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Introduction

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.

About This Book

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!

Foolish Assumptions

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.

Icons Used in This Book

Throughout the book, icons clue you in about certain topics. They indicate material in which you may be especially interested, or material you may be eager to skip. Let them be your guide.

This icon clues you in on a handy shortcut, technique, or suggestion that can help you get more out of your classical music life.

This icon alerts you to what we think are important pieces of information that you should stow away in your mind.

This icon marks an opportunity for you to get up, march over to a keyboard or a sound system, and run a little experiment in real life.

If you go online to www.dummies.com/go/classicalmusic3e, you can find nine excerpts from the greatest music in the world. Whenever we discuss one of them, this icon lets you know.

Music has been around longer than most countries. This icon alerts you to the beginnings of trends and rituals that are still around today. This information isn’t essential to understanding classical music, but it sure is downright interesting.

Beyond the Book

In addition to the very book you’re holding in your eager little hands, we provide some delicious online goodies for your enjoyment. For example, take a look at the Cheat Sheet at www.dummies.com. Once there, just search for “Classical Music For Dummies Cheat Sheet.” There you can find a quick description of the instruments and their locations in a typical symphony orchestra, as well as a timeline of classical music, for easy reference next time you attend a concert.

Best of all, we provide many, many musical examples, in the form of links to recordings online at www.dummies.com/go/classicalmusic3e. These recordings are your key to entering the world of classical music — a painless introduction to all different styles and time periods. As we describe some of the great masterpieces, you can actually listen to them right away. These recordings set Classical Music For Dummies apart from all the other books on the shelf.

Where to Go from Here

We design this book so that you can start reading anywhere. But to help you figure out what might excite you the most, we give you six different areas to choose from:

 Part 1 introduces you to the world of classical music, including a brief history and descriptions of the common packages — such as symphonies, string quartets, and so on — that classical music comes in.

 Part 2 takes you into the concert hall to experience some real music-making, and then takes you on a backstage tour of the professional classical music world.

 Part 3 is a field guide to all the instruments that make up an orchestra.

 Part 4 puts classical music under the microscope, explaining the creative little molecules that make it up.

 Parts 5 and 6 take you even deeper into classical music and help you get more out of it.

You don’t need to finish one part, or even one chapter, before starting another. Use the table of contents or the index as a starting point, if you want. Or, if you’re in a romantic mood, turn on some sensual classics, cuddle up with a loved one, and start at the very front of the book. (You may want to skip the copyright page, however, because it can deflate that romantic mood rather quickly.)