Book: The Oxford Companion to Music Options

[Solari]

I was wondering if anyone has this book, and whether it's a worthwhile purchase?

Opinions gratefully received (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Tom Piano]

I've got it. I use it frequently. It's good at giving top-level summary information, with a fair amount of detail behind that, on whatever topic / composer etc you're looking at. It would be worth checking whether your local library has a copy, to save you splashing out on it, though.

[fsharpminor]

I have a few ancient copies of the OC on my shelf by Percy Scholes, all sourced for around a fiver each from second-hand book shops. There are various editions eighth, ninth etc from the 1940s! I don't know what the edition number of the most up-to-date one is or who the compiler of information is now (Percy must be long gone) but they are a wonderful mine of information and great photos (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I've just found all about him on Wiki Percy Scholes

Yes I had a very old one by Percy in my teenage years. Then about 10 yrs ago I got a new one. I find it very useful, but I shoul probably update again now.
Ideally I'd like a full set of 'Groves' Encylopedia of Music

[Solari]

Thanks all!

There seems to be some debate as to whether the Scholes or the more recent edition is better, which is nice and confusing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

[rovikered]

'The Oxford Companion to Music' ed. Percy A. Scholes was the best one-volume dictionary/encyclopaedia of music when I was in my teens and my copy (Eighth Edition) was the latest and up-to-date edition at the time it was bought for me by my parents. There were two later editions (Ninth and Tenth), but I don't think any more appeared after those in the 1960s. I HAVE seen a 'new' Oxford Companion to Music which claims to be based on Scholes' work but it is scarcely recognisable as such. Obviously, it has the advantage of including late twentieth century composers and more recent developments in music but lacking the detailed style of the original 'Companion'.
Despite its age and date, I still use my Eighth Edition from time to time. No one-volume music dictionary has ever replaced Scholes and it was arguably the best ever of its kind.

[Clarimoo]

I have the Tenth Edition. I use it a lot, I got it for ?4 from a second hand bookshop. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[katyjay]

I have both a Percy Scholes and a new Alison Latham edition.

The Scholes is a more diverting read, being rather er...subject to Scholes's opinion of what was good or bad music.

The Alison Latham is one of my most useful resources.

[Solari]

The Alison Latham is one of my most useful resources.

Thanks Katyjay, and thanks everyone else (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

May treat myself to the new edition, I think!

[Benjy]

My county library provides free home access to Grove Online (just using library card id) which is very handy. However, nothing beats the satisfaction of picking the volume of the bookshelf for a good old browse, but I haven't the money or space for the whole set.

I used to own the Oxford Junior Companion to Music (published in the late 70s), and still referred to this well into adulthood. I always found the Scholes version a bit dry after that.

Jon

[Tom Piano]

I used to own the Oxford Junior Companion to Music (published in the late 70s), and still referred to this well into adulthood. I always found the Scholes version a bit dry after that.

Jon

What a great book that is! It was my mainstay through the viva voce's we had to do at school.

[BerkshireMum]

We have the New Oxford Companion to Music, which comes in 2 volumes and is edited by Denis Arnold. It was originally published in 1983, but has been amended several times - our version was published in 2000 and bought by my mother for my daughter when she was doing AS Music.

It's an encyclopedia which we do use occasionally, as it has quite a lot of detail, but in the age of the internet I'd be surprised if you couldn't find most of the info online. Having said that, BerkshireSon found it useful both for A-level Music and for writing programme notes for DipABRSM. I don't know whether he would have bothered to buy it though - one tends to use resources that are to hand.