The Classical Music Guide Forums

Hi, I'm a newbie in classical music.
I need advices from you guys about what kind of essential reading I should do.
I learned piano long time ago, theory up to grade 6. However, forgotten most of them.
Then, I read this book: Classical Music 101: A Complete Guide to Learning and Loving Classical Music By: Fred Plotkin (Author)
but felt that it's not enough.
I'm also interested in biographies. Can you guys suggested a few for me, of any composers or musicians?
Thanks.

Shan!!!!

Welcome to the board. Thanks for coming out from behind the arras. It's a pleasure to see you!

I recommend Ernest Newman's Stories of Famous Operas and More Stories of Famous Operas. Newman does excellent analyses of the music rather than just mere plot summaries, esp. how the composer uses music to describe character. William Mann does similar even more so analyses of Mozart's operas and Strauss'. The thing to understand is that these books are not just about operas; they are about training your ear to hear music as characterization.

Corylss,
Thanks for the suggestion.
But the problem is that I haven't listened to any opera yet, and I can't get one now until next year.
Do you still think it will do me good?
If yes, then I'll order from the Amazon.
Any more suggestions from anyone?

taisiawshan wrote:Do you still think it will do me good?
If yes, then I'll order from the Amazon.
Any more suggestions from anyone?

That's a hard question for me to answer. When I started reading Newman with the operas at my side, what I learned from reading Newman had an immediate impact on my listening across the board. But I started out with the operas. If you can't listen to the operas until next year, maybe save Newman for then. He wrote a lot - as critic for a London paper - about music of all kinds, but his writings on Wagner and on operas have staying power.

Corylss,
Thanks. I'll consider about it myself.

P.S. This is the first time I encounter "Corylss". Always double check the spelling before posting.
And I don't know how it should sound.

I think some of you might think that it's hard to recommend anything because you don't know my knowledge of classical music & my level of listening skill.

So, I'll make it easier.
Can anyone tell me which book or what kind of reading has inspired you or lead you to classical music? Or which book has enhanced your listening skill?

taisiawshan wrote:Corylss,
Thanks. I'll consider about it myself.

P.S. This is the first time I encounter "Corylss". Always double check the spelling before posting.
And I don't know how it should sound.

You are not alone. It's pronounced "Kor less"

It's a Southeren thang. I've never heard of anyone with the name except the Corliss Lamonts and Lamont Corliss' who wasn't from the south.

I casually know Fred Plotkin and will mention your post the next time I see him.

My recommendation is BBC Music Magazine, a monthly that comes with a free, complete CD of often well performed, interesting works. The articles are excellent.

I've made this topic a temporary sticky so it might attract the attention of some of our well-read members who might suggest something for Shan.

I recommend the ALL MUSIC GUIDE TO CLASSICAL MUSIC. Lots of biographies of composers, conductors, and definitions of terms. The quality of their recommendations on recordings in variable, but its better than in any other book I have come across, and it has chapters on general music appreciation and essays on different periods of music as well. Its fairly fine print and extends to 1,607 pages.and cost me $29.95 @ Borders.

Oh, I just noticed the blurb on the back with a few stats, LOL. 1,500 biographies of composers and performers, 4,000 descriptions of composers' works, , 12,000 recordings recommended, 360 opera and ballet synopses, concise essays on major classical periods and genres, plus introductory essays from beginners.

Its 2 1/2 inches thick, and a very good start.

Oh, and I suspect that retail sources for classical music recordings may be limited out there in the Solomon Islands. I would like to recommend an Australian mail order source, www.buywell.com a cottage business, apparently, run by a guy named Richard Eddy out in Western Australia. They ship all over the world.

I'll throw in a couple more:

The New Your Philharmonic Guide to the Symphony by Edward Downes.

Lives of the Great Composers by Harold Schonberg

We'll talk about Early Music when you get that far back in time.

Charles Rosen

-G

Thanks, much appreciated.

Regards,
Shan

Corlyss_D wrote: We'll talk about Early Music when you get that far back in time.

Early Music is before Barouque Music?
Yeah, we'll get that far back in time, in that far forward in time.

taisiawshan wrote:

Corlyss_D wrote: We'll talk about Early Music when you get that far back in time.

Early Music is before Barouque Music?

Yup. Generally pre-Bach. 60 years ago, EM was Mozart. The boundary keep getting nudged back into history. My passion locates in the 1100-1750 range.

Yeah, we'll get that far back in time, in that far forward in time.

So true, when you have a group like the Hilliard Ensemble doing Part. "Everything old is new again."

For newbies I suggest Michael Walsh's Who's Afraid of Classical Music? A highly arbitrary, throughly opinionated guide to listening to and enjoying symphony, opera, and chamber music. It's brief, entertaining, and gives a fine overview. As the subtitle suggests, Walsh is upfront about his arbitrariness and prejudices and doesn't cloak them in pseudo-scientific "objectivity." Plotkin's book has value for "intermediate" listeners already generally familiar with the subject, but I suggest rank newbies steer clear of it lest it color their perceptions with egregious prejudices that might prove hard to shake.

BTW -- There's a sticky on this subject in the beginner's forum over at GMG that's been up for several months and has quite a few responses.

Corlyss_D wrote:

taisiawshan wrote:Corylss,
Thanks. I'll consider about it myself.

P.S. This is the first time I encounter "Corylss". Always double check the spelling before posting.
And I don't know how it should sound.

You are not alone. It's pronounced "Kor less"

It's a Southeren thang. I've never heard of anyone with the name except the Corliss Lamonts and Lamont Corliss' who wasn't from the south.

I have a friend I used to work with named Corlyss Yasutake.

RebLem wrote:

Corlyss_D wrote:

taisiawshan wrote:Corylss,
Thanks. I'll consider about it myself.

P.S. This is the first time I encounter "Corylss". Always double check the spelling before posting.
And I don't know how it should sound.

You are not alone. It's pronounced "Kor less"

It's a Southeren thang. I've never heard of anyone with the name except the Corliss Lamonts and Lamont Corliss' who wasn't from the south.

I have a friend I used to work with named Corlyss Yasutake.

Are you serious???? Well that makes 5 I've heard of. I actually met one once, she was from North Carolina.

Corlyss_D wrote:

RebLem wrote:

Corlyss_D wrote:

taisiawshan wrote:Corylss,
Thanks. I'll consider about it myself.

P.S. This is the first time I encounter "Corylss". Always double check the spelling before posting.
And I don't know how it should sound.

You are not alone. It's pronounced "Kor less"

It's a Southeren thang. I've never heard of anyone with the name except the Corliss Lamonts and Lamont Corliss' who wasn't from the south.

I have a friend I used to work with named Corlyss Yasutake.

Are you serious???? Well that makes 5 I've heard of. I actually met one once, she was from North Carolina.

The mother of one of my high school classmates was named Corlyss!

There was an old radio program, "Meet Corliss Archer", from the mid 40's until the early 50's. It may have had a short life on TV..but not sure.
I can't remember much about the old program. I, initially, thought the spelling was Korlyss..but it was Corliss. Don't know if she was from the south.

You should try the NPR Curious Listeners Guide to Classical Music.

For one its not "heavy" reading. Its a great book to read in passing. I have mine in the restroom It has a brief synopsis of music history, the great composers, conducters, top 50 works, top 50 cds, and a defintion list of need to know words.

As a fellow newb i highly recommend it. Just the sort of book i was hoping for before moving on to bigger and better things. Also beats buyng the "Classical Music for Dummies" book that i must admit i keep eyeing everytime i stop by the local bookstore.

Richard wrote:There was an old radio program, "Meet Corliss Archer", from the mid 40's until the early 50's. It may have had a short life on TV..but not sure.
I can't remember much about the old program. I, initially, thought the spelling was Korlyss..but it was Corliss. Don't know if she was from the south.

Yes, I recall the show. I heard it on radio and saw it on TV. My mom probably got it from the radio show. I don't remember if she ever told me.

Dr Fager wrote:As a fellow newb i highly recommend it. Just the sort of book i was hoping for before moving on to bigger and better things. Also beats buyng the "Classical Music for Dummies" book that i must admit i keep eyeing everytime i stop by the local bookstore.

Getting us back on track here, Doc's recommendation, from newbie to newbie, is a good endorsement.

A couple of lines of reading might be possible.

One is books providing an overview of different realms of claasical music. One of my favorites is Karl Haas book on music. He's an excellent source, a conductor, and weaves the essentials into a narrative that is interesting. And of course, a litttle pocket-size dictionary of music is essential and can be bought at Barnes and Noble for about 5 dollars.

Another great track is biographies of composers that you love, I have many of these. Some of my favorites are Egon Gartonburg who has books on the Strauss family (Johann) and also Josef Lanner. Gartonburg also has a great book "Vienna, It's Musical Heritage. Both of these books are highly recommended. Watson's biography of Bruckner and his music is a good overview. Another favorite is a book on accounts of Bruckner by his contemporaries.

The enormous Time Liife volume on Beethoven is fabulous. Excellent accounts of his music, his life and paintings of his world make this a winner. You may find it in large used bookstores. The recent biography "Beethoven" by Edmund Morris is an excellent look at the man himself and his struggles - gets more into things that paint a picture of Beethoven's interior life.

I'm currently reading Johnson's (1959?) biography of Sibelius and his music, and recommend this.

Gerringer's (??? I cant spell) biography of Brahms doesn't have the great old pictures that many books have, but the biography itself is first rate.

Bernard Grun's "Gold and Silver" is a great biography of Lehar and his times, and yes, with plenty of old pictures. And if you are new to classical music, you might consider diving into some Lehar music.

Those are a few of my favorites

That anyone would recommend Charles Rosen or a 1,600 page encyclopedia to a beginner displays severely bad judgement IMO.

I suggest "The Musical Companion" edited by A.L. Bacharach, - a much older (but constantly reprinted over the years) book than all the likely ephemeral "for dummies and idiots" guides and their clones, - (though if you're a dummy or idiot these might indeed be suitable).
Bacharach's book includes sections on general music history, elementary music theory, "how to" instruction for listening, concert etiquette (with a special section concerning tropical island venues), - followed by basic and accessible discussion of repertoire works in all the major compositional genres, - symphony, concerto, solo instrument, chamber, song, and choral.

As a good companion to "The Musical Companion" I would echo Corlyss (when did that last happen?) and mention again Schonberg's "Lives of the Great Composers", - though Richard Leonard's book "The Stream of Music" covers much of the same ground (compact composer biographies) in a far more fluent and stylish way.

An excellent guide that I stumbled across is DK's 'Classical Music' guidebook. In the spirit of their colourful eyewitness travel guides, they arranged an exhaustive chronological dictionary of composers, complete with biographies and analyses of key works. The illustrations alone are worth the selling price!

Welcome to the forum, Ken. Kick your shoes off and set a spell. Post early and often.

the all music guide encyclopedie, counting 1200 pages, did it for me

it will Learn you the basic knowledge and terms, and those things are crucial if you want to find out what kind of classical music you favour. Its like Icecream. the more flavours you know. the more you will enjoy from Icecream

I received my BBC Music yesterday, 2 issues, glad that they arrived here safely, with the CDs, incredible.
So excited that I couldn't put it down. Finished 1 & 1/2 of them already. I'm glad that I subcribe it.
Just finished listening the Pergolesi & Scarlatti Stabat Mater. Don't like Scarlatti's much. Pergolesi's sounds better to me with the strings.

taisiawshan wrote:Just finished listening the Pergolesi & Scarlatti Stabat Mater. Don't like Scarlatti's much. Pergolesi's sounds better to me with the strings.

Which Scarlatti? Domenico or Alessandro?

Domenico Scarlatti is the one.
I played the CD the second time, and seemed to like it more.
I don't really know how to listen to choral music.

My parents love choral music, they participate very actively in Malaysia most active amateur choir. They always discuss about the "shen yue"(chinese word, don't know the english word for it). How one should sing. I always don't know what they mean as I don't know how to sing( i mean real singing with the use of the "air" inside our body).

taisiawshan wrote:I played the CD the second time, and seemed to like it more.

I rarely hear a cd the first time thru too, unless it's an old familiar piece.

I don't really know how to listen to choral music.

I didn't know there was a special way. Just let the sound wash over you. Or hum along!

They always discuss about the "shen yue"(chinese word, don't know the english word for it). How one should sing.

Praxis? Techinque? Usually the technical aspects of breath control (lungs) and intonation (vocal chords) and attacks (starting the piece or section).

Choral leaders, did I miss anything?

Corlyss_D wrote:

taisiawshan wrote:I played the CD the second time, and seemed to like it more.

I rarely hear a cd the first time thru too, unless it's an old familiar piece.

I don't really know how to listen to choral music.

I didn't know there was a special way. Just let the sound wash over you. Or hum along!

They always discuss about the "shen yue"(chinese word, don't know the english word for it). How one should sing.

Praxis? Techinque? Usually the technical aspects of breath control (lungs) and intonation (vocal chords) and attacks (starting the piece or section).

Choral leaders, did I miss anything?

to be honoust. I have never been big on choral music. its overreacted. everything from the amount of sound the instruments produce to the vocals.

I rather listen to (art) songs. and just the Opera. that will do.

As a former comic book collector i remembered this, it's my only Corlyss knowledge. Not from my collection.

I'll add my 2 cents for Harold Schoenberg's book The Great Conductors and Great Pianists. Good beach reading.

Yeah, that was probably where my mom heard the name, when they created the radio program.

When I got to law school, one of the first cases in the contracts text was The Corliss Steam Engine case. I don't recall a thing about it. But here's the thing itself -