Art has existed for as long as humankind; but defining it is notoriously difficult. In this whirlwind tour spanning from prehistory up to the present day and beyond; Laurie Schneider Adams explores how art and our views on it have evolved. Delving into fascinating issues such as why some artworks can be so controversial; why a forgery can never be as “goodrdquo; as the original; and what the future of art may hold; this beautifully crafted introduction provides a deft overview of Western artistic tradition. Also providing a helpful guide to understanding art terminology and to reading artworks for meaning; Art: A Beginnerrsquo;s Guide is an essential tool for every budding art critic. Laurie Schneider Adams is Professor of Art at John Jay College; City University of New York. She is the author of A History of Western Art and Looking at Art; and is Editor-in-Chief of the journal Source: Notes in the History of Art.
#1217230 in eBooks 2013-11-07 2014-09-25File Name: B00NY1NDUG
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Great tunes; rounds out a beginners learningBy Mitch BaywatchAfter have taken lessons briefly as a child; I decided to try again as an old man (40+ years). My primary teacher has been the Alfreds Adult Course; and Ive been meaning to sign up for in-person lessons. I bought this Bartok as a change of pace and because I like him as a composer.Theres no instruction here; just 18 short; progressive pieces. Thus; you have to acquire the basics of piano and reading music from elsewhere first. The initial piece is only about 20 seconds long and doesnt ask either hand to extend beyond its original 5-note position. The next piece adds contrary motion; and further works add elements such as dynamics and accidentals. The first works are quite simple and Im not sure if any works are as challenging as those at the end of Alfreds Adult Book 1. But they are challenging in their own way.Perhaps the biggest difference between this Alfreds is the emphasis on hand independence. Your right hand is not more important than your left here; and it is not always playing the lead. In fact; much of the time; there is no lead hand. This also isnt the place to learn chords or scales. But its a good way to start building a strong left hand and to lay the ground works for more advanced counterpoint. I found it a great complement to something like Alfreds.IMO; the tunes are great. These arent melodic pop tunes that your friends will recognize. The fact that you probably wont recognize them aids learning; as you cant use familiarity as a crutch for tempo; rhythm and dynamics. Bartok can be quite beautiful at times; and other times haunting. Jeno Jando has recorded these for Naxos if you want to give them a listen.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Errors in edits and transcriptionsBy derekThis is a Kalmus edition which I did not realize on purchase. I just needed to expand my music library and did not pay close attention to editions. I have found many errors throughout this book and probably will not be using this edition by Kalmus ever again. The music itself is what I expected from Bartok; just a bad version with many; many errors. The errors include wrong fingerings (finger 8?); and wrong note duration where the measure does not equal the time signature.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Three StarsBy Emmett Gallaghernot a very nice printing; kinda cheap for the price; but a great collection of pieces for sure.
