The Classical Music Book

Big Ideas Simply ExplainedWho wrote the first true "opera"? Where did the system of musical notation come from? How do composers construct symphonies?The Classical Music Book answers these questions and more by exploring the history of classical music in clear and easy-to-follow sections. More than 90 works by famous composers are analysed, with explanations of their music theory and impact on society. You will also explore the fascinating stories about the lives of crucial composers and performers.Covering Thomas Tallis in the early period, baroque masters like Bach and Handel, and the classical genius of Beethoven and Wagner all the way to the modern-day composers, this comprehensive book explores the key ideas underpinning the world's greatest classical compositions and musical traditions. The importance of each composition is explained, placing them into their wider social, cultural, and historical context.With its unique approach to the subject, this the perfect classical music guide for everyone. Regardless of whether you are relatively new to the subject or if you are a classical music aficionado, there is plenty to discover on every page.

“It really is a fantastic book.”

Steve Wright BBC Radio 2
An engaging and informative read. BBC Music Magazine
If you enjoy classical music and want to know more, The Classical Music Book is for you. People's Friend

Katie Derham (spokesperson) is a presenter on BBC Radio 3 and one of the station's best known voices, having presented Afternoons on 3 and more recently taking on the mantle of drive-time programme In Tune, fronting the show on rotation with Sean Rafferty. Other Radio 3 credits include Sound of Dance on Saturday afternoons. She has also been the face of the BBC Proms since 2010 and hosts the weekly magazine show Proms Extra every Saturday on BBC2 during the season. Katie spent the first 15 years of her broadcasting career in news and current affairs, first at the BBC then as ITV's youngest ever newsreader. She also fronts television documentaries, most recently presenting The Girl from Ipanema- Brazil, Bossa Nova and the Beach for the BBC. She was the host of All Together Now- The Great Orchestra Challenge for BBC4, and Fine Tuned in 2016 and 2017, in which she discussed music with Alexander Armstrong alongside exclusive performances from his latest album. In 2015 Katie was a finalist on Strictly Come Dancing, and also won the Christmas Special in 2017.

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