Beethoven or Bust: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Listening to Great Music

by David Hurwitz

Offers an accessible introduction to classical music for those with little or no musical training and suggests "listening groups" of compositions to build musical comprehension

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Classical Music

230 pages, Paperback

First published April 11, 1992

About the author

David Hurwitz (born 29 August 1961) is an American music critic and author who specializes in classical music.

Based in New York, he is the founder and executive editor of ClassicsToday.com and frequently reviews recordings there. Hurwitz has published numerous books, primarily guides on specific composers for the Amadeus Press "Unlocking the Masters" series, namely, Mahler, Mozart, Dvořák, Haydn, Shostakovich, Sibelius, Bernstein, Strauss, C. P. E. Bach and Handel. Other publications include an introduction to classical music, two articles on the 19th-century use of vibrato as well as surveys on the symphonies of Beethoven (the 5th and 7th) and Brahms (all four). He was the chairman for the Cannes Classical Awards while it existed from 1994 to 2010.

In 2020 Hurwitz launched a YouTube channel on which he regularly posts video reviews and discographical surveys.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't get through this one. There was far too much misinformation. I'm appreciative that someone attempted to write a book for anyone to understand the music I love, but when you insult my profession (teaching music appreciation) and then proceed to give your readers information that is simply wrong, your book becomes worthless.

Try Classical Music for Dummies (horribly offensive title, but humourous and well done) or Fred Plotkin's Classical Music 101 if you're looking to read up on this subject!

[Awallens · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is a book on classical music, how to listen to it, the history behind it, the terms one needs to know to listen to and understand it, and comparisons between music.
I really liked this book, though i think I read it to fast. Firstly, I need to acquire some of the pieces the author was talking about, so I can more fully understand the book, as he uses musical examples I didn't have, therefore it didn't make sense to me. I loved the part at the end though where he gave suggestions of different types of things to try.
I think I'll read this book again, and give it a more thorough reading, which I think it deserves. This was just a quick read initially to see what it was like, but the book definitely needs a longer time devoted to it and I think it will be a good resource.

[Lisa (Harmonybites) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of four general guides I own to classical music. I have other books specifically on orchestral, concerto, chamber, choral and opera, but this is one that covers all the different forms. It has a really different approach though. While my other guides focus on composers and their works, or the elements of music, this is a different kind of listening guide. The first part teaches you what to listen for in the various forms, say a concerto. The second part puts compositions in "listening group" with common themes. For instance, the first group has four pieces by Dvorak, Bartok and Janacek, all "Eastern European composers... influenced by folk music"--the better to hear how they're similar and how different. I found it a fun and breezy and useful guide to classical music.

[Matthew Hodge · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great one-volume intro to classical music. Sadly, it's out of print. Part of the problem is that it features 88 'playlists' of music to listen to, which would have taken hundreds of dollars worth of CD-buying back in the day to listen to.

Whereas now, with a music-streaming account of some description, tracking down David's music recommendations is a lot easier. In fact, part of the reason this book took two years to read is that it took me that long to listen to all his recommendations.

Worth getting if you see if going cheap second-hand. (Assuming, of course, that you want to get into classical music!)

[Lysander VK · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to think of another book that fulfills its purpose as cleanly and as thoroughly as this one. Hurwitz states his mission right upfront: this book is for people who don't know classical, but want to. About three chapters in, I listened to Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmuzik" and felt like I heard it for the first time. Simply put, this book has taught me the beginnings of how to love classical on a higher level than I was able to before the short period in which I read it. That's not to mention Hurwitz's breezy style and his fantastic assortment of recommendations in the final section of the book. Definitely a book that improved my life.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful explanations of Baroque vs. Classical, sonata form, types of concertos.