Classical Music Top 40

By Anthony J. Rudel

Book Overview

Millions of people adore classical music. Millions of other people want to, but simply don't know how or where to start--so many composers, so many pieces, so many versions, so much music! In either case, this book is for you. In this informal and informative guide, Rudel leads listeners through the forty most essential and popular compositions from the Four Seasons to Rhapsody in Blue, explaining the musical structure of each passage and highlighting special themes or elements to listen for as the music continues. By the time you're through with his guidance, the music is no longer just a jumbled mass of sound, but instead a stunning piece of music that's as understandable and enjoyable as any rock 'n' roll song.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671794957
• ISBN13: 9780671794958
• Release Date: March 1995
• Publisher: Touchstone Books
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.2" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Very helpful

This book is helping me listen better to this sort of music. I am finding that my ears need some "training", but that they are opening more and I can hear and appreciate more. I am purchasing this because even though I have it from the library, I want to be able to refer to it at anytime in the next months and years. It's true that the book essentially does simply give a "roadmap" for various pieces ('the timpani play a single note into the silence', 'slowly the speed increases leading to another piano solo', etc.), but that is exactly what I need. The audio books by Robert Greenberg from the Teaching company are also very good, and feature "word scores" to aid in following the music. It was from listening to those tapes/cds that I went looking for more such material that could give me a simplified score of sorts that I could use to follow the music. There are some other books that introduce newcomers to this music, and with a little trial and error and use of the library, you can find some that are right for you. Amadeus press publishes some things, there is a fantastic set of free Beethoven lectures on the web by Andras Schiff, and other material I haven't yet discovered. I am very grateful that I can now listen to and appreciate and receive such joy that this music gives. There really is something for everyone.

For the classical music lover who wants to become a listener

I have been a classical music lover for some years but I knew there was more that I could learn. I was familiar with the general history of the subject and had read a CD collecting guide. However, I wanted to know more about individual pieces of music and how to listen to them instead of just hear them. Then I found this book and it "hit the spot." The author gives the reader/listener a guided tour through forty pieces of classical music. Whether they are actually the "most popular and important" pieces is questionable, especially as to Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra, but they are all wonderful works. Most are instrumental, but the book includes Handel's Messiah and Orff's Carmina Burana. They also have the benefit of spanning the spectrum of styles from baroque to modern. The pieces are arranged alphabetically, but I suggest starting with the programmatic pieces such as Smetana's Moldau, Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique and Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, and moving toward the more abstract stuff such as Beethoven's Fifth, Brahm's First and Mahler's First. In order to follow the action as closely as possible you will need to have a watch you can reset, or to sit next to the CD player with the machine set to show time elapsed. The book provided two revelations. First, the music is full of subtleties of which I was unaware. Second, there are big differences in performances of the same piece. The most obvious difference is in whether repeats are observed or omitted. Highly recommended, and I hope Mr. Rudel will write another covering the next most popular forty.

Good reference, easy to follow and understand

Let me begin by explining that I have limited musical experience or training. However I do enjoy classical/syphonic music. This book greatly aided in my appreciation of the 40 pieces of music the author explains. His explanations are thorough and written in plain english. However, he does say to listen for certain instruments that most untrained people would not know. Although limited, I do know something about music so that fact that did not effect me. All in all a good book for those sick of the radio and wanting to expand their music collection. Also, gives great cocktail party knowledge.