We are thrilled to offer Dr. Peter Holmes new book, Horns and Trumpets of the European Iron Age.
This work, by one of the pioneers in the field of music archaeology, delves into the subject in a meaningful and multidimensional way. It sheds light on the significance and power that the sounds emitted by these instruments may have held for our ancient ancestors, bringing new meaning and depth to the experience of playing and hearing brass instruments today.
In Dr. Holmes' own words:
"Brass instruments were embedded in their societies, they had their distinctive voice which carried weight. They spoke sometimes for important people, they acted as surrogates for them, be they Gods, or nature itself and, in other contexts, they transformed themselves into mystical beings with all kinds of supernatural powers. To understand their numerous roles, we have to think ourselves way back in time, to detach ourselves from modern thinking and treat the instruments as our ancestors did, as living, breathing entities. Blowers of the brass spoke for their rulers, for themselves and for society as a whole..."
Most of the instruments presented in this book will be familiar to teachers using Around the World in Twenty-One Trumpets in the classroom. The book's content provides countless points of departure for adventures into the ancient world for teachers and their students.
Our team at Brass for Beginners® owes a huge debt to scholars like Dr. Peter Holmes. Without their scholarship and passion for learning, our mission of promoting interdisciplinary music education for young learners simply wouldn't be possible.