The Classical Music Encylopedia, now fully updated, traces the development of Western music from medieval times through to the twenty-first century. Each chapter begins with an Introduction to the era, followed by an A to Z of the key composers and musicians of the era, with an expert's recommended recording for each entry. Within these, the musical greats - from Mozart to Stravinksy - have more extensive entries. The Styles and Forms sections discuss the many different styles of music, from the earliest notation to the minimalism of the twentieth century, while the development of each era's Instruments is also extensively investigated. Written by many of the world's leading experts in the field, this invaluable encyclopedia is comprehensive, easy-to-use and highly informative - an essential guide for readers of all levels.

Updated and expanded version of the classic reference work, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Opera, this new text edition examines the history and development of opera, from its roots in the theatrical choral dances of Ancient Greece, through the sublime compositions of Handel and Mozart and on to the groundbreaking works of Verdi, Wagner and beyond. Organised by era, the composers and their works, along with the key librettists and singers of the period, are placed in their historical, social and cultural context through extensive introductory sections. Cross-references and theme boxes allow the reader to follow a particular area of interest throughout the book, or to explore related information. The comprehensive text brings to life the splendour and emotional energy of the best operas, performers and companies.

The Cambridge Music Guide is for all those who love music and wish to know more about its colorful history, development and theory. Superbly illustrated, the Guide is a comprehensive tour of every aspect of the musical world, expertly edited by Stanley Sadie, editor of the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. The guide explains all the elements of musical notation, of pitch and harmony, of different musical genres. The development of musical instruments and the modern orchestra is charted through the ages, and the roots of music itself are traced--from Medieval chant to modern jazz solos and the electric wizardry of today's composers. With individual studies of all major composers and a unique series of "listening guides" to important works through the ages, The Cambridge Music Guide serves as a comprehensive introduction for all those studying, playing or simply seeking more enjoyment from the world of music.

By using different kinds of materials and links between various disciplines and subject areas, this book aims to both explain certain features of Italian historical development and provoke further discussion. Designed as a teaching text around broad thematic chapters - the nation, the state, economy and society, politics - it introduces the reader to historical debates, themes, controversies and arguments. Boxes at the end of each chapter provide useful further information for students.

Contributors to this volume are as follows: Bernd Baselt - Graydon Beeks - Terence Best - Malcolm Boyd - George J.Buelow - Donald Burrows - Duncan Chisholm - Winton Dean - Elizabeth Gibson - William D.Gudger - Lowell Lindgren - Hans Joachim Marx - Curtis Price - John H.Roberts - Carole Taylor - Colin Timms

Beethoven's Complete Pianoforte Sonatas, edited by Harold Craxton, are published as part of ABRSM's 'Signature' Series - a series of authoritative performing editions of standard keyboard works, prepared from original sources by leading scholars. Includes informative introductions and performance notes.

Mozart's Sonatas for Pianoforte are published as part of ABRSM's 'Signature' Series - a series of authoritative performing editions of standard keyboard works, prepared from original sources by leading scholars. Includes informative introductions and performance notes.

First published in 1996 to great critical and popular acclaim, the Grove Book of Operas, is a collection of synopses and descriptions of over 250 operas. Each succinct yet insightful entry is written by a leading authority on the opera and includes a full synopsis of the plot, a cast list, a note on the singers in the original production, and information on the origins of the work and its literary and social background. Contributions conclude with a brief comment on the particular work's place in operatic history. A glossary offers brief and accessible definitions of terms that may be unfamiliar to the reader. And indices of role names and of arias and ensembles allow the reader to find operas containing their favorite aria or a well-known character. The second edition brings the book up to date with several recently composed operas and a fascinating introductory essay by David Levin on opera performance in the 21st century. Recent additions to the operatic repertory included for the first time in this edition include Nicholas Maw, Sophie's Choice; Poul Ruders, A Handmaid's Tale; John Adams, Death of Klinghoffer; and Mark Adamo, Little Women. Covering all operas in the current repertory along with some less-well-known early and very modern ones, this is an ideal volume for the general opera lover.

First published in 1996 to great critical and popular acclaim, The Grove Book of Operas brings together synopses and descriptions of over 250 leading operas, complemented by more than one hundred illustrations and halftones. Each succinct yet insightful entry is written by a leading authority on the opera and includes a full synopsis of the plot, a cast list, a note on the singers in the original production, and information on the origins of the work and its literary and social background. Contributions conclude with a brief comment on the particular works place in operatic history. A glossary offers brief and accessible definitions of terms that may be unfamiliar to the reader. And indices of role names and of arias and ensembles allow the reader to find operas containing their favorite aria or a well-known character. This second edition brings the book up to date with several recently composed operas and a fascinating introductory essay by David Levin on opera performance in the 21st century. Recent additions to the operatic repertory included for the first time in this edition include Nicholas Maw, Sophies Choice; Poul Ruders, A Handmaids Tale; John Adams, Death of Klinghoffer; and Mark Adamo, Little Women. Now offered in paperback for the first time, this is a book that should be on the shelf of every opera fan.

Few people these days would question Mozart's rating as the most popular of all classical composers. Yet there exists no substantial, up-to-date English-language study of the man and his works. In this new study of Mozart's early years, Stanley Sadie aims to fill this gap in the form of a traditional biography on a straightforward chronological basis. The volume covers the period up to 1781, the year of Idomeneo and Mozart's settling in Vienna. Individual works are discussed in sequence and related to the events of his life. Stanley Sadie draws substantially on the family correspondence, quoting the letters and discussing what they tell us about Mozart and his world and his relationships with his family and his professional colleagues. Also included is a discussion of all aspects of Mozart's life and his music, relating them to the environment in which he worked, social, economic and cultural as well as musical. Much new material connected with Mozart has come to light in recent years. There have been discoveries of musical sources and new ways of studying known ones. Such finds and methods have changed our view of the chronology of many works and they often have significant biographical ramifications. Understanding of the context for Mozart's music, and indeed his life, has broadened immensely. Stanley Sadie's biography digests and interprets this corpus of new information.