Product Description

The guide that shows you what others only tell you. Explore and enjoy 1,000 years of classical music with this unique collaboration from DK and Classic FM. From Beethoven to Tchaikovsky, Cosi Fan Tutte to Swan Lake, discover the lives and works of the great composers, performers, instruments and key works with this definitive visual guide to classical music.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16144 in Books
• Published on: 2005-05-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 512 pages

Sunday Times (Culture), May 1, 2005
‘...Exactly the thing many enthusiasts will have been waiting for'

Sunday Times, May 1, 2005
…Exactly the thing many enthusiasts will have been waiting for

Music Teacher, June 1, 2005
A handy resource for all with an interest in classical music

Customer Reviews

My Favourite Classical Music Book

As classical music guides go, this is one of my favourites. It's described as `hardcover' but is more `stiff paperback' like the other Eyewitness Companions in this series.

The book is produced in association with Classic FM, which is one of the main reasons it is so readable and yet informative. Classic FM, having spent more than a decade successfully popularizing classical music, have helped present the information in layman terms instead of the rather `dry' methods used by some authors.

Divided into ten main sections, with a foreword by Lady Solti (of the late Sir Georg Solti), the book is on quality paper with numerous colour illustrations and photographs.

The contents are briefly as follows:

THE ELEMENTS OF CLASSICAL MUSIC (7 pages) - a very brief intro to the basics of classical music.

CLASSICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS (11 pages) - a run down of the popular instruments of the orchestra.

CLASSICAL MUSIC IN PERFORMANCE (7 pages) - where and how classical music is performed.

EARLY MUSIC (29 pages) - from Middle Ages to Renaissance.

THE BAROQUE ERA (49 pages) - from 1600 to 1750.

THE CLASSICAL ERA (39 pages) - from 1750 to 1820.

THE ROMANTIC ERA (65 pages) - from 1810 to 1920.

THE ROMANTIC OPERA (39 pages) - opera from 1810 to 1920.

NATIONAL SCHOOLS (107 pages) - 1830 to 1950, an account of each composer from their respective country.

MODERN MUSIC (120 pages) - 1900 to the present, a large section covering the period variably described as `neo-classical', `modern classical or `minimalist'.

This book comfortably fills the gap between an all-to-brief `pocket guide' and an all-to-heavy encyclopedic `tome'. It is easily my first choice recommendation for the newcomer to classical music, while still offering an excellent read to the more knowledgeable classical music enthusiast.

Very nice guide
I have to admit that I have not been listening to classical music for long and when pieces come on the radio or I watch them on the internet I sometimes would like to know more.
That's why I purchased DK's guide to Classical Music as it wasn't too expensive and using the Look inside option it looked very nice.
Anyway the book is softback and has about 500 pages. It isn't heavy or bulky in fact about 2x the thickness of a DVD case slightly longer and about the same width.
It gives information aboutthe composers life, some musical milestones and key works although a lot of the less mainstream get only a small mention.
I suppose this is to be expected.
Overall the book is vibrant,well laid out, rich in colour and seems to be well researched. I like it.