The Classic FM Friendly Guide to Music (Classic FM)
£4.00
Title doesn t describe contents - I don t think this is a Friendly Guide to Classical Music at all. I think it should be entitled A Friendly Guide to Classical Composers and then it would be very good indeed. Because it is, simply, a chronological biography of Classical Composers.There is no information about the development, make up or instruments of the different types of orchestra. There is no information about the different types of music, eg Symphony and Concerto, Cantata, Opera - all things you would hear referred to on Classic FM.I bought this for my daughter-in-law - a newcomer to Classic FM - and I am deeply disappointed.
A good example of how to make classical music interesting - This is a great little book, another in the Classic FM Friendly series, and just like its Beethoven, Mozart and Elgar Friendly relatives, is so easy to read and full of interesting snippets of information.Classic FM have for several years been diversifying their product range and books such as this are targeted at the newcomer to the sometimes daunting and confusing world of classical music.Completely free of the serious approach which is sometimes offputting to the classical novice, the book is presented in an extremely interesting and lighthearted way, making it both easy to read yet full of the important facts to get the reader engrossed in the world of classic music.Importantly, the book concentrates on the actual subject of music and its composers rather than getting entrenched in the theories of music or sidetracked by the technicalities of each instrument used in the orchestra. The paper quality and binding are similar to the others in the series, which I find a little on the budget side, but the book includes a free CD of classical highlights so does offer good value for money.There are numerous books which aim to introduce classical music to a wider audience, but few are as easy as this one to pick up and read during those spare five minutes. Well done again Classic FM.For information, this is a summary of the 224 pages:Page/chapter title1 Who Was Composing When 16 Early Music 34 The Baroque Period 58 The Classical Period 80 The Romantic Period139 The 20th Century167 The 21st Century186 Have a Listen For Yourself199 Classic FM Hall of Fame Top 100204 What They Said About Each Other207 Classical Music Used in Films211 Where To Find Out More216 Index