Here is an innovative and thoroughly enjoyable approach to demystifying classical music for the devotee and the novice alike. Consisting of a fully illustrated book with unique musical timelines and an accompanying compact disc, it teaches the reader to navigate any piece of music -- from operas to piano sonatas to complete orchestral movements. This handsome package offers:
-- Clear explanations of all of the elements of music -- harmony, rhythm, tone, and musical instruments
-- Complete information on composers, themes, and musical components
-- Advice on how to listen to a piece for the first time
-- A 72-minute CD featuring dozens of musical excerpts performed by world-class orchestras
-- Visual annotated timelines that guide the reader through the corresponding pieces on the CD, including Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata, and more
-- A guide to 40 great composers
-- Musical time chart
-- Glossary of musical terms

With its fresh insights into music of all types, Classical Music will turn anyone into a music lover.

Amazon.com Review
This is a beautifully wrought introduction to classical music, aimed squarely at the neophyte and replete with time lines and lots of handsome photographs. It is accompanied by a 70+ minute compact disc with musical snippets to illustrate the text. It is a companion volume to Waugh's Opera: A New Way of Listening.