Re: [Harp-L] musicology

[Oliver Schoenborn <oliver.schoenborn@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Very interesting discussion. There's clearly vast regions of music 
knowledge that I don't even know exist. Here is what I have distilled 
out of the many posts (sorry for any inaccuracies in copying):

Good web site on musicology (sometimes a bit terse but does have many 
answers to my original set of questions): 
http://www.dolmetsch.com/theoryintro.htm

Biomusicology perhaps discusses similarities and differences betwen 
human and animal forms of music, sounds interesting

The book ~Temperament~ by Stuart Isacoff was said to "read like a 
novel"; perhaps understandable by laypeople? Here are some negative 
comments on it, http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0205/gann.php and 
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/tuning/message/35560, though 
judging by the debate on this list, it's a book one should read to make 
one's own judgement about, but keep in mind Pat Missin's caution on 
accuracy etc.

The book "Tuning and Temperament" by JM Barbour, which may have more 
"quantitative" approach than Isacoff

Harry Partch's book "Genesis of a Music" might also be interesting

Some of the Idiot series books (don't let title deceive you), viz

   * The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory
   * The Complete Idiot's guide to Solo Improvisation
   * The Complete Idiot's Guide to Playing the Harmonica

Thanks to all who responded.

Oliver