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The Radio 3 Boards > The Community Area > Classical Music Q & A > The Dummies Guide To...
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IgnorantRockFan
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« on: 21:53:25, 25-04-2007 »
...Classical Music?

I'm completely clueless about terms like ritornello, tutti (anything to do with Cosi Fan? arpeggio (that one comes up a lot in descriptions of rock guitar music but I'm clueless there too), and so forth.

Is there a good "beginners guide" to classical music I can get that will explain this sort of  thing, at least enough for me to understand what I'm reading in CD notes?

I'm not a musican and have no musical training at all (apart from obligatory school classes). So it's got to be something pretty basic... but not so basic that it doesn't teach me anything.

Any recommendations gratefully accepted Smiley
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Allegro, ma non tanto
Bryn
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« Reply #1 on: 22:06:24, 25-04-2007 »
I thought I'd try a bit of Googling. Nothing that seemed too useful re. 'western' classical music for beginners came up, but I did come across http://www.edmontonragamala.ab.ca/eastern-arts/articles/guide/index.htm , which looks just the thing for those wanting to dip their toe in such waters.

I reckon you could do a lot worse than get something like the a concise music dictionary (the Oxford one's pretty handy) and otherwise just follow up some of the stuff discussed here and on the BBC's own dilapidated boards.
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oliver sudden
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« Reply #2 on: 22:08:18, 25-04-2007 »
I grew up with this:

http://ukbookworld.com/cgi-bin/order_enq.pl?add=Elysium%235036

The modernists will no doubt scoff at me. But for me it's a wonderful book even if it's very much 'of its time'.
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oliver sudden
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« Reply #3 on: 22:10:51, 25-04-2007 »
And goodness me, if any of these people will ship to where you are or if you have a friend in the US how can you go wrong at this price?  Shocked

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0193113066/ref=dp_olp_2/102-0397070-7682520


(Now that I've bothered to look at the .co.uk site...) Or these prices?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B0000EFSOJ/ref=dp_olp_2/203-3788198-9081559?ie=UTF8&qid=1177535507&sr=8-1
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Bryn
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« Reply #4 on: 22:15:26, 25-04-2007 »
Has is not now evolved into http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0198662122/ref=dp_olp_2/202-5064725-2163806?ie=UTF8&qid=1177535642&sr=1-1 ?
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Martin
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« Reply #5 on: 22:26:00, 25-04-2007 »
The following is recommended as a comprehensive introduction for the general reader:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Introducing-Music-Penguin-Otto-Karolyi/dp/0140135200/ref=sr_1_2/026-9808046-2530829?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177536155&sr=1-2

The older edition will still be useful and very cheap!
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John W
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« Reply #6 on: 22:50:04, 25-04-2007 »
Surely this section of Wikipedia is going to be useful and pretty accurate for the interested learner, for example it gives most of the meanings for ritornello :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Music_theory_stubs
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thompson1780
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« Reply #7 on: 00:23:06, 26-04-2007 »
Terms:  http://www.naxos.com/education/glossary.asp

Tommo
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Kittybriton
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Thank you for the music ...


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« Reply #8 on: 01:20:42, 26-04-2007 »
There's also a good intro to music theory here
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IgnorantRockFan
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« Reply #9 on: 12:21:02, 26-04-2007 »
Thanks for all of the suggestions. I shall investigate those various options.

The Internet sites look useful but I'm afraid I'm a bit of a luddite... I like a book I can hold in my hands Smiley
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Allegro, ma non tanto
MrYorick
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« Reply #10 on: 23:26:05, 30-04-2007 »
And what about 'Classical Music for Dummies' itself?

It thought me a lot, I'm not ashamed to say.  It isn't nearly as patronising or silly as the title would suggest.  An entertaining and informative read.  They cover the history of classical music, the notation and musical technique in general and the instruments of the orchestra, I believe...
Do not be put off by the title.  And it has a free cd inclosed!
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