. (it doesn't have to come with CDs etc.)

Any suggestions?

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I remember the Norton Anthology being good; it was the set text for my music degree. However that was a lot of years ago now so I can't add any more than that, I'm afraid. I know there were lots of listening examples because we had to identify loads of them in the exam.

That's right, I think you can buy the anthologies which go with the Grout (possibly in three volumes now).

Hi Seer Green,

You can get the 2 Norton Anthology (score bks) to go with the Grout/Palisca text bk, and 2 CD sets of 6 CDs in each which match the score bks and Grout, and a workbk by Burkholder which asks you short answer questions on the whole thing. It comprises a whole history of music course from the Anceint Greeks to the present and is really excellent, if rather hard going for general interest use. (Chapter 2 on the early Christian Church is particularly challenging, but some of the later chapters are less so).

I'm working through the course with one of my adult pupils - we're dotting about a little as the early stuff is unfamiliar. It would be ideal for undergrad study - it's well thought out in neat chapters. Please PM me if you want to know more. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

There is a course (for which the lecture notes are at http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/music-and-theat.../lecture-notes/ ) uses books by Kerman: http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/music-and-theat...-2006/syllabus/

Kerman, Joseph, and Gary Tomlinson. Listen. 5th brief ed. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's Press, 2004. ISBN: 9780312401153.

Kerman, Joseph, and Gary Tomlinson. A 6-Cd Set to Accompany Listen. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's Press, 2003. ISBN: 9780312411220.

"The Rest is Noise" by Alex Ross is an excellent overview of 20th Century music. He also has a website with examples, playlists, etc.

http://www.therestisnoise.com/

I remember trying to read the Hoppin Medieval book and found it too hard going.