Before Music

February 28, 2022
From cellos to chigufes, maracas to mbiras, musicophiles will find plenty to peruse in this reference picture book that explores instrument-making. In similarly formatted sections, Pimentel’s narrative connects a raw material (e.g., gourds) to musical instruments made from it (e.g., maracas and sitars), categorizing instruments by how they’re played, and offering an onomatopoeic description of instrument creation: “After the gourd dries in the sun, someone... fills it with seeds. Ptptptpt.” Sidebars throughout explain sound generation, highlight instrument innovators, and offer numerous captioned vignettes of instruments globally. Centering creators and musicians of varying age, skin tone, and traditional dress,
Safer’s naïf-style multimedia art gives fitting nod to folk traditions featured in this wide-ranging survey of musical instruments that spans centuries, continents, and cultures. Back matter discusses instrument classification and includes instructions for making instruments. Ages 8–12.

April 1, 2022

Gr 4-7-Containing detailed information concerning the origins of musical instruments from around the world, this fascinating text details the materials they were constructed from, the processes involved in their creation, and the sounds they made. The content is organized by the natural materials used to create the instruments; from rocks to reeds. It is delivered in a whimsical tone that features poetic devices, such as onomatopoeia, alliteration, and word repetition. The narrative is supplemented with lists of related instruments, biographies of little-known musicians, and informational sidebars. The impressive watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil illustrations are reminiscent of primitive folk art and complement the book's content perfectly. Unfortunately, once read, the newly learned facts are difficult to revisit because there is no glossary or table of contents. The back matter includes an explanation of organology, a listing of selected sources and attribution, and directions for making a musical instrument. VERDICT Schools specializing in art and music may consider adding this book to the library's collection on the merit of its fascinating content and appealing illustrations.-Lynne Stover

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2022
One person collects clay from the earth and shapes it into an ocarina; another finds metal ore deep in the ground and fashions it into a bell. In this richly illustrated and engaging exploration of the origins of musical instruments, each section focuses on a specific material, such as rocks, clay, gourds, silk, strings, or even human voices. Pimentel discusses how the material produces sound (i.e., the science of sound), lists instruments made from the material, and describes how they're played and used in different cultures and ceremonies. Safer's inviting watercolor, gouache, and colored-pencil illustrations reflect the text's emphasis on the connection between music and the human spirit. Occasional sidebars profile people who have changed the musical world through activism, creativity, and scientific discovery. The back matter includes selected sources, an explanatory note on organology and music classification systems, and ideas for making instruments at home. Grace McKinney

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

April 3, 2023
Grades 3-5 Human beings make things, says Pimentel, and one of our traditions is to make musical instruments. How these have been created using found objects, and how some objects can work as ready-made instruments, is the focus of this thoughtful look at musical history. The first human-made instrument described here is a most unusual construction--a stone harmonium that Englishman Joseph Richardson began in 1827 and that took him 13 years to finish. Each section of coverage of various kinds of instruments--some that are blown, others struck, others plucked, and so on--opens with the refrain, "Before music," encouraging readers to recognize the inspirations behind the musical sounds we hear today. This observation is followed by a description of how that inspiration brought forth all kinds of related instruments and how a particular group or musician used one of them. The found objects, related instruments, and musicians are all depicted in Safer's lively, textured, nature-toned images that were created using watercolors, gouache, and colored pencils. A gorgeous, informative choice for students of music and for maker spaces.

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January 1, 2022
One person collects clay from the earth and shapes it into an ocarina; another finds metal ore deep in the ground and fashions it into a bell. In this richly illustrated and engaging exploration of the origins of musical instruments, each section focuses on a specific material, such as rocks, clay, gourds, silk, strings, or even human voices. Pimentel discusses how the material produces sound (i.e., the science of sound), lists instruments made from the material, and describes how they're played and used in different cultures and ceremonies. Safer's inviting watercolor, gouache, and colored-pencil illustrations reflect the text's emphasis on the connection between music and the human spirit. Occasional sidebars profile people who have changed the musical world through activism, creativity, and scientific discovery. The back matter includes selected sources, an explanatory note on organology and music classification systems, and ideas for making instruments at home.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)