Scott Speck - Classical Music For Dummies

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By opening this book, you’ve taken a flying leap into the frightening, mysterious, larger-than-life universe of classical music, where 100 people dressed like 18th-century waiters fill the stage, doing some very strange things to hunks of metal and wood, filling the air with strange and exotic sounds.

We can sense the hair beginning to rise on the back of your neck already. But don’t be afraid; whether you know it or not, you’ve experienced classical music all your life — in movies and video games, on TV, online, on the radio, and in elevators everywhere. We’re willing to wager that you already know more than you need to get started.

We know that you’re a highly intelligent person. After all, you managed to select this book from among a vast catalog of highly qualified music books.

But in this vast, complex, information-overload society, you’re expected to be fully conversant with 1,006,932,408.7 different subjects. (The .7 is for square dancing, which doesn’t quite qualify as a complete subject.) So it’s only natural that even the greatest genius doesn’t know everything. It happens that you, O Reader, are still in the incipient stages of Classical Music Geniusdom.

That’s why we use the words “For Dummies” with a twinkle in our eye. Truth be told, this book is for intelligent people who want to discover more about a new subject. And for us, it’s a chance to share with you what we love.

If you’ve never touched an instrument or sung a song, Classical Music For Dummies, 3rd Edition can give you the basic understanding you need. If you want an easy-to-read reference when you hear a recording or attend a concert, this book provides it. If you want to get a thorough grounding in the subject, the book allows for that, too. Even if you’re already very well versed in classical music (and a surprising number of our readers are), you can discover something in each chapter to enhance your delight even further. This book is meant to meet you wherever you are and bring you to a new level. We’ve even been thrilled to discover that many teachers have used our book as a text in classes about music history, theory, composition, orchestration, or appreciation. Works for us!

We, your trusty authors, have made some mighty foolish assumptions about you.

You have a healthy and active pulse.

This pulse sometimes races when you hear a surging phrase of classical music, whether on a recording, in a movie or show, in a video, or in a commercial.

You have a sneaking suspicion that a little more understanding of the music that makes your pulse race might add immeasurable joy and fulfillment to your life.

You’d love to enhance that understanding with one lighthearted, breezy, easy-to-read resource.

If we’re right about any of these things (and we’re hardly ever wrong), then this book is for you. It will deepen your understanding of music, make you comfortable discussing it, and help you understand its form. And although this book isn’t a suitable alternative to a graduate degree in music, it’s much more fun and costs about $90,000 less.

Believe it or not, you have a great advantage over many of the world’s classical music fanatics. You enter this amazing artistic realm unencumbered by preconditioning or music prejudice. You enter the concert hall with an open mind, a clean slate, and an empty canvas upon which the great composers can paint their emotional landscapes.

This situation is what many music aficionados often forget: In classical music, the intellect should take a back seat to emotion. More than many other arts, classical music is meant to appeal directly to the senses. In this book, we show you how to activate those senses — and unlock your capacity to experience one of life’s greatest highs.

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