W. S. B. (William Smythe Babcock) Mathews

W. S. B. (William Smythe Babcock) Mathews
William Smythe Babcock Mathews (1837–1912) was an influential American music educator, editor, and writer, known for his contributions to the development of music education in the United States. He authored several key works, including "How to Understand Music" and "A Popular History of the Art of Music," which were widely used in teaching music theory and history. Mathews also served as the editor of various music journals, most notably "Music: A Monthly Magazine," where he promoted both classical and contemporary music. His writings helped shape American music education and fostered a deeper appreciation for music among students and the general public.

Author's Books:


PREFACE. When a musical student begins to think of music as a literature and to inquire about individualities of style and musical expression, it is necessary for him to come as soon as possible to the fountainheads of this literature in the works of a few great masters who have set the pace and established the limits for all the rest. In the line of purely instrumental music this has been done by... more...

INTRODUCTION. I. HE name "music" contains two ideas, both of them important in our modern use of the term: The general meaning is that of "a pleasing modulation of sounds." In this sense the term is used constantly by poets, novelists and even in conversation—as when we speak of the "music of the forest," the "music of the brook" or the "music of nature." There... more...