Practical Percussion

The second half of the 20th century saw vast changes in all aspects of percussion-the instruments themselves, playing techniques, and percussion writing. The influence of popular music, jazz, and film scores, as well as the revolution in travel and communications, has attributed to the growing popularity of the more obscure percussion instruments like the agogo bells or the didgeridoo. Practical Percussion reveals the world of percussion, as it exists today, after composers were influenced by decades of exposure to the musical instruments of other cultures. James Holland assesses these developments, presenting information on writing and publishing music for percussion instruments, percussion education, the Percussive Arts Society, and details on manufactures and suppliers from North and South America, Europe, and Asia, including company history with current address information. He also presents a detailed history of more than 200 percussion instruments. Every work mentioned is listed together with all the percussion requirements including the players and their instruments.