The Grove Dictionary of American Music, 2nd edition is the largest, most comprehensive reference publication on American Music. Twenty-five years ago, the four volumes of the first edition of the dictionary initiated a great expansion in American music scholarship. This second edition reflects the growth in scholarship the first edition initiated. At eight volumes, it provides greatly expanded coverage, particularly in the areas of popular music, cities and regions, musical theater, opera, concert music, and music technology, as well as the musical traditions of many ethnic and cultural groups.

The articles of the dictionary range from small definitions of dance styles and musical terms to mid-length biographies of important performers, composers and music patrons, to longer examinations of larger subjects such as the history of jazz, musical instruments, music education in the United States, and the American history of the orchestra.

The dictionary's articles are supplemented by over 400 images and 140 musical examples and other materials. An abbreviations list, list of contributors, and tips on the use of the dictionary make navigation easy. With well-researched, informative articles by 1500 authors, including most of the top scholars in the field, The Grove Dictionary of American Music will be accessible to scholars, academic specialists, and the general public. - (Oxford University Press)

The Grove Dictionary of American Music, 2nd edition will be the largest, most comprehensive reference publication on American Music. Twenty-five years ago, the four volumes of the first edition of the dictionary initiated a great expansion in American music scholarship. This second edition reflects the growth in scholarship the first edition initiated. At eight volumes, it provides greatly expanded coverage, particularly in the areas of popular music, cities and regions, music of a wide variety of ethnic and cultural groups, musical theater, opera, and music technology. - (Oxford University Press)

Charles Hiroshi Garrett is Associate Professor of Musicology at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater and Dance, as well as a faculty associate of the university's American Culture Program. He has served as review editor and assistant editor of American Music, the journal of the Society for American Music. His book Struggling to Define a Nation: American Music and the Twentieth Century, which was awarded the Irving Lowens Memorial Book Award by the Society for American Music, was published by University of California Press in 2008. He is co-editor of Jazz/Not Jazz: The Music and Its Boundaries (University of California Press) and author of numerous articles, including "Shooting the Keys: Musical Horseplay and High Culture" in The Oxford Handbook to the New Cultural History of Music, ed. Jane F. Fulcher (Oxford University Press). - (Oxford University Press)

Library Journal Reviews

Much has happened in the world of American music since the first publication of this resource in 1986. Garrett's (musicology, Univ. of Michigan; Struggling To Define a Nation: American Music and the Twentieth Century) "AmeriGrove," as it is affectionately referred to by researchers, aims to cover a wide spectrum, including entries on ethnomusicology, publishing and printing, librarianship, music trades, music technology, prominent music schools, and musical groups. As in the first edition, "American" refers both to the geographical area of the modern United States as well as to U.S. and foreign artists who have influenced this country's music culture. The entry on gamelan, for example, focuses on the Indonesian ensembles' influence on American arts and culture. All abbreviation lists (general, discographical, bibliographic, and library) are included at the beginning of each volume, easing use in a classroom setting. Many entries are expanded from those in the four-volume first edition, and 4,835 new ones have been added. Entries are written by scholars in their respective fields and include bibliographies, and, when relevant, lists of selected works, sound recordings, and writings. The material is arranged alphabetically rather than divided by genre or area. Thus the entry on rap duo Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth is followed by one on Broadway star Bernadette Peters, which is followed by a piece on publisher C. F. Peters. The reference is available in two formats, print and online; both are expensive, possibly placing this valuable research tool beyond the reach of those with a smaller budget. VERDICT Essential for research institutions with a music program, and, if affordable, for secondary school programs as well.—Elizabeth Berndt-Morris, Central Michigan Univ. Lib., Mount Pleasant

447 images and 137 music examples
9374 entries
Editorial Board
Preface
About the Dictionary
Note on the Use of the Dictionary
Abbreviations lists (General, Bibliographical, Discographical, Library Sigla)
List of Contributors