Classical Music for Dummies - CD-vel [antikvár]

PrefaceIn the course of an average week, I attend at least five live classical music performances. But then, that is my business presenting classical music concerts and scouting out new talent for future presentations. Each week, at least one audience member asks me the question for which until now I had no suitable answer: "How can I learn about classical music?"It is a tough question. My own classical music training was simple enough. I was born into a musical family My father was a violinist who brought Western classical music to India, and my brother, Zubin, became a renowned conductor.I learned many musical masterworks, not from recordings, but by listening to the rehearsals that took place in our home. Most aspiring classical music lovers are not so fortunate they don't have a chamber orchestra hanging around the house or a resident string quartet rehearsing in their living room. Until this book's publication, my standard advice to those who inquired about learning something of the art form has been, "Just go to as many concerts as you can."Classical music, though, is a vast ocean stretching from the shores of the early Baroque to the beachhead of the late 20th century. While it is full of intense drama and life-affirming beauty, for the novice it can be an uncharted sea that is confusing and intimidating. "Just go to as many concerts as you can," is like giving a Europe-bound New Yorker a rowboat with the advice, "Keep rowing, and eventually you'll get there."Indeed, the New Yorker might get there, but one thing is certain: The voyage will not be enjoyable. That is why this book is so good. In it, you will find all the necessary information to demystify this 300-year-old art form. Read Classical Music For Dummies, and not only will you navigate the Straits of Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms, but you will also find your voyage pleasurable and rewarding.Contained in these pages are listening tips, easy-to-understand explanations of music's forms and periods, and even a few paragraphs devoted to those favorite low-humor jests of classical musicians viola jokes.Read this book, and you will understand why classical music has meant so much to so many Frank Zappa found inspiration in this music; so did Sting, Charlie Parker, Albert Schweitzer, and millions of others. Read Classical Music For Dummies, and you will find inspiration, too.If you are a novice, this book will bring order and understanding to your classical music listening. And if you are a regular concertgoer, reading this book will fill the gaps in your musical knowledge and prove to be time well spent.Zarin Mehta, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Ravinia Festival, Highland Park, Illinois