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For the Love of Music: A Conductor's Guide to the Art of Listening
With a lifetime of experience, profound knowledge and understanding, and heartwarming appreciation, an internationally celebrated conductor and teacher answers the questions: Why should I listen to classical music, and how can I get the most from the listening experience?
A protégé of Leonard Bernstein--his colleague for 18 years--and an eminent conductor who has toured and recorded all over the world, John Mauceri helps us to reap the joy and pleasures classical music has to offer. Briefly, we learn the way a musical tradition born in Ancient Greece, embraced by the Roman Empire, and subsequently nurtured by influences from across the globe, gave shape to the classical music that came to be embraced by cultures from Japan to Bolivia. Then Mauceri examines the music itself, helping us understand what it is we hear when we listen to classical music: how, by a kind of sonic metaphor, it expresses the deepest recesses of human feeling and emotion; how each piece bears the traces of its history; how the concert experience--a unique one each and every time--allows us to discover music anew. Unpretentious, graceful, instructive, this is a book for the aficionado, the novice, and anyone looking to have the love of music fired within them.
A protégé of Leonard Bernstein--his colleague for 18 years--and an eminent conductor who has toured and recorded all over the world, John Mauceri helps us to reap the joy and pleasures classical music has to offer. Briefly, we learn the way a musical tradition born in Ancient Greece, embraced by the Roman Empire, and subsequently nurtured by influences from across the globe, gave shape to the classical music that came to be embraced by cultures from Japan to Bolivia. Then Mauceri examines the music itself, helping us understand what it is we hear when we listen to classical music: how, by a kind of sonic metaphor, it expresses the deepest recesses of human feeling and emotion; how each piece bears the traces of its history; how the concert experience--a unique one each and every time--allows us to discover music anew. Unpretentious, graceful, instructive, this is a book for the aficionado, the novice, and anyone looking to have the love of music fired within them.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published September 17, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 22, 2025
Far better explanations and insights than I ever got from my "Intro to Classical Music" class in college. This would be a great book to assign to a high school or college class.
The author assumes the reader may know almost nothing about classical music. But he uses engaging descriptions and rich (not pompous) vocabulary to explain things. In a sense, he tries to briefly answer the question "What is classical music?" Of course, he only scratches the surface, as to be expected. But it's a good intro.
The author assumes the reader may know almost nothing about classical music. But he uses engaging descriptions and rich (not pompous) vocabulary to explain things. In a sense, he tries to briefly answer the question "What is classical music?" Of course, he only scratches the surface, as to be expected. But it's a good intro.
January 11, 2020
Very lively and readable. I caused a minor stink on Facebook when I quoted Mercauri's contention that Classical music was bound between 1700 and 1940. He was referring to what is called the standard repertory or "canon", but acknowledges that there were composers writing it after 1940. I thought as I read that that perhaps he was using that as a way of defining the music he would be discussing in the book, but he ranges all over. For example, he writes at length about a piece that debuted in 2018 called Metacosmos (composed by Anna Thorvaldsdottir). First he discusses how the critics writing about it had no way to describe it and seemed to disagree with one another. The one word that a reviewer uses that makes sense to Mercauri is "soundscape"--Mercauri describes it as a genre that emerged in the 60s that was "free of melody, harmony, and rhythm" and identifies it with composers like Ligeti and Penderecki. And I've long been aware of this music (and quite like Ligeti and was recently introduced to Penderecki thanks to Twin Peaks), but until I read Mauceri's description, I didn't really see it as a genre. Now I can't think of it any other way. Returning later to Metacosmos, he points out that its premiere was followed by Beethoven's Piano Concerto no. 3 and after the intermission by Beethoven's Symphony no. 3. He points out that this is pretty normal with contemporary works of music (which matches my experience; in the past month, I heard a world premiere of a symphony played on a program with a Brahms violin concerto). But he points out how very strange it would be to see a small piece of contemporary visual artwork displayed next to two masterpieces from the Napoleonic era. (I imagined a Kerry James Marshall next to two titanic Jacques Louis David paintings when I read this.) And his account of how hearing Strauss's Last Songs changed over the course of his life--how conducting them in his 70s was different than conducting them in his 50s and hearing them for the first time as a college student. That a work of art changes so much over the course of a life is not, perhaps, surprising but he writes about it movingly.
May 4, 2021
A book that celebrates a lifetime of appreciation and love for the classical repertoire. Very accessible and probably most appropriate for the novice, but classical music lovers of all stripes will find new insights and something to interest them.
Mauceri writes simply and elegantly about various aspects of music: starting with a brief overview of the musical tradition that evolved into the classical repertoire, showing that it is largely fixed, and inhabits a fairly limited period (everything pre-Baroque is largely now considered specialist anything post WWII is largely modern and has abandoned the framework of the classical era). Whereas dance, for example, remains vital, with new pieces entering the repertoire, classical music has become relatively static.
He also talks convincingly about the power of metaphor generally in the Arts and how classical music is very much a kind of sonic or aural metaphor, even if the music isn't written to be programmatic. Our own listening experience has taught us to make familiar especially emotional associations: trumpet fanfare bring ideas of martial glory for example. Classical music has often been used to mimic things - nature especially - but transcends that to include more abstract concepts e.g. death.
He goes on to examine, with admirable clarity the importance of time and structure in classical music.
Mauceri doesn't just dwell on the technical aspects. He is most of all engaged with music as an experience. Drawing from his memories, he talks lovingly of encountering music for the first time, and of the concert experience. He believes it fundamentally projects optimism (though plenty of great Operas end sadly). He is convinced it has something to offer everyone - reading this enthusiastic account you can't help but want to immerse yourself fully in the sound worlds he so lovingly describes. He's certainly convinced me I must begin listening to Opera ("the greatest of all art forms"),
Mauceri writes simply and elegantly about various aspects of music: starting with a brief overview of the musical tradition that evolved into the classical repertoire, showing that it is largely fixed, and inhabits a fairly limited period (everything pre-Baroque is largely now considered specialist anything post WWII is largely modern and has abandoned the framework of the classical era). Whereas dance, for example, remains vital, with new pieces entering the repertoire, classical music has become relatively static.
He also talks convincingly about the power of metaphor generally in the Arts and how classical music is very much a kind of sonic or aural metaphor, even if the music isn't written to be programmatic. Our own listening experience has taught us to make familiar especially emotional associations: trumpet fanfare bring ideas of martial glory for example. Classical music has often been used to mimic things - nature especially - but transcends that to include more abstract concepts e.g. death.
He goes on to examine, with admirable clarity the importance of time and structure in classical music.
Mauceri doesn't just dwell on the technical aspects. He is most of all engaged with music as an experience. Drawing from his memories, he talks lovingly of encountering music for the first time, and of the concert experience. He believes it fundamentally projects optimism (though plenty of great Operas end sadly). He is convinced it has something to offer everyone - reading this enthusiastic account you can't help but want to immerse yourself fully in the sound worlds he so lovingly describes. He's certainly convinced me I must begin listening to Opera ("the greatest of all art forms"),
January 16, 2025
[Minor spoilers about the movie Tár]
A spirited jaunt through the world of classical music. It’s generally introductory but assumes some familiarity as he uses terms such as sonata, movement, and opus without explanation. I chose this because Todd Field, the director of Tár, read it to learn about the classical music world once he had chosen his topic for the film. It’s hard to imagine gaining a comprehensive grasp of the CM world from this one book for the purpose of building such an intentional film, and reading this book frankly seems to decode a lot of the design choices and name drops in the film. Even so, Field’s quality of work and attention to detail speak for themselves through the film as the world of the classical music elites is portrayed to a convincing level of detail that is rarely acknowledged or attempted in film.
A spirited jaunt through the world of classical music. It’s generally introductory but assumes some familiarity as he uses terms such as sonata, movement, and opus without explanation. I chose this because Todd Field, the director of Tár, read it to learn about the classical music world once he had chosen his topic for the film. It’s hard to imagine gaining a comprehensive grasp of the CM world from this one book for the purpose of building such an intentional film, and reading this book frankly seems to decode a lot of the design choices and name drops in the film. Even so, Field’s quality of work and attention to detail speak for themselves through the film as the world of the classical music elites is portrayed to a convincing level of detail that is rarely acknowledged or attempted in film.
September 3, 2019
A very thoughtful examination of why and how we listen to classical music (and what defines “classical” music) from an experienced conductor. I really loved the ideas about how to program a concert, what works, what doesn’t, and how certain works become well-known. Would have liked a list of suggested recordings to listen to, since this would be a tough book to read if one doesn’t have a decent background in classical music. (I’d also like to remind Mauceri that classical music does not have exclusive rights to being performed without electronically-provided sound; pop music, country, rap, etc can all be performed acoustically)
August 16, 2023
A great experience sullied only by how little I knew.
Mauceri does a magnificent job of immersing the Reader in his World of fifty years of conducting The Classical Canon all over the World. His book is not a dry analysis of the History and Components of the Music he loved so well, but rather a journey through all the elements that he feels gives it value.
I learned so much about the roots of its forms and their evolution over the Centuries, the characters and motivations of its Masters, and the Context and History of its iconic Works. I won’t say that I listen to Classical Music that often, but I feel that it has served as a Mile Marker for various events and times of my Life. Reading this book has filled in the colors of the pictures those moments have evoked.
If I had one reservation about For the Love of Music it would be that I would have loved to have been able to hear the Pieces he refers to immediately upon his mention. He addresses us as an audience with total familiarity with the whole range of Music that I’m sure most of us don’t possess. The Audiobook should be twice as long, accompanied by a Spotify Playlist. Then it would be perfect. Four Stars. ****
Mauceri does a magnificent job of immersing the Reader in his World of fifty years of conducting The Classical Canon all over the World. His book is not a dry analysis of the History and Components of the Music he loved so well, but rather a journey through all the elements that he feels gives it value.
I learned so much about the roots of its forms and their evolution over the Centuries, the characters and motivations of its Masters, and the Context and History of its iconic Works. I won’t say that I listen to Classical Music that often, but I feel that it has served as a Mile Marker for various events and times of my Life. Reading this book has filled in the colors of the pictures those moments have evoked.
If I had one reservation about For the Love of Music it would be that I would have loved to have been able to hear the Pieces he refers to immediately upon his mention. He addresses us as an audience with total familiarity with the whole range of Music that I’m sure most of us don’t possess. The Audiobook should be twice as long, accompanied by a Spotify Playlist. Then it would be perfect. Four Stars. ****
January 25, 2020
This was the perfect little literary appetizer as prep before attending a Pasadena Symphony performance of Vivaldi "Four Seasons," (a favorite of mine as a young violin student). Well organized reflections from conductor Mauceri reveal insight into the correlation between memory, listeners' personal experience, and a sense of composers' historical time and place in the consumption and enjoyment of classical music.
September 17, 2023
one star down for all the philosophical platitudes dished out in the first three and last chapter
October 17, 2019
An excellent book in every way. The author looks, specifically, at Western classical music, striving to explain its existence, staying power, and popular appeal. He touches on history and science, but is never overtly technical. I enjoyed his personal experiences with some works (I wonder why he refuses to conduct 'The Rite of Spring'? I can intuit an answer from what he shares, but it might have been nice for him to have been a bit more explicit...) -- Two things that leaped out at me (and might even *stay* with me!): (1) Mauceri credits the Moravians settling in Bethlehem, PA, with 'importing' classical music to these American shores. (2) While he indicates that the 'canon' of classical music (the composers and works that the concertgoer is likely to encounter in live performance) encompasses a relatively brief 250 years (from approximately 1700 until 1940), he points out three 'interlopers': Gustav Mahler, who went from being a marginal figure to becoming center stage at concert halls across the world; Sergei Rachmaninoff, who was raised in critical and popular assessment from being a "lightweight composer of old-fashioned...Romanticism" to being seen as a legitimate serious composer; and Puccini's last opera 'Turandot,' which elbowed its way into standard repertory through a confluence of a number of different factors (star power, the rise of phonographic recordings, and the wild popularity of the aria "Nessun Dorma"). -- I really enjoyed this thoughtful, insightful volume and recommend it!
September 8, 2020
I mean, the central thesis is that Western classical music is an art form practiced all over the world because of its inherent superiority, not because of cultural imperialism.
For folks who want to unpack why this is a fundamentally racist and problematic idea, here's a link to Adam Neely's video digging into the history of what Western classical musicians learn as music theory: https://youtu.be/Kr3quGh7pJA
Mauceri is undoubtedly a great classical conductor, but just because you studied with Lenny doesn't mean you're able to unpack Western classical music's complicated history of racism, anti-Semitism, and sexism.
For folks who want to unpack why this is a fundamentally racist and problematic idea, here's a link to Adam Neely's video digging into the history of what Western classical musicians learn as music theory: https://youtu.be/Kr3quGh7pJA
Mauceri is undoubtedly a great classical conductor, but just because you studied with Lenny doesn't mean you're able to unpack Western classical music's complicated history of racism, anti-Semitism, and sexism.
January 7, 2025
A slightly rambly but enjoyable introduction to classical music by a man who clearly knows what he's talking about. I appreciated his conservative approach to defining the classical canon and he had a great way of bringing you with him through the music.
February 27, 2023
My favourite classical piece? Tough one. I think I’d have to say The Best of Beethoven.
September 1, 2025
quite informative and inspiring!
October 8, 2021
Delightful book on how to appreciate Western classical music. It contains insights from the author’s lifelong association with music, both as an adolescent and later as a professional conductor. I particularly enjoyed reading about how we can relate to music at different levels - historically, philosophically, emotionally and with introspection. It gave me a few ‘Ah-ha!’ moments with pieces that I thought I knew, but did not grasp the deeper elements. Along the way, I also picked up many pieces to add to my playlist. These are to be explored and savoured at a later time.
July 30, 2020
To me, this book feels like a love note to classical music. I learned a lot from reading it, yet if you were to ask me what I learned, I’m not sure I could tell you what it was I learned. I found it very thought provoking and going forwards, I think mentally referring back to this book will help me form a deeper connection with the music I play and eventually conduct.
December 24, 2020
While a very well-written and thoughtful book, most classical music lovers will probably not find much new here.
It is written for those that don't "get" classical music. Unfortunately, we are now living in an age where such people are growing in number. The appearance of this book is a sad reminder to classical music lovers that the times have changed.
It is written for those that don't "get" classical music. Unfortunately, we are now living in an age where such people are growing in number. The appearance of this book is a sad reminder to classical music lovers that the times have changed.
April 10, 2023
It’s less of a “how to listen analytically to classical music” and more of a series of meditations on the big picture of “why.” Pretty loosely held together, but always pleasant, and strewn with some nice insights and observations that in hindsight I wish I’d written down.
October 6, 2019
“Music appreciation is subjective.” I’ve now summarized half this book.
“John Mauceri is rather important.” The other half.
“John Mauceri is rather important.” The other half.
May 9, 2023
I read this shortly after I finished Howard Goodall's Big Bangs (I did say I am a sucker for the "classical music for dummies" genre). Despite the different objectives of the two books, I found a lot of similarities. However I have to say I didn't enjoy this as much as Big Bangs. Maybe because, being British myself ("...he remains an Englishman") I enjoyed Howard Goodall's self deprecating style, and found John Mauceri a little pompous and patronising. I almost felt he was saying in places: "of course you won't understand this, but I do, so take my work for it".
His implicit message that "classical" music is the best and all other types are less significant I found a little unsettling (even though I tend to agree), and I found provocative the suggestion that most of the important music was written by white males in Europe between 1700 and 1940. I was interested in his assertion that "[the appreciation of] music does not make any sense in terms of ... species survival and natural selection". I am not sure that those of us who derive a therapeutic, calming or invigorating benefit from music are not favoured when it comes to propagating the species. Admittedly the effect may by tiny, but as we know any slight advantage multiplied over billions of people worldwide and hundreds of generations become statistically significant in the theory of evolution. I also disagree about his assertion of the importance of Opera, and that for example listening to Beethoven's Fidelio can help us to understand his Eroica symphony and Appassionata piano sonata - I think I understand both of those pretty well but have never listened to (all of) Fidelio.
I found I lost the thread of where he was going in some of the chapters and to me it felt in places like a disjointed set of loosely connected (although generally interesting) ideas and anecdotes. Having said all that, there is some fascinating material in this book and it is very well written and easy to read. John Mauceri's experience as a conductor and teacher provides him some intriguing insights, and I particularly enjoyed reading about his response to music as a youth, and how his perspective has changed as he has grown older. I enjoyed his discussion of the part memory plays in the appreciation of the form of music - this is something I have also come to recognise over the decades.
Overall I would highly recommend this book to music lovers.
His implicit message that "classical" music is the best and all other types are less significant I found a little unsettling (even though I tend to agree), and I found provocative the suggestion that most of the important music was written by white males in Europe between 1700 and 1940. I was interested in his assertion that "[the appreciation of] music does not make any sense in terms of ... species survival and natural selection". I am not sure that those of us who derive a therapeutic, calming or invigorating benefit from music are not favoured when it comes to propagating the species. Admittedly the effect may by tiny, but as we know any slight advantage multiplied over billions of people worldwide and hundreds of generations become statistically significant in the theory of evolution. I also disagree about his assertion of the importance of Opera, and that for example listening to Beethoven's Fidelio can help us to understand his Eroica symphony and Appassionata piano sonata - I think I understand both of those pretty well but have never listened to (all of) Fidelio.
I found I lost the thread of where he was going in some of the chapters and to me it felt in places like a disjointed set of loosely connected (although generally interesting) ideas and anecdotes. Having said all that, there is some fascinating material in this book and it is very well written and easy to read. John Mauceri's experience as a conductor and teacher provides him some intriguing insights, and I particularly enjoyed reading about his response to music as a youth, and how his perspective has changed as he has grown older. I enjoyed his discussion of the part memory plays in the appreciation of the form of music - this is something I have also come to recognise over the decades.
Overall I would highly recommend this book to music lovers.
April 20, 2020
This was a philosophical perspective on a lifetime of music making and interpretation. It was truly engaging from the first page to the last, although I have my Master's Degree in music education so that might have something to do with it. This is a book open to all but people who have studied music will get more out of it. I thoroughly appreciated Mauceri's big picture ideas about everything from how to program concerts to why certain music made it into the so-called "canon". He discusses chamber music, operas, personal lives of composers and whether that should influence our opinion of their works, symphonic brilliance, the multidimensional experience of listening to live music, etc. I chose to read this book during the COVID-19 pandemic and was in a rather contemplative mood at the time, which could be another reason I enjoyed it so much. Worth the read, musicians!
September 30, 2019
This is by far one of my favorite reads. I love music and I always thought I did well, this book gave me some better insight as I've found myself listening to more classical. I enjoyed his perspective on how to listen and organize a concert as well as his expertise.
One thing that troubled me is that there is a need and desire for modern songs to be played without the electronic enhancements of today's era, so while it isn't a key focal point in classical music, it's not the only genre to do so. Sometimes I have found retunings of classical songs with the use of modern tech has been quite beautiful with that enhancement if done properly.
One thing that troubled me is that there is a need and desire for modern songs to be played without the electronic enhancements of today's era, so while it isn't a key focal point in classical music, it's not the only genre to do so. Sometimes I have found retunings of classical songs with the use of modern tech has been quite beautiful with that enhancement if done properly.
April 26, 2021
One of the things I’ve missed most during this slow-motion pandemic is attending performances of my son’s youth symphony. Practice and performance all take place virtually. It’s not at all the same. But this book by John Mauceri, himself a conductor of note, brings back some of the joy of attending performances in the flesh. Mauceri is not a great prose stylist, but his genial, generous personality and enthusiasm for his subject are really delightful. Perhaps there’s nothing terribly profound in his book, but it is a winning little meditation that can deepen most anyone’s appreciation for classical music.
February 11, 2020
Mauceri waxes and wanes without ever getting too self righteous. I came to this book looking for a way in to the complex, and intimidating world of classical music. It’s a great starter to the vocabulary of classical music while never losing sight of the poetry and motivation behind the language. I thoroughly enjoyed it as a newbie, but I would imagine the seasoned classical listener would also enjoy the finer points of observation he makes of specific pieces with the luxury of not needing to search them on YouTube.
September 23, 2020
Oof, I'm gonna be honest, this was a tough one to finish. The first few chapters were very captivating and focused on how our human nature influences our perception of music, which I found extremely interesting. HOWEVER, I could not handle all of the name dropping. It was super distracting and frustrating to have to suffer through reference after reference of operas and symphonies and concertos. I understand that it's a book about classical music, but I found the amount of examples cited to prove his thesis exhausting and pretentious, which totally defeats the purpose of this book.
August 26, 2022
I've listened to classical music since I was a teen, but I'm always looking to deepen my appreciation. For the Love of Music is a nice guide to classical music appreciation, talking a bit about it's history but mostly about what to think about as we listen. It's light, breezy approach makes it a great counterbalance to the Robert Greenberg's Great Courses on classical music, which go into great depth in parts on a number of works. Listening to those and reading Mauceri's book is a great combination.
January 16, 2020
This was delightful, both in the obvious love and joy that the author shows in the material, but also in how that translated to my own knowledge and love of classical music. A great addition once finishing this book is starting on the Open Ears Project podcast, in continuing the general theme of the book.
As soon as I finished this, I started to listen to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony for the millionth time. I also popped open my laptop to start looking at season tickets to my local symphony.
As soon as I finished this, I started to listen to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony for the millionth time. I also popped open my laptop to start looking at season tickets to my local symphony.
September 12, 2021
A wonderfully descriptive book that focussed upon the greatness of Western Classical Music so we can learn to detect and appreciate all the various styles, types and ways in which it is interpreted, performed, presented, heard and appreciated while also emphasising all of the ingredients and instruments and voices that give wonder to the many pieces available to us. A smashing book which I always looked forward to reading each day while regretting I had finished it, because there was no more!
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March 10, 2023Book mentioned by Tár director Todd Field in an interview about the film. For better and worse it is very consonant with Lydia in the Julliard class scene. It is mind-expanding when it discusses music theory and the theory of conducting. Less so its willful ignorance when it insists on the unique universality of Western classical music. Rewarding to read along with the film, my opinion would be very different if I’d read it as a standalone.
I want to threaten a child in German
I want to threaten a child in German
July 3, 2024
Some interesting anecdotes and advice to the listener. However, the scope is quite parochial, reflecting Mauceri’s taste and too many American performances in US concert halls carefully described, which puts off the nonAmerican reader. I acknowledge his musical excellence but I didn’t relate easily to his style or his content. Relatively little on Bach and the baroque. He deals with too much in a small book which leaves too little on particular topics and composers.
May 2, 2024
Mr. Maucery has a gift of being able to write about classical music in a very readable and accessible way. I didn’t want to put the book down and wished it were at least a little bit longer. If you already are a listener to classical music or if you are looking to deepen a budding interest, I recommend his book highly.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews