Bach, Beethoven and the Boys - Tenth Anniversary Edition!: Music History As It Ought To Be Taught (Paperback)

by David W. Barber (Author), Dave Donald (Illustrator), Anthony Burgess (Preface) "ALTHOUGH THE ANCIENT GREEKS had a thing or two to say about music, and before that prehistoric Man probably hummed some sort of mastodon-hunting song..." (more)
Key Phrases: Vaughan Williams, Johann Sebastian, Chapel Royal (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Facts and trivia abound in this gentle expose of music history. From Bach's laundry lists to Handel's unexpected success in Italy, this provides a lively, involving format which treats musicians as human beings and which reads almost like an action novel in exploring their lives and approaches to music and its marketing. -- Midwest Book Review

Product Description
To celebrate its 10th aniversary, Sound and Vision has prepared a special new edition, totally reformatted and updated by the author. Since its first publication a decade ago, this irreverent yet factual account of music history has become an internationally bestselling classic in the field of musical humor. Includes 35 illustrations.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Sound And Vision; 10 Anv edition (September 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0920151108
• ISBN-13: 978-0920151105
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #124,174 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #9 in	Books > Entertainment > Sheet Music & Scores > Composers > Bach
  #15 in	Books > Entertainment > Sheet Music & Scores > Composers > Beethoven
  #60 in	Books > Entertainment > Music > Theory, Composition & Performance > Composition

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This funny book is a must for anyone interested in music., July 30, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Bach, Beethoven, and the Boys: Music History As It Ought to Be Taught (Paperback)

David W. Barber is to music history what Victor Borge is to classical piano; both invigorate their subject with fresh humor and insight. This book is a wonderfully funny look at classical music, and it is all true! Read this book and you will know that classical music is not the stuffed shirt that many believe it to be. Barber's history is especially humorous for musicians and the musically savvy. One gets the impression that Barber has waded through many scholarly works to pull out these gems of information. It is easy to distinguish between the information and the embellishments, making this a perfect companion to any hard working music student. The illustrations by Dave Donald compliment the text perfectly and are also good likenesses of the composers. The text begins with a painless history of Gregorian Chant and proceedes through 20th Century music, discussing all of the big composers and the major movements in music history. I wholeheartedly recommend this! book to the musically educated and those who want to be.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This was a great book., December 29, 1998

By A Customer

Bach, Beethoven, and the boys, was a great book. It was hysterical and insightful. While giving you all the facts, it let you know a little bit about composers private lives.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars music history with humour, February 8, 2003

By A Customer

A relatively concise history of Western music with quite a lot of comic flair. One also learns about aspects of Western culture one may have forgotten: such as, that musicians were commonly supported in Europe by their patrons who were wealthy dukes or had other hereditary claims. Also I learned that Handel visited Italy spent the latter part of his life in London and grew quite wealthy; that Bach was happily married but never wealthy, and that he lived in many different German cities; that Mozart was not rich at all;that Haydn visited London; that Tchaikovsky was prone to nervous ailments. In the course of reading this book I borrowed the following CD's which assisted me in my understanding, as well as being enjoyable listening: Schumann's "Songs For Children"; Tchaikowsky's "Symphony #6 (Pathetique)", several Beethoven piano sonatas including the Appassionata and Pathetique, Handel's "Water Music"; Mozart's opera overtures, Haydn's "Surprise" and "Military" symphonies.