The Essential Canon of Classical MusicThe ultimate guide to classical composers and their music-for both the novice and the experienced listener Music, according to Aaron Copland, can thrive only if there are "gifted listeners." But today's listeners must choose between classical and rock, opera and rap, and the choices can seem overwhelming at times. In "The Essential Canon of Classical Music," David Dubal comes to the aid of the struggling listener and provides a cultural-literacy handbook for classical music. Dubal identifies the 240 composers whose works are most important to an understanding of classical music and offers a comprehensive, chronological guide to their lives and works. He has searched beyond the traditional canon to introduce readers to little-known works by some of the most revered names in classical music-Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert-as well as to the major works of lesser-known composers. In a spirited and opinionated voice, Dubal seeks to rid us of the notion of "masterpieces" and instead to foster a new generation of master listeners. The result is an uncommon collection of the wonders classical music has to offer. |
Contents
Introduction | 3 |
Part I The Medieval Renaissance and Elizabethan Ages | 9 |
Part II The Age of the Baroque | 23 |
Other Baroque Composers | 55 |
Part III The Age of Classicism | 67 |
Other Classical Composers | 133 |
Part IV The Romantic Age | 145 |
Other Romantic Composers | 471 |
Part V The Age of Modernism | 501 |
Other Modern Composers | 637 |
A Brief Glossary of Musical Terms | 699 |
Source List | 709 |
| 753 | |
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Common terms and phrases
artist audience Bach ballet Baroque Bartók became Beethoven Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Berlioz Brahms Cello century CHAMBER MUSIC Chamber Orchestra Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chopin choral Cleveland Orchestra composer composer's composition conductor Conservatory Copland dance death Debussy Deutsche Grammophon Dubal E-flat Major EMI Classics EMI Classics CDC Fauré French G Major G Minor Haydn heard ibid instruments Italian Johann later libretto Liszt lived London Symphony Orchestra lyric Mahler master melody Mendelssohn Minor for Piano Mozart musician never opera Orchestra and Chorus Overture Paris passion performed Philadelphia Orchestra Philharmonia Orchestra Philips pianist Piano and Orchestra Piano Concerto Piano Sonata piece played premiere Prokofiev Puccini Quintet Rachmaninoff Ravel Rimsky-Korsakov Romantic Rossini Russian Scherzo Schoenberg Schubert Schumann score Scriabin slow movement solo songs Sony Classical Strauss Stravinsky String Quartet Suite symphonic poem Tchaikovsky theme tonal Trio Variations Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Violin and Orchestra Wagner writing wrote York Philharmonic Orchestra