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The Complete Classical Music Guide
What makes Mozart's music so great? Why does a minor chord sound sad and a major chord sound happy? What's the difference between opera and operetta? From Bach to Bernstein, this definitive guide offers a complete survey of the history of classical music.
Whether you already love classical music or you're just beginning to explore it, The Complete Classical Music Guide invites you to discover the spirituality of Byrd's masses, the awesome power of Handel's Messiah, and the wonders of Wagner's operas, as well as hundreds more composers and their masterpieces. This guide takes you on a journey through more than 1,000 years, charting the evolution of musical instruments, styles, and genres. Biographies of major and lesser-known composers offer rich insights into their music and the historical and cultural contexts that influenced their genius.
The book explores the features that defined each musical era - from the ornate brilliance of the Baroque, through the drama of Romantic music, to contemporary genres such as minimalism and electronic music. Timelines, quotes, and colour photographs give a voice to this music and the exceptionally gifted individuals who created it.
Whether you already love classical music or you're just beginning to explore it, The Complete Classical Music Guide invites you to discover the spirituality of Byrd's masses, the awesome power of Handel's Messiah, and the wonders of Wagner's operas, as well as hundreds more composers and their masterpieces. This guide takes you on a journey through more than 1,000 years, charting the evolution of musical instruments, styles, and genres. Biographies of major and lesser-known composers offer rich insights into their music and the historical and cultural contexts that influenced their genius.
The book explores the features that defined each musical era - from the ornate brilliance of the Baroque, through the drama of Romantic music, to contemporary genres such as minimalism and electronic music. Timelines, quotes, and colour photographs give a voice to this music and the exceptionally gifted individuals who created it.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published April 16, 2012
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473 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 6, 2014
I am a classical orchestral musician, and I truly find this book to be a great resource for all levels of knowledge for classical music. It has most composers logged from early to modern music (yes, baroque and all in between) it also give a great understanding of classical music history, with easy to read timelines of major events plotted for each musical era. I got mine at a Museum shop, but if you are starting to have a growing interest in these topics, this is a great book.
September 17, 2025
the book is vast and quite interesting, though no single Ukrainian composer is mentioned, but too many mediocre or bad russian ones are
May 15, 2020
Can this book possibly be better at what it does? I don't think so! From the basis to the instruments, going in the timeline and presenting great composers, and even more. This book is truly complete and all is presented in a magnificent encyclopedia style with very dynamic page frame, so you can read it cover to cover or just exploring in it. I would take book like that on every subject!
May 22, 2020
The Complete Classical Music Guide from DK Publishing is all I expected and so much more. It successfully navigates that balancing act between offering a wide range of information without sacrificing too much depth.
This book surprised me with almost every page. It starts with the basics, what is music, what are the instruments, what makes an orchestra, and other such things that even those who listen to classical music can sometimes take for granted or forget. Covering the music and composers is done chronologically, starting with early music (1000-1600).
There are so many features in this book and they work together seamlessly. The images support the text, the text does not presuppose a great deal of knowledge but also offers the kind of information and insight that regular listeners can appreciate.
I think what I particularly enjoyed was the way they approached the periods/eras and the composers within each. While the major names do get more space the lesser known are also covered and their contributions noted. Taken together, these offer the reader a chance to find the music and listen their way through the ages. When they get to modern music they offer more than just a list of major works but also, in a very small space, give us some insight into what each composer is or is not, or what she works toward or against.
I am one of those who fall somewhere between a casual listener and a true aficionado. I have listened to classical (in the popular sense) music most of my life but it has never been my primary genre. I have taken some courses on specific composers and/or styles (mostly MOOCs), but that has mainly been to help me better understand the music within its originating context. All in all, music speaks to me on a personal level so learning about it is above and beyond what is absolutely necessary for enjoyment. But it definitely adds to my appreciation when I can understand the whys and hows of a piece. This book is ideal for someone like me. I found new (to me) composers I want to listen to and came to better place the ones I already know in the history of music.
I highly recommend this to anyone with even a casual interest in classical music. It is a beautiful book that is pleasing to the eye while it helps to feed the brain.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
This book surprised me with almost every page. It starts with the basics, what is music, what are the instruments, what makes an orchestra, and other such things that even those who listen to classical music can sometimes take for granted or forget. Covering the music and composers is done chronologically, starting with early music (1000-1600).
There are so many features in this book and they work together seamlessly. The images support the text, the text does not presuppose a great deal of knowledge but also offers the kind of information and insight that regular listeners can appreciate.
I think what I particularly enjoyed was the way they approached the periods/eras and the composers within each. While the major names do get more space the lesser known are also covered and their contributions noted. Taken together, these offer the reader a chance to find the music and listen their way through the ages. When they get to modern music they offer more than just a list of major works but also, in a very small space, give us some insight into what each composer is or is not, or what she works toward or against.
I am one of those who fall somewhere between a casual listener and a true aficionado. I have listened to classical (in the popular sense) music most of my life but it has never been my primary genre. I have taken some courses on specific composers and/or styles (mostly MOOCs), but that has mainly been to help me better understand the music within its originating context. All in all, music speaks to me on a personal level so learning about it is above and beyond what is absolutely necessary for enjoyment. But it definitely adds to my appreciation when I can understand the whys and hows of a piece. This book is ideal for someone like me. I found new (to me) composers I want to listen to and came to better place the ones I already know in the history of music.
I highly recommend this to anyone with even a casual interest in classical music. It is a beautiful book that is pleasing to the eye while it helps to feed the brain.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
June 13, 2015
I wouldn't say this a "complete" guide simply because it contains just short blurbs about some pretty famous composers, like Gorecki and Penderecki. This book did however introduce me to so many new artists that I have to give this a 5/5 purely on that. It's an easy to use guide and a great help to starting my classical collection.
April 30, 2021
A wonderful resource.
December 26, 2024
An accessible, approachable guide to art music with dossiers on many composers and a selection of their work. Thoughtful page layouts, photos, and pictures make for a book that is fun to browse. Read this encyclopedia-style guide for broad coverage of eras, genres, and composers. I wanted more detail about the people, but I suppose that's asking too much of one book.
March 17, 2025
Very well organized and presented. Each composer also has suggested listening, and I enjoyed listening to the work while reading about the composer. I spent a lot more time on the first 4-5 sections and skimmed the more modern composers, but a worthwhile book if you are interested in classical music.
Read
October 24, 2025A little cheesy in parts but on the whole a good guide; as brief as you would expect for such a wide-ranging book.
May 17, 2020
A Rewarding Overview
Fun story. Back when I was in college our campus radio station had a program that aired every Sunday morning. It featured a regular guest whom the host would try to stump with a "mystery" recording. After a few minutes, the guest would say something like, "[t]hat's a bootleg tape of a rehearsal from the only time that Leonard Bernstein guest conducted the Berlin Philharmonic. But it sounds like their first violin was out, and I don't think that that was their regular percussionist." Now, if you are that sort of musical savant there is nothing in this book for you. However, if you are more or less a normal person, then I trust you will find this book interesting, informative, and quite entertaining.
The volume is thoughtfully organized, and it struck me that the emphasis and strongest features were well chosen. We start with a summary of the "Elements of Classical Music", including pitch, notation, rhythm, tempo and so on. This is just a brief refresher and not intended to do much more than serve as a general introduction. This is followed by equally brief, but still quite interesting, discussions of musical instruments and their evolution, and of the nature and organization of classical music performances. With thirty or so pages of that behind us, we are then ready to dive into the heart of the book.
Wisely, this is not organized alphabetically, (this is not a dictionary or encyclopedia), and it does not follow some didactic or ideological track. We simply start at the beginning and follow a meandering timeline. Along the way we meet all of the major and many of the minor composers and artists, get a bit of biography, and touch on their most "notable" works. Roughly speaking, the book is organized to focus on Early Music, Baroque Era, Classical Era, Romantic Era, Romantic Opera, National Schools, and Modern Music. We start in 1098 with, of course, Hildegard of Bingen, and end up in 2011 with the likes of Thomas Ades and Judith Weir.
Each Era gets a brief introduction, but the focus is on the composers and their works. Think of an illustrated, chatty timeline. There are lots of opinions about what was important and special, and why, but the tone is generally congenial and the opinions expressed are more like suggestions than commands. (As is usual for a DK book there are lots of graphs, photos, drawings, sidebars, and the like. The look of the book is crisp and sharp, and the illustrations add much more than you might expect.)
The upshot for me was that this was a fine way to reacquaint myself with composers and works that I knew, and an especially accessible way to learn about some new and worthy possibilities. A serious student would probably know most of what's in this book, and would probably find a great deal about which to quibble, but for a motivated enthusiast this struck me as an excellent companion.
(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
Fun story. Back when I was in college our campus radio station had a program that aired every Sunday morning. It featured a regular guest whom the host would try to stump with a "mystery" recording. After a few minutes, the guest would say something like, "[t]hat's a bootleg tape of a rehearsal from the only time that Leonard Bernstein guest conducted the Berlin Philharmonic. But it sounds like their first violin was out, and I don't think that that was their regular percussionist." Now, if you are that sort of musical savant there is nothing in this book for you. However, if you are more or less a normal person, then I trust you will find this book interesting, informative, and quite entertaining.
The volume is thoughtfully organized, and it struck me that the emphasis and strongest features were well chosen. We start with a summary of the "Elements of Classical Music", including pitch, notation, rhythm, tempo and so on. This is just a brief refresher and not intended to do much more than serve as a general introduction. This is followed by equally brief, but still quite interesting, discussions of musical instruments and their evolution, and of the nature and organization of classical music performances. With thirty or so pages of that behind us, we are then ready to dive into the heart of the book.
Wisely, this is not organized alphabetically, (this is not a dictionary or encyclopedia), and it does not follow some didactic or ideological track. We simply start at the beginning and follow a meandering timeline. Along the way we meet all of the major and many of the minor composers and artists, get a bit of biography, and touch on their most "notable" works. Roughly speaking, the book is organized to focus on Early Music, Baroque Era, Classical Era, Romantic Era, Romantic Opera, National Schools, and Modern Music. We start in 1098 with, of course, Hildegard of Bingen, and end up in 2011 with the likes of Thomas Ades and Judith Weir.
Each Era gets a brief introduction, but the focus is on the composers and their works. Think of an illustrated, chatty timeline. There are lots of opinions about what was important and special, and why, but the tone is generally congenial and the opinions expressed are more like suggestions than commands. (As is usual for a DK book there are lots of graphs, photos, drawings, sidebars, and the like. The look of the book is crisp and sharp, and the illustrations add much more than you might expect.)
The upshot for me was that this was a fine way to reacquaint myself with composers and works that I knew, and an especially accessible way to learn about some new and worthy possibilities. A serious student would probably know most of what's in this book, and would probably find a great deal about which to quibble, but for a motivated enthusiast this struck me as an excellent companion.
(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
January 1, 2021
When they say complete, the mean complete. There is years worth of study in here. I studied music for four years, and then clarinet for six. There is information about the composition of music that I have never even heard of (not to bash my music teachers of course, they were wonderful). If you wanted to know everything there is to know about classical music, this is your book. And there is just SO MUCH to know. I feel like I could spend my whole life studying, and I wouldn't know enough. It goes into details about how an orchestra is made up, and the different instruments and their roles in music, which is pretty cool. I have always found orchestras fascinating (I was in a concert band with no strings). There's a whole chapter dedicated to the history of classical music as well, as well as a complete guide to classical composers and their contributions to music. Honestly, it's just an incredibly beautiful book. I wish I had a physical copy in front of me right now. I love that they include more modern Broadway composers like Gershwin and Bernstein too. However, there are very few women included, and those that were had very small sections dedicated to their work. I am sure that history has likely buried the work of numerous female composers, but I do feel that more digging could have been done to give them the proper space they deserve. It is supposed to be a complete guide, as they claim. Otherwise, this book is an incredible guide for serious musicians or even those with the most casual of interests.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 29, 2021
Great work on its list of biographies and classification of Early, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, National, and Modern Era's. In truth, a better name would be "The Short Complete Classical Music Guide", as I'm sure the authors/publishers had to cut out or simplify their material. That being said oh my goodness do they incorporate all the yummy bits in their biography, in their description of each era.
Any novice with no understanding of Classical music can pick this up and have at it. SO much musical, philosophical, artistic, and historical insight is ready to be gained. To borrow Lafave's words:
"Listeners who are relatively new to classical music sometimes make the mistake of believing they cannot "get" classical music without knowing and being able to recognize the tricks of the trade...The lingo of a musician is no more necessary to the enjoyment of music by a typical listener than knowledge of key grips and green screens is necessary to enjoying a movie. If the composer has done their job then the listener will feel the music." (Experiencing Leonard Bernstein, Lafave)
Any novice with no understanding of Classical music can pick this up and have at it. SO much musical, philosophical, artistic, and historical insight is ready to be gained. To borrow Lafave's words:
"Listeners who are relatively new to classical music sometimes make the mistake of believing they cannot "get" classical music without knowing and being able to recognize the tricks of the trade...The lingo of a musician is no more necessary to the enjoyment of music by a typical listener than knowledge of key grips and green screens is necessary to enjoying a movie. If the composer has done their job then the listener will feel the music." (Experiencing Leonard Bernstein, Lafave)
August 12, 2020
Read if you: Want to expand your knowledge of classical music, but don't know where to start.
I'm a big fan of the DK brand, but have never read a digital copy of one of their books. Keeping in mind that this is an ARC, and not the finished copy, I excitedly requested The Complete Classical Music Guide. This is a (typically) beautifully and eye-catchingly designed guide to classical music, from an overview of instruments, a dive into its history (with extended biographies and major works further discussed for the most noted composers), opera, influences from other music (like folk), to modern trends and composers.
Librarians/booksellers: DK books are irresistable to readers who like to dip in and out of informational books. Purchase for your readers who want to expand their knowledge of classical music.
Many thanks to DK and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.
I'm a big fan of the DK brand, but have never read a digital copy of one of their books. Keeping in mind that this is an ARC, and not the finished copy, I excitedly requested The Complete Classical Music Guide. This is a (typically) beautifully and eye-catchingly designed guide to classical music, from an overview of instruments, a dive into its history (with extended biographies and major works further discussed for the most noted composers), opera, influences from other music (like folk), to modern trends and composers.
Librarians/booksellers: DK books are irresistable to readers who like to dip in and out of informational books. Purchase for your readers who want to expand their knowledge of classical music.
Many thanks to DK and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 21, 2021
Excellent, comprehensive reference book. The first 35 pages are an introduction to classical music (elements, instruments, performance), and then the rest of the book is divided into eras, starting in AD 1000 and ending with "Modern" (1900-present). There are many helpful illustrations on nearly every page, as well as highlights and key points. It is in encyclopedia format, so perhaps wouldn't be a primary text for a class, but would be a great supplemental book.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
June 24, 2020
This book was an instant hit with me. I adore reference books, and this one was excellent. The information is curated by John Burrows with excruciating attention to detail. The format is really appealing, it is interesting to see a timeline of the evolution of classical music that even includes modern composers and modern achievements in the genre. I want to purchase this book, pour some wine, and embark in the most melodious history lesson i would ever get.
February 6, 2016
"The end of all good music is yo affect The soul" - Claudio Monteverdi
"It is cruel, you know, that music should be so beautiful. It has The beauty of loneliness and of pain... The beauty of disappointment and never-satisfied love."- Benjamin Britten
"It is cruel, you know, that music should be so beautiful. It has The beauty of loneliness and of pain... The beauty of disappointment and never-satisfied love."- Benjamin Britten
December 3, 2016
The complete guide is so complete that it goes beyond the classical period. But who cares? If they can write a complete guide.
December 24, 2020
it's an ok encyclopedia, but not very interesting
it chronicles it well, thats the main point, for each musician it doesnt tell ypu much
it chronicles it well, thats the main point, for each musician it doesnt tell ypu much
July 18, 2015
یکی از بهترین کتابای ترجمه شده تو ایران ، فوق العاده جامع و کاربردی .
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews