In a time when school music classes (if they exist at all) teach their students the finer points of the themes from The Twilight Zone and Jaws instead of real music; when classical radio stations are converted to Lite Rock or switched to a "top 100" classical jukebox format; and when even churches increasingly favor banal "Jesus Is My Boyfriend"-style slop instead of Bach, Mozart, and Vaughn Williams, classical music may legitimately be seen as an endangered cultural species. Enter Scott Speck and David Pogue, who take out the unnecessary mystery, and offer an easy-to-swallow quickie education, ranging from Gregorian chants to contemporary composers such as John Adams and John Corigliano. If you can't tell an oboe from a bassoon, there's also a dandy guide to the instruments of the orchestra, and once you're through that information you'll know the difference between a concerto and a sonata. Best of all is the introduction to music theory, which actually makes a daunting subject seem easy. It's all supported by a helpful enhanced compact disc (it works in your CD-ROM drive; it plays on your stereo's CD player) containing more than an hour of representative musical tidbits from good EMI recordings. Although the tone is unremittingly flippant and the jokes are, for the most part, pretty bad, Classical Music for Dummies is one of the better works in this series, and really does provide a useful reference for a subject too often seen as arcane.


From Library Journal
Though musicians and other music lovers continue to lament the lack of classical music enthusiasts, their concern may have diminished somewhat over the last 25 years. The "Hooked on Classics" recording series, Peter Schickele (a.k.a. P.D.Q. Bach), the Three Tenors, and the movie Shine are but a few of the media phenomena that have popularized classical music. Lately, some authors have taken a lighthearted approach to the genre, hoping to make it less intimidating; Barry Scherer's delightful Bravo! A Guide to Opera for the Perplexed (LJ 11/15/96) is an example not to be overlooked. It does appear, however, that with these two books from IDG's ever-expanding "For Dummies" series, classical music has finally arrived. Orchestrator, synthesizer programmer, music copyist, and vocal arranger Pogue and symphony conductor Speck have collaborated to make musical facts fun to peruse. In some cases, the information may seem oversimplified, but novices will come away with a fairly good idea of the important composers, the main periods of music, the instruments, the conductors, the artists, when to applaud at a concert or opera, and even what to wear to a performance. Icons throughout pinpoint tips, advanced information, listening guides, when to use the accompanying CDs, and stories to use in conversations. Both books are recommended for public libraries.?Kathleen Sparkman, Baylor Univ. Lib., Waco, Tex.Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Review
"This book is the perfect way to go from dummy to expert in classical music!" —André Watts, Pianist

"Classical Music For Dummies should be the first book for anyone ages 5-105. Anyone from layperson to first-year conservatory music student should crack open this wonderfully diverse and enriching look into the world of classical music. I wish this book had been part of my beginning curriculum." —Tiny Kniffen, Principal Tubist, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra

" Classical Music For Dummies engages the reader with its flawless pacing, humor, and wit. It is a 'classic' in its own right" —Barry Bowlus, classical music enthusiast


Book Description
The more you know about classical music, the more you love it. Now, thanks to Classical Music For Dummies, you can achieve a whole new level of insight into both the composers and the compositions that have made classical music one of the great accomplishments of humankind.

Classical Music For Dummies doesn't assume that you have a degree in musicology -- or even that you took a course in music appreciation. Rather, the multimedially gifted David Pogue and renowned conductor Scott Speck explain classical music in terms you can understand, and they describe musical elements so that you can hear them for yourself.

A reference you can dip into at any point, Classical Music For Dummies covers such topics as The various forms that classical music takes -- from symphonies to string quartets What goes on behind the scenes and on stage to fill a concert hall with great classical music How to recognize, by sight and by sound, the many instruments that make up an orchestra The nuts and bolts of classical music -- from rhythm to harmonic progression Plus, Classical Music For Dummies comes complete with a CD containing over 60 minutes of masterpieces compiled especially for the book. The CD also includes a demo version of the Angel/EMI Classics For DummiesTM multimedia interface to try out on your Windows-based PC or Macintosh computer.


From the Back Cover
Features tips on how to start a classical music collection Discover how much fun classical music can be! Are you baffled by Bach? Bewildered by Beethoven? Befuddled by Brahms? Relax! This friendly, funny, easy-to-understand guide gives you the score on composers, instruments, orchestras, concerts, recordings, and more – and shows you just how enjoyable and rewarding classical music can be. More than 60 minutes of music, including excerpts from Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier • Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 • Brahms’s Symphony No. 4 • Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 • Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, and more from recordings by Ian Hobson, pianist and conductor, Sinfonia da Camera and Sinfonia Varsovia Plus MP3 versions of the excerpts you can play on your PC, Mac, or portable player Discover how to: Distinguish the different styles of classical music Attend a live concert in style Know the instruments in an orchestra Understand rhythm, intervals, and other fundamentals Build a fabulous classical music library


About the Author
David Pogue studied music at Yale and has been a conductor on Broadway. He is a bestselling author and New York Times columnist. Scott Speck, an award-winning music director and conductor, has led symphony orchestras from coast to coast and around the world.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Do you get nervous when your friends start talking about going to the symphony because you can't distinguish between Beethoven and Bach? Do your palms begin to sweat when someone suggests that you choose the music to listen to during dinner? Have you always been fascinated with the brilliant sounds of classical music, but don't know the difference between a violin and a viola?

Classical Music For Dummies is a down-to-earth guide that will help you get the most out of classical music right from the start. Whether you're interested in attending concerts in your hometown, buying great classical recordings, or just being able to talk about the subject intelligently, this is the book for you!

Inside, you'll discover how to Distinguish the different styles and genres of classical music from around the world Use the enclosed CD to identify, understand, and enjoy classical masterpieces Attend a live concert in style with tips for sitting in the right place, wearing the right clothes, and more Read and understand sheet music Listen for the influences of tempo, dynamics, and orchestration Understand the different sounds made by the orchestra -- from violins and cellos to trombones Build a fabulous classical music library no matter what your tastes Locate great classical music sites and chat groups on the World Wide Web

SYNOPSIS