Holly George-Warren

Anthony DeCurtis

David Fricke

Jayson Kerr Dobney

Craig J. Inciardi

Alan di Perna

Matthew W. Hill

Play It Loud celebrates the musical instruments that gave rock and roll its signature sound. Seven engrossing essays by veteran music journalists and scholars discuss the technical developments that fostered rock’s seductive riffs and driving rhythms; the evolution of the classic lineup of two guitars, bass, and drums; the thrilling innovations and expanded instrumentation musicians have explored to achieve unique effects; the powerful visual impact instruments have had; and the essential role they have played in the most memorable moments of rock and roll history. Abundant photographs depict rock’s most iconic instruments—including Jerry Lee Lewis’s baby grand piano, Chuck Berry’s Gibson ES-350T guitar, John Lennon’s twelve-string Rickenbacker 325, Keith Moon’s drum set, and the white Stratocaster Jimi Hendrix played at Woodstock—both in performance and as works of art in their own right. Produced in collaboration with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this astounding book goes behind the music to offer a rare, in-depth look at the instruments that inspired the musicians and made possible the songs we know and love.

Instruments of Rock and Roll

Play It Loud

Play It Loud celebrates the musical instruments that gave rock and roll its signature sound. Abundant photographs depict rock’s most iconic instruments—including Jerry Lee Lewis’s baby grand piano, Chuck Berry’s Gibson ES-350T guitar, John Lennon’s twelve-string Rickenbacker 325, Clarence Clemons’s tenor saxophone, and Lady Gaga’s crystal keytar—in performance and as works of art in their own right. Quotations from and about some of rock’s most renowned personalities contextualize the more than twenty objects featured in this volume, emphasizing the art and evolution of the instruments that made possible the songs we know and love. p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Verdana}

A Picture Album

Clare Davies

Perrin Stein

Karen Van Godtsenhoven

Sheena Wagstaff

Jeff L. Rosenheim

Wolfram Koeppe

Elizabeth Mankin Kornhauser

Mia Fineman

Jessica Regan

Alisa LaGamma

John T. Carpenter

Donald J. La Rocca

Iria Candela

Maryam Ekhtiar

Stuart W. Pyhrr

Monika Bincsik

Stephanie D'Alessandro

Henry Colburn

Deniz Beyazit

Ian Alteveer

Sylvia Yount

Kelly Baum

Medill Higgins Harvey

John Byck

Yaëlle Biro

Maia Nuku

Femke Speelberg

Brinda Kumar

Kim Benzel

Ashley Dunn

Douglas S. Eklund

Alyce Perry Englund

Jennifer Farrell

Amanda B. Garfinkel

Alison Hokanson

Mellissa J. Huber

Shanay Jhaveri

Ronda Kasl

Constance McPhee

Asher E. Miller

Elyse Nelson

Stephen C. Pinson

Adrienne Spinozzi

Courtney A. Stewart

E. Bradley Strauchen-Scherer

The second volume in a special two-part edition of Recent Acquisitions, this Bulletin celebrates works acquired by the Museum in 2019 and 2020, many of which were gifts bestowed in honor of the Museum’s 150th anniversary year. Highlights of this volume include Jean-Baptise Carpeaux’s astonishing portrayal of an African woman in the marble sculpture Why Born Enslaved!, a monumental storage jar by African American potter and poet David Drake, an exquisite lacquer mirror case depicting an 1838 meeting between the crown prince of Iran and the tsar of Russia, and Carmen Herrera’s abstract work dating to 1949, Iberic. This publication also honors the many generous contributions from donors that make possible the continued growth of The Met's collection.

Recent Acquisitions: A Selection: 2018–20: Part II: Late Eighteenth Century to Contemporary

Issued in conjunction with the exhibition held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, from February 9 to July 4, 2011.

Legendary Craftsmen from Italy to New York

Guitar Heroes

J. Kenneth Moore

E Bradley Strachen-Scherer

This insightful appreciation of musical instruments features more than one hundred extraordinary pieces from the Metropolitan Museum’s collection. Whether created to entertain a royal court, provide personal solace, or aid in rites and rituals, these instruments fully demonstrate music’s universal resonance and the ingenuity various cultures have deployed for musical expression. The results are astoundingly diverse: from Bronze Age cymbals and sistra to violins made by Stradivari, monumental slit drums from Oceania, and iconic twentieth-century American guitars. Stunning new photographs and a lively text reveal these objects to be works of both musical and visual art, as well as marvels of technology and masterpieces of design. Depictions of instruments and music making—paintings, statues, and pottery—further illuminate the narrative, providing a vivid counterpoint to these remarkable objects.

Highlights of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Musical Instruments

Jayson Kerr Dobney

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