Acoustics and the Performance of Music

This reference fully explores the particulars of the sounds made by all standard instruments in a modern orchestra as well as the human voice. It discusses how acoustics vary in different rooms and offers recommendations for adjustment.

This classic reference on musical acoustics and performance practice begins with a brief introduction to the fundamentals of acoustics and the generation of musical sounds. It then discusses the particulars of the sounds made by all the standard instruments in a modern orchestra as well as the human voice, the way in which the sounds made by these instruments are dispersed and how the room into which they are projected affects the sounds.

Introduction to Acoustics.- Structure of Musical Sounds.- Tonal Characteristics of Musical Instruments.- Directional Characteristics of Musical Instruments.- Foundations of Room Acoustics.- Acoustic Characteristics of Old and New Performance Spaces.- Seating Arrangement in the Concert Hall.- Acoustical Viewpoints for Number of Performers and Performance Technique.- Acoustic Problems in the Opera House.- Color Plates.- Appendix.- References.- Name- and Composition Index.- Topical Index.