Gareth Malone - Gareth Malone’s Guide to Classical Music - The Perfect Introduction to Classical Music

Gareth Malone

MUSIC FOR THE PEOPLE

The Pleasures

and Pitfalls of

Classical Music

Contents

Title Page Gareth Malone MUSIC FOR THE PEOPLE The Pleasures and Pitfalls of Classical Music

Dedication Dedication For Becky and Esther

Epigraph

Introduction

Part 1: LISTENING

1 You Love Classical Music – Yes, You Do!

2 Why, Why, Why?

3 How to Listen

4 A Hot Date with Music

5 Exploding the Canon

Part 2: DISCOVERING

6 The Secret of Melody

7 The Magic of Harmony

8 Style and the Orchestra

9 Grand Designs: The Structure of Music

Part 3: PERFORMING AND SURVIVING

10 The Singers not the Songs

11 Taking Up the Baton: Conductors

12 How to Survive a Concert

Coda

Part 4: APPENDICES

1 Musical ‘Starting Points’

2 Useful Information

3 Suggestions for Further Listening

4 Bibliography

5 Notes

Index

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Copyright

About the Publisher

Dedication Dedication Dedication For Becky and Esther Epigraph Introduction Part 1: LISTENING 1 You Love Classical Music – Yes, You Do! 2 Why, Why, Why? 3 How to Listen 4 A Hot Date with Music 5 Exploding the Canon Part 2: DISCOVERING 6 The Secret of Melody 7 The Magic of Harmony 8 Style and the Orchestra 9 Grand Designs: The Structure of Music Part 3: PERFORMING AND SURVIVING 10 The Singers not the Songs 11 Taking Up the Baton: Conductors 12 How to Survive a Concert Coda Part 4: APPENDICES 1 Musical ‘Starting Points’ 2 Useful Information 3 Suggestions for Further Listening 4 Bibliography 5 Notes Index Acknowledgements About the Author Copyright About the Publisher

For Becky and Esther

Epigraph Epigraph Introduction Part 1: LISTENING 1 You Love Classical Music – Yes, You Do! 2 Why, Why, Why? 3 How to Listen 4 A Hot Date with Music 5 Exploding the Canon Part 2: DISCOVERING 6 The Secret of Melody 7 The Magic of Harmony 8 Style and the Orchestra 9 Grand Designs: The Structure of Music Part 3: PERFORMING AND SURVIVING 10 The Singers not the Songs 11 Taking Up the Baton: Conductors 12 How to Survive a Concert Coda Part 4: APPENDICES 1 Musical ‘Starting Points’ 2 Useful Information 3 Suggestions for Further Listening 4 Bibliography 5 Notes Index Acknowledgements About the Author Copyright About the Publisher

“ There are a million things in music I know nothing about. I just want to narrow down that figure. ”

ANDRÉ PREVIN (1972)

“ Why does everyone else in the office think you’re from Mars if you ever go to the opera? ”

MY MATE CHRIS (2010)

Introduction Introduction Part 1: LISTENING 1 You Love Classical Music – Yes, You Do! 2 Why, Why, Why? 3 How to Listen 4 A Hot Date with Music 5 Exploding the Canon Part 2: DISCOVERING 6 The Secret of Melody 7 The Magic of Harmony 8 Style and the Orchestra 9 Grand Designs: The Structure of Music Part 3: PERFORMING AND SURVIVING 10 The Singers not the Songs 11 Taking Up the Baton: Conductors 12 How to Survive a Concert Coda Part 4: APPENDICES 1 Musical ‘Starting Points’ 2 Useful Information 3 Suggestions for Further Listening 4 Bibliography 5 Notes Index Acknowledgements About the Author Copyright About the Publisher

I’ve always listened to classical music because my parents carefully indoctrinated me from birth. As a baby I would go to sleep to This is the Record of John by Orlando Gibbons (think men in ruffs singing in high voices). As a young child I felt that classical music was more interesting that popular music; I remember clearly, aged eight, being very disappointed when a girl told me that she only liked pop music. The relationship would never have worked. Over the intervening 27 years I’ve dabbled in all sorts, including pop, rock and acidjazzfunk. I’m always excited when I hear something that I haven’t heard before. Music knits together the tapestry of my life; it reflects my mood and it offers me nourishment. I love to read about it, to perform it but most especially to listen to it.

Next to my CD player I have a pile of music that I’m currently listening to: Stile Antico singing Tudor Christmas music; Muse’s The Resistance ; and Verklärte Nacht by Schoenberg. In my office I have the music that I listen to less regularly: Nicolai Gedda singing opera arias; ‘Living Toys’ by Thomas Adès; and almost the complete works of Bach. In the loft is a huge box of music I don’t need to listen to again for a very long time (mostly from my teenage years): the KLF back catalogue, six versions of Progen by The Shamen and all my Janet Jackson records. I’ve always been obsessive and when I get my teeth into a piece it can be a year before I relegate it to the dustier sections of my CD rack.

If you are just coming to classical music for the first time, then it might seem as impenetrable as fine wine, learning Greek or taking up mountaineering. It’s true that there is a mountain of music to listen to and if I started listening now I’m sure it would take me the rest of my life to work my way through the back catalogue of recordings stocked in my local classical CD shop (HMV on Oxford Street, as regretfully the small independent stores are now few and far between, thanks to internet downloads). But it isn’t necessary to sample every piece to feel that you are getting a handle on this amazing music. When you know a couple of works well and understand how they fit into the general picture of music, you will quickly overcome your initial trepidation.

This book isn’t comprehensive – it’s a tour guide and a personal ramble through music based on my own interests and discoveries. The intention is to spark connections and points of departure for you. I will take you through the history of music later in the book, but this isn’t a lesson, it’s an impassioned plea to give this music a chance and a pocket guide (if you’ve got big pockets) to help you when you need assistance. Let us forage together.

Part 1 LISTENING Part 1: LISTENING 1 You Love Classical Music – Yes, You Do! 2 Why, Why, Why? 3 How to Listen 4 A Hot Date with Music 5 Exploding the Canon Part 2: DISCOVERING 6 The Secret of Melody 7 The Magic of Harmony 8 Style and the Orchestra 9 Grand Designs: The Structure of Music Part 3: PERFORMING AND SURVIVING 10 The Singers not the Songs 11 Taking Up the Baton: Conductors 12 How to Survive a Concert Coda Part 4: APPENDICES 1 Musical ‘Starting Points’ 2 Useful Information 3 Suggestions for Further Listening 4 Bibliography 5 Notes Index Acknowledgements About the Author Copyright About the Publisher

Chapter 1

You Love Classical Music – Yes, You Do!

Before we start let’s get a few things straight:

1 There is so much to know about music that a lifetime’s study couldn’t hope to tell you everything.

2 There are so many hidden alleyways, nooks and crannies in music that it’s quite possible to get stuck in just one area and neglect all the other music. There is much to challenge you, expand your horizons and generally give your musical taste a spring clean.

3 You are in control of what you listen to, where you start and where you finish. Only you know what you like and what you don’t like. It’s fine to admit that you simply don’t ‘get’ a piece – sometimes music takes time to get to know, or sometimes you’ll just never be friends.