Product Description

The more you know about classical music, the more you love it. Now, thanks to Classical Music For Dummies, you can achieve a whole new level of insight into both the composers and the compositions that have made classical music one of the great accomplishments of humankind.

Classical Music For Dummies doesn′t assume that you have a degree in musicology –– or even that you took a course in music appreciation. Rather, the multimedially gifted David Pogue and renowned conductor Scott Speck explain classical music in terms you can understand, and they describe musical elements so that you can hear them for yourself.

A reference you can dip into at any point, Classical Music For Dummies covers such topics as

• The various forms that classical music takes –– from symphonies to string quartets
• What goes on behind the scenes and on stage to fill a concert hall with great classical music
• How to recognize, by sight and by sound, the many instruments that make up an orchestra
• The nuts and bolts of classical music –– from rhythm to harmonic progression

Plus, Classical Music For Dummies comes complete with a CD containing over 60 minutes of masterpieces compiled especially for the book. The CD also includes a demo version of the Angel/EMI Classics For Dummies^TM multimedia interface to try out on your Windows–based PC or Macintosh computer.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #52288 in Books
• Published on: 1997-08-21
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

From the Back Cover
Features tips on how to start a classical music collection

Discover how much fun classical music can be!

Are you baffled by Bach? Bewildered by Beethoven? Befuddled by Brahms? Relax! This friendly, funny, easy–to–understand guide gives you the score on composers, instruments, orchestras, concerts, recordings, and more – and shows you just how enjoyable and rewarding classical music can be.

More than 60 minutes of music, including excerpts from Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier

• Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 • Brahms’s Symphony No. 4 • Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 • Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, and more from recordings by Ian Hobson, pianist and conductor, Sinfonia da Camera and Sinfonia Varsovia

Plus MP3 versions of the excerpts you can play on your PC, Mac, or portable player

Discover how to:

• Distinguish the different styles of classical music
• Attend a live concert in style
• Know the instruments in an orchestra
• Understand rhythm, intervals, and other fundamentals
• Build a fabulous classical music library

About the Author
David Pogue studied music at Yale and has been a conductor on Broadway. He is a bestselling author and New York Times columnist.
Scott Speck, an award–winning music director and conductor, has led symphony orchestras from coast to coast and around the world.

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Customer Reviews

A Great Introduction!
I got this book a few years ago, as I knew that I liked some kinds of classical music, but otherwise I didn't have the faintest idea! It helped me understand which musical styles/composers I liked the most (thanks to the CD included), and motivated me to explore classical music further. It is written in an amusing and accessible manner that is perfect for absolute beginners. I do not complain about the lack of depth, as it is meant to be an introductory book. Very enjoyable!

Excellent first base
Even if you know something about classical music (eg the difference between classical and baroque), this book can be incredibly helpful. The CD contains some very good examples of genres, and the highly detailed exposition in the book of what's going on with each piece (including in some cases a second-by-second explanation) helps understand how a particular effect is achieved, or what was aimed at - it's almost like someone sitting down with the score and talking you through it.

Stylistically, the chummy, slightly 'wacky' tone can be offputting in the earlier chapters, but it's obvious that the authors really do know (and love) their stuff. If you can get past that, the historical, explanatory, and musical sections really are worthwhile.

Great introduction to an often confusing subject

Published in 1997, with a few updates since which include a new cover photo and a website launch (dummies.com) this 358 page book follows the many other titles in the `For Dummies' range in that it makes learning an entertaining experience.

Classical music can be a turn off for many, with confusing terms, strange descriptions and an often reluctance to make itself accessible to the casual visitor to its world, so a book like this is a welcome one to break down those barriers which prevent an understanding of it.

The underlying tactic of authors David Pogue and Scott Speck is to lighten up the subject with funny quips and interesting facts which continually embellish the factual information. For me, this approach makes for easy reading which informs without becoming a lecturing textbook. Some may find the many comical references to frequent, but on the whole they are genuinely funny, and there are after all many, many other books on the subject which are devoid of humour.

The book's 17 chapters include titles such as, `What Is Classical Music', `The Entire History of Music in 80 pages', `How to Spot a Sonata' (an explanation of terms like symphony, concerto and sonata), A Field Guide to the Orchestra (explaining the instruments), `The dreaded Music Theory Chapter' (music theory in easy terms) and `Starting a Classical Music Collection' (how and where best to buy the recordings).

The only slight disappointment, partly forgivable maybe because the authors are American, is the lack of even a mention of two of England's finest composers Edward Elgar and Ralph Vaughan Williams, but it's no reason not to enjoy this highly entertaining, well written book (and it does come with a free CD too).