Look at his manuscripts,
and there's reams of
scratched-out music that
he hated. He stops and he
starts. I love that about
Beethoven, his humanity
shows in his music.
- Billy Joel, aka the Piano Man"
If you, or your teen, or a teen you know, are wanting to know more about classical music, this is one fine book to read that makes it accessible, impressive, and engaging. The introduction provides much food for thought, and is very descriptive and enlightening.
"Classical music has a bad and, in my mind, unfair
reputation. Those composers with the white curly wigs,
such as Bach and Mozart, might seem super-old-fashioned
now. But they were the original rock stars. They changed
history, inspired millions, and are still listened to and
worshipped all around the world today. So I hope you'll
leave behind your preconceptions: even if you think you
hate it, give it an hour or two of your time and then decide."
MY ULTIMATE PLAYLIST invites readers to search for the link to the music Mr. Rhodes has chosen to examine throughout the rest of the book. The playlist has 14 pieces: 2 from each of the 7 featured composers. They are Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Schubert, Rachmaninoff, and Ravel. You will find it at tinyurl.com/jamesrhodesplaylist.
He then presents each on a double page spread which gives their name, a nickname and a full color, detailed image. Thus, Bach: The Godfather; Mozart: The Magic Man; Beethoven: The Original Rock Star; Chopin: The Midnight Man; Schubert: The Little Mushroom; Rachmaninoff: The Six-Foot Scowl; Ravel: Shock and Awe. The following 3 spreads reveal their life stories, descriptions of the chosen works, an invitation to listen to both after reading conversational and enthusiastic descriptions of each.
Included in between the composer sections are three informative spreads: the orchestra, the time line of western classical music, and the language of music. An extensive index is most useful. The design is sensational, offering much detail and careful thought, quotes, impressions, and even references to pop culture. The bold collages are visually appealing, requiring careful attention to the details in each.
"This movement is filled with constant shifts in mood that Schubert creates by changing the key, tone, and pace of the piece: moving from happy to sad to uplifting to scary to hesitant to heroic to defiant and on and on. There are so many different melodies - as if Schubert had a constant supply of them that he couldn't help but pour out into the score."
Quite the celebration! This book is sure to be appreciated by anyone interested (or not) in knowing more about classical music.
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