- ISBN13: 9780679728054
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
The most readable and comprehensive guide to enjoying over five hundred years of classical music — from Gregorian chants, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to Johannes Brahms, Igor Stravinsky, John Cage, and beyond.The Vintage Guide to Classical Music is a lively — and opinionated — musical history and an insider’s key to the personalities, epochs, and genres of the Western classical tradition. Among its features:
– chronologically arranged e… More >>
The Vintage Guide to Classical Music
Tags: Classical, five hundred years, gregorian chants, Guide, igor stravinsky, johann sebastian bach, johannes brahms, Music, musical history, remainder mark, Vintage, vintage guide, western classical tradition, wolfgang amadeus mozart
#1 by Chip on March 23, 2010 - 11:58 pm
I learned to appreciate classical music from my fiancee Jian, and now I only listen to classical radio KDFC 102.1 in SF bay area. I bought this book to be able to learn a little bit about classical music artists, but this book is overwhelmly condensed. For me, I am not able to read more than one page and I put it away. I just wanted to know in an organized descriptive way when the artist lived, where he lived, how many composition he wrote, and what is the most famous music he composed, and give the name of a music for each composer that I could easily search on the web to buy or listen. I also wanted to know if the contemporary musicians like evgeny kissin or sarah chang, do they play only chopin or rakamaninoff, because fits theyr style or because they prefer to only play those music. By the way, I know I made a mistake, I don’t even know if sarah chang or evgeny kissin have played chopin or rakamaninoff music. Unfortunately this book is not like this way. And all the reviews here were 4.5 stars, and when I bought this book, “search inside” was not available, so I gave the benefit of doubt to buy this book based on the good reviews. So now I am giving my honest 1 star review. Thanks. If anyone, knows a book the way I wanted, please let me know.
Rating: 1 / 5
#2 by Avant-Captain_Nemo on March 24, 2010 - 1:00 am
This is a fine book. What it lacks in genious it makes up for in pure affability and accuracy. Lesser books tell you what to believe. This book merely opens the door and lets you draw your own conclusions. My only complaint is that this book neglects a good handful or double handful of composers I would like to see covered. Where is Sofia Gubaidulina in detail? Where is Valentin Silvestrov or Arvo Part?
I go back to this book often. This book is like a mistress who never complains and always tells the truth. I hope that anyone who is interested in that most vital and creative of musics – classical music – will turn to this book.
Rating: 3 / 5
#3 by Frank C. on March 24, 2010 - 3:34 am
Simply put, this is an outstanding book. Had I read such a straightforward, yet educationally enriching book of the sort during my undergrad, I may have actually been interested in the history of music!
Swafford covers so much here, and yet it is effortless on the part of the reader. He strikes a pefect balance between placing the composers in a historical context, yet gives a great overview of essential works by these composers. And there are also essays on topics such as tonality/atonality, counterpoint, sonata form, etc. Of course, with a limited amount of space, there will be ommisions here and there that may seem heretic to some fans of certain composers, but hey , that’s life.
This is a book that inspires you to listen to these composers in a new light. This has happened to me with Brahms, Wagner, Schubert, and Mendelsohn, as well as others.
Bravo to Mr. Swafford for an exceptional accomplishment. Also, don’t miss his “Charles Ives: A Life with Music” – one of the best biographies I have ever read.
Rating: 5 / 5
#4 by M. Cutchins on March 24, 2010 - 4:49 am
This book contains essays on the life and works of nearly one hundred classical composers, arranged by historical periods. Has a section on suggestions for building a classical music library, a glossary of musical terms, and a list suggesting further reading. Appropriate as an academic research source, but written in a reader-friendly style, Also contains an index. Informative without being difficult. A good read as well as a good source of information. Highly recommended.
Rating: 5 / 5
#5 by theb0x on March 24, 2010 - 6:30 am
after *5 years* of use, i have no choice but to upgrade my initial rating from four stars to five stars. initially i thought it emphasized modern classical music and jazz to a fault. that may still be true, to an extent, but that has not kept me from using this book almost daily. besides, i have developed an appreciation for modern classical, thanks in large part to this book, and it has been an indispensable component of my search. i still have no use for the jazz portion and it seems out of place, but the book lacks nothing so that’s just a bonus, i guess.
i find myself turning to this time and time again… i take it with me when i go out to buy CDs and at home it’s always nearby, ready to be rifled through at a moments notice. get it cheap and don’t worry about getting a used copy. if you use it like i do, it’ll get beaten up and written in very quickly. used together with the gramophone classical music guide and the penguin guide (although penguin’s last release was a major disappointment), you’ll have all the information needed to build a superb collection.
Rating: 5 / 5