Writing about Music: An Introductory Guide

Abstract

Preface to The Fourth Edition Purpose of the Fourth Edition Changes in the Fourth Edition Other Resources How to Use This Book Conclusion Chapter 1. Writing about Music Why We Write about Music The Special Challenges of Writing about Music Inappropriate Ways to Write about Music Musicological Research and Writing Chapter 2. Analysis and Research Analysis Questions to Consider Examples of Works and Research Directions Carlo Gesualdo: Moro, lasso J. S. Bach: Opening Chorus of Cantata No. 80, Ein' feste Burg ist unser Gott W. A. Mozart: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in C Minor, K. 491, First Movement Giuseppe Verdi: Otello, Act I, Scene 3 Franz Liszt: Faust Symphony, First Movement Igor Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring, Opening Sections Karlheinz Stockhausen: Gesang der Junglinge Chapter 3. Getting Started: Research Choosing a Topic Kinds of Topics What Research Means Gathering Materials Places to Start: Print Resources Library Catalogues Dictionaries and Encyclopedias Histories of Music Biographies Thematic Catalogues Articles Dissertations Scores and Recordings Places to Start: Electronic Resources Search Engines Databases Lexicons Online Journals JSTOR Evaluating Resources Foreign-Language Resources When to Stop: How Much Research Is Enough? Chapter 4. Writing a Research Paper The Outline Topic and Thesis Topic Outline versus Sentence Outline Introduction Body Conclusion Revising the Outline Writing the Draft Musical Examples Diagrams, Graphics, and Tables Footnotes Bibliography Revising and Editing the Draft Computers and Editing Checking Spelling and Grammar The Editing Process Printing Proofreading Keep Your File Quotation, Paraphrase, and Plagiarism Conclusion Chapter 5. Questions of Format Format for College Papers Paper Page Format Fonts Spacing Justification Page Numbers Format for Quotations Short Quotations Block Quotations Ellipsis and Editorial Additions Bibliography and Footnote Form: Humanities Style Books Additional Notes for Both Bibliography Entries and Footnotes Dissertations Articles in Dictionaries and Encyclopedias Articles in Periodicals Notes Notes on Articles in Lexicons Articles in Collections of Essays Scores Sound Recordings Citing Interviews, Correspondence, etc. Citing Electronic resources The Author-Date System of Citation Reference Lists (Lists of Works Cited) Parenthetical Citations in the Text Format Issues Related to Writing about Music Stylistic Periods Referring to Centuries Referring to Musical Works Naming Notes and Keys Foreign terms Musical Examples Conclusion Chapter 6. Other Kinds of Writing Projects Seminar Presentations Research Organizing the Presentation Tone and Approach Concert Reports Purpose Research Writing the Report Program Notes Purpose Who is the Audience? Research Working within Limits Special Problems Texts and Translations Conclusion Essay Examinations Purpose Preparing for Essay Examinations How to Proceed Common Errors Conclusion Chapter 7. Writing Style Some Basic Ideas about Writing Different Kinds of Prose Tone The Stance of the Writer Referring to Yourself Writing Effective Sentences Word Choice Word Combinations Sentence Structure Effective Paragraphs The Effective Essay Introduction Transitions Conclusion Summary Chapter 8. Common Writing Problems Errors in Basic Grammar and Writing Incomplete Sentences Run-on Sentences Agreement: Subject and Verb Agreement: Pronoun and Antecedent Proper Cases of Pronouns Relative Pronouns Misplaced Modifiers The Split Infinitive Mixed Metaphors Spelling Issues Using a Dictionary Forming Possessives Plurals of Borrowed Latin and Greek Words Foreign Words Medieval and Renaissance Names Some Troublesome Word Pairs Its and It's Your and You're Whose andWho's Affect and Effect Due to andBecause of Fewer and Less Like andSuch as Predominant andPredominate Principal andPrinciple Punctuation The Period The Comma The Semicolon The Colon Quotation Marks The Hyphen The Dash Parentheses Special Problems Involved in Writing about Music Technical Terms Describing Musical Events Summary CONCLUSION APPENDIX: SAMPLE PAPER INDEX