Ideas and Styles in the Western Musical Tradition

Ideas and Styles in the Western Musical Tradition, Fourth Edition, explores the conceptual frameworks that have shaped musical development from antiquity to the present. In a lively narrative that prompts readers to think both critically and creatively, Douglass Seaton uses historical documents from thinkers, artists, and musicians to add rich detail to the compelling story of Western music. This brief and accessible narrative of music history features numerous works of art, literature, and music that immerse students in the historical and intellectual contexts of musical styles.


The thoroughly updated and revised fourth edition offers:

· New pedagogy including chapter-opening summaries and outlines; marginal cues to identify key ideas in each paragraph; and extended excerpts from key historical texts
· Increased and balanced coverage of women's roles in music history, ranging from discussions of key composers and performers like Isabella d'Este and Fanny Hensel to women's important roles as patrons
· A custom score anthology drawn from the Oxford History of Western Music offers students full scores and analysis for key works from the text
· A more user-friendly design makes it easier for students to quickly locate key information
· Updates to the narrative throughout, including the most recent research findings along with updates to the reception of key works

Douglass Seaton is the Warren D. Allen Professor of Music at Florida State University.