Manufacturing the Muse: Estey Organs and Consumer Culture in Victorian America (Music Culture)
 Regular Price: $27.95 | |
Dear visitor! This website has been designed to help you find THE BEST PRICE. When you are ready to buy, your payment will be processed through one of the most TRUSTED SUPPLIERS directly. |
| Not what you're looking for? Try smart custom search: |
Customer Review
A very thorough, informed and informative history
Manufacturing The Muse: Estey Organs & Consumer Culture In Victorian America by ethnomusicologist Dennis G. Waring is a very thorough, informed and informative history and analysis of the reed organ, an majestic instrument once more popular than the piano, in the latter half of the nineteenth century. The amazing story of how this remarkable instrument was standardized and distributed is illustrated with black-and-white photographs and artworks. An accompanying music CD with reed organ selections rounds out this fascinating compendium of musical and American consumer history. Highly recommended for academic Music History reference collections, Manufacturing The Muse is also available in hardcover (0819565075, ...).
Top to learn more
A terrific piece of history
Even for those who may not be into "Reed Organs", this book is a wonderful journey into the era ( Victorian ) that reed organs were made.It is much more than a history of the reed organ, it teaches one about the cultural background of the era, its customs, expectations and I presume, how many lived in this time.As a reed organ enthusiast, it has helped me understand the instrument on levels beyond the mechanical aspects. As a student of music, it taught me many things I never knew and feel better equipped because of it.While based on a history of the Estey Organ Company, Estey Oragn Co,. is not the main character, but the time period of a forgotten era is front stage. One learns alot about Estey, yet as it was placed in the business envrionment of the time.The rapid rise, importance, and equally rapid decline in the reed organ is well documented. It will give one an appreciation for these gems of a musical instrument and an era not...
Top to learn more
Product Description
Purchases of American reed organs between 1850 and 1910 exceeded that of pianos by almost two to one. Manufacturing the Muse is the story of the reed organ, a centerpiece in American parlors, churches, and gathering places for nearly a century. It is also the story of venerable New England entrepreneur Jacob Estey, whose industrial standardization of instrument manufacture strongly affected Victorian popular culture, social stratification, gender issues, and musical taste. Dennis Waring's examination of The Estey Organ Company (1846 to 1960) and its production and marketing strategies reveals much concerning the importance of the reed organ as a significant artifact in the history of American consumerism.
The companion CD includes a variety of period pieces, some selected from the Estey Organ Method, all played on Estey organs. Extensive appendices include surveys of Estey organ case design, free-reed making operations, diagrams, maps, timelines, and music. A generous number of photographs round out the book, which may be read as a good story as well as an important part of America's history. Top to learn more