"Music: A Very Short Introduction studies the history of music and thinking about music, focusing on its social and cultural dimensions. It draws on a wealth of accessible examples, ranging from Beethoven to Chinese zither music. This VSI also considers the nature of music as a real-time performance practice; the role of music in social and political action; and the nature of musical thinking, including the roles played in it by instruments, notations, and creative imagination. It explores the impact of digital technology on the production and consumption of music, including how it has transformed participatory music-making and the music business. Moreover, it examines music's position in a globalized world"--