Modernism and the Spirit of the City offers a new reading of the architectural modernism that emerged and flourished in Europe in the first half of the twentieth century. Rejecting the fashionable postmodernist arguments of the 1980s and 90s which damned modernist architecture as banal and monotonous; this collection of essays by eminent scholars investigates the complex cultural; social; and religious imperatives that lay below the smooth; white surfaces of new architecture.
#3494763 in eBooks 2013-01-11 2013-01-11File Name: B00B0YVPTK
Review
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful. Not "obsolete" or "useless" at allBy Bruce R. GilsonAlthough I bought a copy approximately seven years ago; and first saw this book in a hardcover edition decades ago; I have not seen fit to write an actual review until now. And this mainly as a rebuttal to Claudio Di Verolis harshly negative review.First of all; I think it is eminently prejudicial for anyone reviewing a book not to disclose any interests he might have in other books on related topics. Di Veroli does not disclose his authorship of a book until he responds to a comment on his review; and this response to a comment is not visible to people just looking at his review unless they take the additional step of clicking to view comments. I am not going to violate my own ethics here -- I have myself written a book on musical scales; available on . (And I suppose a negative review that book got; written by a person who has coauthored research papers with the author of a rival book; prompted my feelings about such disclosures.)To describe any book that presents historical data -- in this case; on tunings and temperaments from Greek days till the advent of equal temperament -- as "obsolete" is laughable. The book is a valuable reference on the ways instruments were tuned in past centuries; and I certainly did not consider it "useless;" though in my own book I did not choose to provide such a listing -- in fact; readers of my book interested in such information are referred to Barbours book.Yes; I agree with Di Veroli that Barbour is opinionated in favor of equal temperament. Di Veroli says; "Barbours purported steady evolution towards equal temperament; and his thesis that it is the only system worth tuning to; are nowadays not just erronous; but hilarious." Yet there ARE people who would agree with the idea that equal temperament "is the only system worth tuning to;" despite Di Verolis opinion. [And; of course; there are books maintaining the exact opposite; such as "How Equal Temperament Ruined Harmony (and Why You Should Care)" by Ross W. Duffin.] What is really the important point is that equal temperament has its advantages; and also its disadvantages; and a fair-minded approach would be to provide both -- but very few people (among those who have taken an interest in the subject) are truly neutral on this question.What Barbours book is important for is not his "purported steady evolution towards equal temperament" but his descriptions of tunings and temperaments used in the past; and I know of no other book that has the detail that Barbour provides. Di Veroli would (if I understand his review correctly) want pitches given more precisely than integer cents; but in fact very few peoples hearing is so precise that even an error of a few cents is a significant one. (I have; in fact; a preference for other measures than cents; but this is my preference; and I do not let it downgrade my opinion of the book.)This is hardly a perfect book on the subject; but it is far better than Di Veroli rates it in his review. And hopefully; people will not; by that review; be dissuaded from buying what is truly an important book.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Small; but dense- packed with information if you know how to use itBy CembalistaThis is a small book; packed with information. If you know how to understand it and use it; it can be extremely helpful; but may be a tad overwhelming to the novice. Barbour traces the history of tuning and temperament; from Pythagoras to our modern age of equal temperament; giving detailed mathematical descriptions of various mean-tone and well-tempered tuning systems. If you are an early music performer; you should own this book; and if you are interested in learning more about the development of tuning systems throughout history; this is the most concise scientifically based book available on the subject.35 of 36 people found the following review helpful. A classic; essential reading if a bit datedBy David P. JensenBarbours book is essential reading for anyone wanting a comprehensive overview of historical temperaments; from the early Greeks to the twentieth century. That said; Barbour wrote from the vantage point of someone firmly believing that equal temperament is the ultimate expression of temperament; so the reader is left to interpret the contents; absorb whats good and toss out whats not so useful. Barbour cites many sources; so the book makes a decent bibliogrphy for further study. In fact; having read the book the reader should indeed go to the sources and make his own interpretation of the sources.This book can be a tough read for someone not mathematically inclined - the analysis of every temperament is mathematically-based; and little reference is given to the needs of musicians. Additionally; a great deal of the books ink is devoted to theoretical temperaments that either are not useable or have never found a use; so the reader is inclined to skip pages unless purely theoretical temperaments are of interest.While this book is essential reading; there are several other contemporary writers on tuning and temperaments. Highly recommended is Mark Lindleys entry on the subject in the New Groves. For a valuable polemic on temperaments and harmony; read Ross Duffins recent "How Equal Temperament Ruined Harmony (and Why You Should Care)"; available at .com.