Language of the Spirit: An Introduction to Classical Music - Hardcover

Swafford, Jan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0465097545 ISBN 13: 9780465097548

Publisher: Basic Books, 2017

Synopsis

A preeminent composer, music scholar, and biographer presents an engaging and accessible introduction to classical music

For many of us, classical music is something serious -- something we study in school, something played by cultivated musicians at fancy gatherings. In Language of the Spirit, renowned music scholar Jan Swafford argues that we have it all wrong: classical music has something for everyone and is accessible to all. Ranging from Gregorian chant to Handel's Messiah, from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons to the postmodern work of Philip Glass, Swafford is an affable and expert guide to the genre. He traces the history of Western music, introduces readers to the most important composers and compositions, and explains the underlying structure and logic of their music.

Language of the Spirit is essential reading for anyone who has ever wished to know more about this sublime art.

About this title

About the Author

Jan Swafford is a preeminent composer and music scholar and the author of bestselling The Vintage Guide to Classical Music. A regular contributor to Slate, the Guardian, and the Boston Globe and a former professor of composition at the Boston Conservatory, Swafford lives in Medford, Massachusetts.

Edition details

• Publisher: Basic Books
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0465097545
• ISBN 13: 9780465097548
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336