Did you ever leave an opera performance wondering why the singers use so much vibrato? Or a symphony; wondering who decided where on stage the orchestra members should sit; or why they tune their instruments to an oboe rather than an electronic tuner? Why is Tchaikovskys 1812 Overture played on the 4th of July? And how does a composer choose what key to compose in?In Who Knew?: Answers to Questions about Classical Music You Never Thought to Ask; master music educator Robert A. Cutietta provides lucid answers to these and more than 140 other questions submitted by listeners to his popular weekly radio program. Through its pages; this highly readable guide touches on some of the most curiosity-inducing aspects of the tradition; from why audiences refrain from applauding between movements to how opera singers warm up on the night of a big debut. The responses are drawn from conversations with professional musicians and music educators; with additional contributions by Gail Eichenthal of KUSC; giving a rare glimpse into how musicians think and talk about their work. Lovers of classical music who would like to flesh out their understanding are sure to find a powerful resource in Cutiettas down-to-earth guide; and even seasoned listeners are sure to learn a thing or two. This book will provide hours of enjoyment as readers invariably shake their heads and ask in wonderment; "Who knew!"
#75158 in eBooks 2017-07-25 2017-07-25File Name: B01L5KH7SQ
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Many good assignments.By Kenneth F. CookExcellent book with many good suggestions.I tried many of the ideas that were very well described. I would say this book is aimed at those who have a pretty good handle on their camera and lenses. Well worth the small price for the kindle edition.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Kindle CustomerEasy and best book4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Wonderful Reference and Teaching Book About Nature Photography and LightBy Jeffrey N. FritzAs a professional photographer. I am asked to do all kinds of work ranging from wedding photos to portraits. I am happy for the work. However. my love is with landscape and nature photography. This is the area where operating my camera is the most fun and where my heart resides. I am drawn. therefore. to a well written. well produced book on the subject of landscape and nature photography. This is one such book.Although her book is about nature and landscape photography. Brenda Tharp discusses light a great deal in her book. "Expressive Nature Photography: Design. Composition. and Color in Outdoor Imagery." And well she should because without a firm understanding of light and its various natures. it is difficult to impossible to expect quality results in photography.Tharp is not just focusing (no pun intended) on mundane but necessary things such as aperture or shutter speeds. Yes. those are covered. She even includes the recorded focal length. aperture and shutter speed for each of the numerous example photos in her book--a most helpful addition to the book itself. Still. what drives Tharp and what should drive each of us as photographers (amateur. semi-pro and pro) is the quality and type of light. Is it top-down (direct noon-type light.) front light. sidelight. backlight or bounce light? What color is the light? Yes light. even sunlight. can exhibit different colors at different times and seasons. Each type and color impacts the nature of light seen on the subject and therefore the resulting photograph. The same object is not the same photograph under different lighting conditions.Tharp provides clarity and direction concerning light. even going so far as to dispel some common misconceptions about the histogram. However. she is firm in pointing out that. "There is no such thing as bad light; there is only light."I agree--especially when it comes to digital photography. Some of my best and most cherished digital images were taken in horrid light. Sometimes the light was so poor (low quality or at a horrid angle) that I assumed that the photo would be a complete waste of time--that is until I post processed the image and saw the inadvertent magic that the light had created.I do a major disservice if I fail to mention something that Brenda Tharp states right at the beginning of her book. ldquo;This book is about making your best photographs of nature. Itrsquo;s also about being present in the moment when making a picture.rdquo; (Page 13.)This is so very important. If our minds are elsewhere. our photos will show our distraction. Tharp even recommends that. at times. we should leave our cameras behind and simply soak in the elements with our eyes. This is equally important because. while the camera is a wonderful tool. it is also a distraction. If you are photographing something you are not really looking at it. You are instead focused on the process of image taking.My father used to have a saying. ldquo;Do as I say not as I do.rdquo; Tharp. on the other hand is saying something very different. ldquo;Listen to what I say. but look at what I have done.rdquo; Her text and her photos do a wonderful job of complementing one another.To be honest. I own a ton of photography books. Most. except for a precious few. are bound for the recycling bin. ldquo;Expressive Nature Photography: Design. Composition. and Color in Outdoor Imageryrdquo; is not one of them. Brenda Tharp has done a marvelous job with creating her book. That. coupled with a quality printing job on decent paper stock. makes this a book that I not only read cover-to-cover. but will also keep permanently as a reference book.
