The Npr Classical Music Companion: An Essential Guide for Enlightened Listening - Hardcover

Hoffman, Miles

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0544310934 ISBN 13: 9780544310933

Publisher: Mariner Books, 2005

Synopsis

Hoffman demystifies the terms and concepts of classical music in an accessible and witty style. He delves into definitions and etymologies, explores terms with reference to famous composers and works, and calls upon amusing analogies to make sense of music's finer points.

About this title

Review:

Ever wondered what makes a conductor good or bad, or why a guitar has frets? The NPR Classical Music Companion answers these questions and many more in its 130 entries, which tackle the complicated lexicon of classical music from a capella all the way through zarzuela. Author Miles Hoffman defines basic terms, forms, and concepts while tracing major movements, providing context, and offering illustrative examples from well-known composers and works. A commentator on NPR's popular classical music program Performance Today, Miles Hoffman writes about music with clarity, humor, and grace. The result is a highly readable reference geared, as Hoffman writes, for the "ordinary listener."

From the Back Cover:

Do you enjoy classical music but wish you knew more about it? In this wonderfully engaging guide, Miles Hoffman demystifies the terms and concepts of classical music in an accessible and clever style. With more than 130 entries, The NPR Classical Music Companion delves into definitions and etymologies, explores terms with reference to famous composers and works, and calls upon amusing analogies to make sense of music's finer points. Offering a clear path through a potentially daunting world, this book makes understanding music an irresistible pleasure.

About this edition

• Publisher: Mariner Books
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0544310934
• ISBN 13: 9780544310933
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 320