Product Description

Time magazine music critic Michael Walsh has created for the mellowing rock 'n roll generation a complete and totally irreverent guide to listening to, collecting and enjoying classical music.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1397157 in Books
• Published on: 1989-10-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 224 pages

Amazon.com Review
Walsh, the classical music critic for Time magazine, writes in a humorous, easy-to-read style that aids in making classical music accessible. A good choice for those with a newfound interest in good music.

Customer Reviews

A guide in every sense of the word
I first read this book early in high school just as I was discovering classical music. Not only is it funny and informative, it gives you ways to branch out and discover things on your own. (The author even puts a "if you like X then try Y" chart in the appendix!) It was my first introduction to the opera (I am now an avid opera-goer). Not for a moment does Walsh leave you confused or disoriented -- he is a guide in the truest sense of the word! My only criticism is that it is now a little out of date.

It's the music thats important...
I first read this book when I was 15, 10 long years ago as I was getting into classical music. Years later I was delighted to discover that it is still in print. It is a great introduction to classical music, a "pre" dummies book that does not talk down to the novice. Although the technical explanations could have been a bit better, it does not distract from the main message: the music is what is important, not the famous name who performs it. A good introduction to help one along the way to classical music, not just a list of famous names who perform even more famous music.

Good light, breezy intro
This is a good light intro if you're curious about classical music but have yet to "take the plunge," or if you have a friend in a similar situation. I'd recommend "The Vintage Guide to Classical Music" by Jan Swafford more than this, but this is a pleasant-enough book and a good breezy intro. Occasionally Walsh forgets who he's talking to and goes off on a tangent that only a more seasoned classical person might get something from, and there are a few small errors, but what book doesn't have these? I disagree with some of his recommendations and find his tastes a little mainstream, but he's the first to admit his opinions are hos own and oftentimes arbitrary at that. Also, while he compares Schubert to the Beatles with a straight face (this seems to be the rage in academia these days) he examines only the songs. The Beatles never produced anything approaching Death and the Maiden or the String Quintet or the "Unfinished" Symphony, but he does not deal with this, focusing on the songs instead (where I'm still not convinced). More critically, there are some major pieces and movements he simply glosses over ("If you like these works, check out Beethoven's late string quartets or piano sonatas," without further discussion of the works or why they're important) and other lesser works he spends too much time with--could it be his own personal familiarity and lack of? He also raised my eyebrows with a few tossed-off comments, my favorite being, regarding Beethoven's string quartets, "These works are more respected than loved." (Really!?) --Still, this is a fun book that can get a newcomer deeply immersed in real classical music (not crossover crap or "lite classics for dinnertime") without intimidating them. He's also good at aquainting the reader with classical terminology ("Adadio," "sonata form," "fugue") in an unintimidating manner, though why people find it intimidating when they are capable of learning all sorts of arcane things about football or the stock market or html is a mystery to me.