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If It Ain't Baroque: More Music History as it Ought to be Taught
David W. Barber, the internationally bestselling author of Bach, Beethoven and the Boys, Accidentals on Purpose, When the Fat Lady Sings and others is at it again. If It Ain’t Baroque is another cheeky, irreverent yet informative look at classical music through the history of its various forms and genres as written by its most famous composers. From Chants Encounter to Deathly Passions to Arias of Influence, the author explains in hilarious but edifying detail all aspects of classical music from the obscure to the sublime. Immerse yourself once more in Barber’s wonderful, offbeat world with “more music history as it ought to be taught.”
Here’s what some notable people have said about
David W. Barber’s books:
“My heartiest commendation for an admirable work of scholarship...I will not say again that it is funny, since this will compel you to set your jaw and dare Barber to make you laugh.”
– Anthony Burgess
on Bach, Beethoven and the Boys
“This amusing and witty...delightful book.”
– Yehudi Menuhin
on Accidentals on Purpose
“I must say I still adore opera. I know it is just as silly as Mr. Barber says it is, but I love it.”
– Anna Russell
on When the Fat Lady Sings
“Those who have laughed their way through David Barber’s earlier books will know that there are a lot of facts lurking behind his irreverent humour.”
– Trevor Pinnock
on Getting a Handel on Messiah
“If I had gone to music school, this is how I would want to learn about all those composers. [This book] is so clever that you don’t need me to tell you it’s clever. You can read it and find out for yourself.”
– Maureen Forrester
on When the Fat Lady Sings
“I was delighted by these short, witty pieces by this talented writer.”
– Ben Wicks, cartoonist and humorist
on The Last Laugh
“I enjoyed these pieces enormously. I never do the short run myself, since that is very much a newspaper rather than a magazine format, and I am delighted to see that my most familiar approach actually works over the sprint.”
– Alan Coren
former editor of Punch magazine, author of The Sanity Inspector
on The Last Laugh
Here’s what some notable people have said about
David W. Barber’s books:
“My heartiest commendation for an admirable work of scholarship...I will not say again that it is funny, since this will compel you to set your jaw and dare Barber to make you laugh.”
– Anthony Burgess
on Bach, Beethoven and the Boys
“This amusing and witty...delightful book.”
– Yehudi Menuhin
on Accidentals on Purpose
“I must say I still adore opera. I know it is just as silly as Mr. Barber says it is, but I love it.”
– Anna Russell
on When the Fat Lady Sings
“Those who have laughed their way through David Barber’s earlier books will know that there are a lot of facts lurking behind his irreverent humour.”
– Trevor Pinnock
on Getting a Handel on Messiah
“If I had gone to music school, this is how I would want to learn about all those composers. [This book] is so clever that you don’t need me to tell you it’s clever. You can read it and find out for yourself.”
– Maureen Forrester
on When the Fat Lady Sings
“I was delighted by these short, witty pieces by this talented writer.”
– Ben Wicks, cartoonist and humorist
on The Last Laugh
“I enjoyed these pieces enormously. I never do the short run myself, since that is very much a newspaper rather than a magazine format, and I am delighted to see that my most familiar approach actually works over the sprint.”
– Alan Coren
former editor of Punch magazine, author of The Sanity Inspector
on The Last Laugh
176 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 1992
26 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
About the author
David W. Barber
38 books27 followersDavid W. Barber is a journalist and musician and the author of more than a dozen books of music (including Accidentals on Purpose; Bach, Beethoven and the Boys; When the Fat Lady Sings; and Getting a Handel on Messiah) and literature (including Quotable Sherlock, Quotable Alice and Atonement and other stories). Formerly a writer and entertainment editor of The Kingston Whig-Standard, editor of Broadcast Week magazine at the Toronto Globe and Mail and the assistant editor of arts and life for Postmedia newspapers, he is currently a freelance writer, editor, musician and composer. As a composer, his works include two symphonies, a jazz mass based on the music of Dave Brubeck, a Requiem, several short choral and chamber works and various vocal-jazz songs and arrangements. He sings with the Toronto Chamber Choir and various other choirs on occasion. In a varied career, among his more interesting jobs have been short stints as a roadie for Pope John Paul II, a publicist for Prince Rainier of Monaco and a backup singer for Avril Lavigne.
Learn about his other books at IndentPublishing.com
Learn about his other books at IndentPublishing.com
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 16, 2020
خيلى عاليه مثل كتاب اولش 👌🏻
February 5, 2019
This is the most entertaining and educational book on music history! I am not saying it is the most educational book, because, of course there are many more comprehensive books on music history than this one. But like I said, it is the most entertaining & educational book on the subject, and great for those of us who enjoy classical music, but I think it is a great book to start with if you are interested in the subject, because it will make you laugh and you will memorize and learn things just from the way it is written.
The title alone is funny!
There are 3 Parts -
Part One: Overture. This has three chapters -
Chapter One discusses using the term 'classical' music as a general term and not for the true definition of music written between the Baroque and the Romantic Era of 1750-1850.
Chapter Two: Really Early Music. Self explanatory ... he goes back to the Stone Age, Ancient Chinese traditions, Tribal Africa and speaks about music existing before it was written down!
Chapter Three: The Big Picture. In this chapter Mr. Barber goes back to the history of western European music beginning with the fourth century history with the Gregorian chant and ends with Stravinsky (1882-1971) and speaks of the better known composers in-between. It is only 5 pages and as he puts it, '... a crash course in 1500 years of musical history in about as many words. Whew!'
In fact, all of the chapters are short. Between 1.5 and 12 pages, so lots of informations jammed pack into concise, informative pages.
Part Two: Sects Education (haha, he's a nut!)
Chapter Four: Chants Encounter (haha)
Chapter Five: A Word or Two About Motets
Chapter Six: Achieving Critical Mass
Chapter Seven: Deathly Passion
Chapter Eight: Great Oration
Part Three: Wordly Goods (he'a great player of words!)
Chapter Nine: Traditional Blunt Instruments
Chapter Ten: Let's Sing Madrigals, Guys
Chapter Eleven: Arias of Influence (haha, seriously, you will laugh aloud throughout reading)
Chapter Twelve: Shall We Dance
Chapter Thirteen: Concerted Efforts
Chapter Fourteen: Keyboard Input
Chapter Fifteen: Orchestral Manoeuvres (In The Dark And Otherwise)
Chapter Sixteen: Coda
I doubt there is anything more I need to add to my review, because the book is what the subtitle says it is ... 'More Music History as It Ought to Be Taught.' ... in a fun and engaging way as all subjects should be taught. So, to me this book is not just for those of us who enjoy 'Classical Music' and music history, but for teachers to read to learn a new way of teaching their students to hold their attention and interest in any subject!
Thanks Mr. Barber for another 'fun' book!
*I approve of this author and recommend his work*
The title alone is funny!
There are 3 Parts -
Part One: Overture. This has three chapters -
Chapter One discusses using the term 'classical' music as a general term and not for the true definition of music written between the Baroque and the Romantic Era of 1750-1850.
Chapter Two: Really Early Music. Self explanatory ... he goes back to the Stone Age, Ancient Chinese traditions, Tribal Africa and speaks about music existing before it was written down!
Chapter Three: The Big Picture. In this chapter Mr. Barber goes back to the history of western European music beginning with the fourth century history with the Gregorian chant and ends with Stravinsky (1882-1971) and speaks of the better known composers in-between. It is only 5 pages and as he puts it, '... a crash course in 1500 years of musical history in about as many words. Whew!'
In fact, all of the chapters are short. Between 1.5 and 12 pages, so lots of informations jammed pack into concise, informative pages.
Part Two: Sects Education (haha, he's a nut!)
Chapter Four: Chants Encounter (haha)
Chapter Five: A Word or Two About Motets
Chapter Six: Achieving Critical Mass
Chapter Seven: Deathly Passion
Chapter Eight: Great Oration
Part Three: Wordly Goods (he'a great player of words!)
Chapter Nine: Traditional Blunt Instruments
Chapter Ten: Let's Sing Madrigals, Guys
Chapter Eleven: Arias of Influence (haha, seriously, you will laugh aloud throughout reading)
Chapter Twelve: Shall We Dance
Chapter Thirteen: Concerted Efforts
Chapter Fourteen: Keyboard Input
Chapter Fifteen: Orchestral Manoeuvres (In The Dark And Otherwise)
Chapter Sixteen: Coda
I doubt there is anything more I need to add to my review, because the book is what the subtitle says it is ... 'More Music History as It Ought to Be Taught.' ... in a fun and engaging way as all subjects should be taught. So, to me this book is not just for those of us who enjoy 'Classical Music' and music history, but for teachers to read to learn a new way of teaching their students to hold their attention and interest in any subject!
Thanks Mr. Barber for another 'fun' book!
*I approve of this author and recommend his work*
January 16, 2018
🎶🎵Pozytywnie mnie zaskoczyła ! Zdecydowanie płynniej i przyjemniej się czyta historię muzyki opartą na formach,stylach czy instrumentach,niż tę o kompozytorach ("Bach,Beethoven i inne chłopaki")
August 14, 2011
Absolutely hysterical! A must-read for all fans of "Classical" music! OK, maybe just the ones with a sense of humor...
January 16, 2023
I chuckled through reading this one of Barber’s. There were a few places where the sheer number of names and terms overwhelmed me, but his humorous way of describing “stuffy” music is so fun to read.
November 24, 2019
I loved this book. If you are into music, read it. If you are not into music, read it.
January 9, 2020
big wigs? fuguet about it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2020
Zygzakiem przez muzykę
October 29, 2013
A short, humorous but accurate, illustrated history of classical music. Starting with a discussion of the term itself -- which of course compromises not only its own Classical era, but the Baroque, the Romantic, etc.
And then into the history of forms. The Gregorian chant. Motets. The Mass, with all its parts. Oratorios. Madrigals, ballet, etc. Divided into the opening ones on sacred music and the later ones on secular stuff.
Musical instruments, which are categorized into those you blow, those you scrape, and those you hit. (Yes he gives fancier names for those categories -- two sets of them in fact.) The problems of standardization. You try to persuade a goat to grow standard-size horns. One way was to get the same maker to make them all, and those were common enough that a case of flutes, say, was understood to be a matched set by the same maker (who sent them along in a case).
Another chapter deal with the evolution of the pianoforte -- nowadays just the piano -- both coming from its chief selling point, that unlike earlier keyboard instruments it could be vary its volume.
Lots of interesting stuff. Better than his earlier book, actually, because it concentrates on the music instead of the biographies of those involved.
And then into the history of forms. The Gregorian chant. Motets. The Mass, with all its parts. Oratorios. Madrigals, ballet, etc. Divided into the opening ones on sacred music and the later ones on secular stuff.
Musical instruments, which are categorized into those you blow, those you scrape, and those you hit. (Yes he gives fancier names for those categories -- two sets of them in fact.) The problems of standardization. You try to persuade a goat to grow standard-size horns. One way was to get the same maker to make them all, and those were common enough that a case of flutes, say, was understood to be a matched set by the same maker (who sent them along in a case).
Another chapter deal with the evolution of the pianoforte -- nowadays just the piano -- both coming from its chief selling point, that unlike earlier keyboard instruments it could be vary its volume.
Lots of interesting stuff. Better than his earlier book, actually, because it concentrates on the music instead of the biographies of those involved.
November 2, 2021
Years ago my friend Jay Dougherty, who then taught music at Del Sol HS here in Las Vegas let me take this music history text out of the choir room. I figured since today was his birthday and I was mostly done reading it I would finish it and take it off the long list of books "with a book mark in the middle" that litter my house. The book was entertaining, but forgettable. Jay and his wife are missed. He is now a college music professor back East someplace.
(I guess I'd better figure out a way to sneak this book back to Del Sol since the stamp on the back clearly says it's their property!)
(I guess I'd better figure out a way to sneak this book back to Del Sol since the stamp on the back clearly says it's their property!)
April 29, 2008
More fun music history bits and anecdotes.
March 13, 2009
An indepth sequel to Barber's previous book. So many more randomly entertaining information.
March 31, 2009
For anyone who knows anything about baroque music...extremely funny and interesting book. Fast, easy read!
March 28, 2012
A fun and irreverent romp through music history. (140 pages in 16 short chapters)
I like to give this or _Bach, Beethoven and the Boys_ to music students to whet their appetites for music history.
I like to give this or _Bach, Beethoven and the Boys_ to music students to whet their appetites for music history.
July 13, 2012
A fun read and educational too. I love how the book tracks music through history...like ancient history!
October 14, 2013
What a great book. Read it while in grad school. It's total irreverence brought great guffaws of laughter.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews