Manuel M. Ponce

Bachata—a guitar-based romantic music that debuted in Santo Domingo’s urban shantytowns in the 1960s—is today one of the hottest Latin genres. Still, fans and musicians have not forgotten the social stigma the genre carried for decades. This book interweaves bachata’s history and development with the socio-political context of Dominican identity. The author argues that its early disfavor resulted from the political climate of its origins and ties between class and race, and proposes that its ultimate acceptance as a symbol of Dominican identity arose from its innovations, the growth...

In his latest book, Greil Marcus, arguably the most influential music critic of all time, offers his most impassioned and intense essay yet. Steering clear of official history--encyclopedia entries, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions, classic success stories--Marcus brings to the forefront 10 essential songs that, for their influence and how they have resonated throughout the decades, have surpassed a milestone of pop music. This book includes brief biographies of the songs' writers and performers and captures the essence of each pop entry--everlasting yet at the same time fleeting....

Esta obra parte de un examen de la musica occidental de los ultimos 400 anos, asi como de la musica de los paises africanos y asiaticos, para hacernos ver como la naturaleza de una sociedad se puede deducir a partir de su musica y como las diferentes pautas y modelos musicales no solo pueden reflejar los cambios que se dan en la sociedad, sino incluso influir sobre ellos.

Explores the history of hebrew music and the connection between music and the Bible, instruments, and mystical poetry, with a CD that contains 17 mystical songs.