The music hall ...had no place for reticence; it was downright; it shouted; it made noise; it enjoyed itself and made the people enjoy themselves as well. W.J. MACQUEEN POPE

Music Hall lies at the root of all modern popular entertainment. With stars such as Marie Lloyd; Harry Lauder and Dan Leno; it reached its glorious; brassy height between 1890 and the First World War. In the first book on this subject for many years; Richard Anthony Baker whisks us off on a colourful and nostalgic tour of the rise and fall of British music hall.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century people sang traditional songs in taverns for entertainment. This was so popular that rooms started to be added to inns for shows to be staged; and; before long; songs were being specially composed and purpose-built theatres were springing up everywhere. 

Britains working class had; for the first time; its own form of public entertainment and its own breed of stars. The colour and vitality attracted serious writers and artists; as well as the future Edward VII; and music hall became simultaneously the haunt of the working classes and the avant-garde.

Including stories of a clergyman who wrote music-hall sketches; a hall in Glasgow where luckless entertainers were pulled off stage by a long hooked pole; and Cockney dictionaries that helped Americans understand touring British performers; this book is a hugely engaging slice of social history; rich in humour; tragedy and bathos.

As featured on BBC Radio Lincolnshire and in the Sunderland Echo.
#4178333 in eBooks 2014-09-24 2014-09-24File Name: B00O2ACBVU
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Kindle Version is GREAT for Practice and Backup but lousy for PerformanceBy WhooRahGREAT tool for learning new songs; but keep in mind that you dont want to use the Kindle version of these books for performance. Reason? Kindle doesnt play with Blue Tooth Switches. This is a major issue for us Bass players. Missing a bar equals trolling for a poke in the nose. You dont have time for the finger swipe thing. Take up the Sax.Youll have to copy the pieces you need for performance over to Mobile Sheets for Android and get a Gigeasy. Its a Colorado thing; you wouldnt understand.....0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Excellent. Its "the book" for jazz musiciansBy J. CrossExcellent. Its "the book" for jazz musicians; and this bass clef version is just right for trombone players like myself. Also a G-clef version.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Better tunes than vol IBy Dr GAlthough all blowing jazz musos are expected to have volume I; volume II actually has better tunes; so I recommend getting it as well; to have even more fun and entertain audiences more.I would love it if this was supplied with an electronic version as well. E.g. charts that can plug into iGigBook.
