Since its initial publication in 1980, the The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians has been widely acclaimed as an indispensable resource and a classic reference. The word "updated" doesn't begin to describe the thousands of new articles, topics, cross-references, and areas of scholarship incorporated into the new edition. Every one of the first edition's 22,500 articles has been reviewed and revised, with thousands of articles expanded. Previously neglected or under-represented areas have been examined, explored, and explained. Movements and topics once deemed too controversial or too far from the mainstream have been added. And throughout, 6,500 new articles cover more than 5,000 years of music history, instruments, composers, institutions, performers, genres, and more. The new edition also includes extensive, authoritative contributions on non-Western music, such as Latin American music, to less-examined contributions, such as Asian, sub-Saharan African, and Pacific Islander.

A completely new version of a work first published in the late 19th century, this 29-volume set is packed with information on the history and development of music, composers, performers, instruments, musical forms, terms and definitions, and musical cites and institutions, the set covers every type of music, from classical to popular to jazz. The edition contains more than 29,000 articles from more than 6,000 contributors and 5,000 illustrations.

There's something about the elegance and mystique of the printed version that does it for me. The tidy stack of volumes on the bookshelf is an alluring sight. And few could resist the sweet scent of knowledge which emanates from the printed page.--The Scotsman