The NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection: The 350 Essential Works

by Ted Libbey

Berlioz. Vaughan Williams. Schubert and Schumann. Mozart after the Jupiter Symphony, Bach beyond the Brandenburg Concertos, opera after The Magic Flute. In his informed and indispensible guide with over 157,000 copies in print, National Public Radio's Ted Libbey takes listeners by the hand through the classical repertory to build a music library. For the second edition, with five years of new performances to consider, five years of new releases to review, and five years of reissues to re-evaluate-the author has completely revised and updated the book. While sticking to the essential 300 works, there are now one-third new selections and reviews, and a 50% change in discography to keep all suggested CDs up to date. The NPR Guide tp Building a Classical CD Collection will make every music lover's core collection complete.

Genres: Music, Reference, Nonfiction, Classical Music, History, Art, Classics

536 pages, Paperback

First published December 12, 1991

Reviews

[Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book was originally published in 1994, and revised and updated in 1999, I find it as useful now as when I purchased it about 10 years ago. You can find a lot of these LPs (CDs, albums) on Spotify. The book has brilliant reviews that are easier to read than many of the haughty classical reviews I've seen in online searches. Apparently many classical reviewers are more interested in making themselves look musically-intelligent than in writing a review the listeners (their readers) can easily grasp.

If you, like me, didn't grow up on classical music, but have developed a taste for Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, Bruckner, Mozart, Strauss, Schumann, Debussy, you get the picture, this is the book to begin learning more and listening more adeptly. I've learned so much by browsing this book and studying the portions I find interesting. Mr. Libbey has included sections on Orchestral Works, Concertos, Chamber Music, Solo Keyboard Works, Sacred and Choral Music and Opera. And, he's inserted starter lists in a top 10, his personal favorites, one for teenagers and for special occasions.

A great reference text for any music lover's library.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

The essays on composers and compositions are still worthwhile although the book was published in 1994.

The individual recommended recordings are mostly out of date by now but still interesting to browse.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the early 1990s, I worked in Washington, DC, near the Tower Records on the edge of the George Washington University campus, often spending my lunch hours hanging out in the classical music section, listening to whatever the the salesman/dj was playing and trying to learn. I had a cursory knowledge of a bit of classical music, but no real musical education to speak of. As I started to travel more for work, visiting local Tower Records locations were usually high on the "what to do during free time" list. Each section usually had a curated listening station with dozens of new records playing, featuring a wide spectrum of styles that could, and sometimes did, take hours of listening.

I referred constantly to this book after it came out in 1994, when I was starting to build up my personal collection of classical cds. It never steered me wrong. I made notes about what I really liked, what I didn't or could defer to another day, and it gave me a great sense of the breadth of the standard repertoire. It wasn't academic at all and didn't claim to be the end all of classical music critique. It was just one's man's point of view. I think he'd have made a great teacher.

Recently I picked this book up after years of neglect. I'm still not an expert on classical music, but it's pretty much been dominating my listening time since the start of the pandemic. One of my pandemic "projects" besides teaching myself new recipes, was to finally try to figure out opera and if I could like it all. Oddly, I'm not into Italian operas, tend to enjoy Czech and French opera more. Recently thought of this long-neglected book to see what he thought of operas. After all, I had nothing but good memories about this book. First, I was surprised by how much I seem to have been influenced by it. I kept seeing phrases and thoughts that I was sure were my own – and mine alone! Second, I went to some of his recommendations and they were perfect starters and he gave me some ideas on what and how to listen to parts. Still a great book and worth picking up if you like music and see it in a used book store.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ted Libbey's a really good guide for someone venturing into classical music without a lot of familiarity with the material. The book is put together pretty well, and Libbey’s very knowledgeable and a good writer. His taste is broad, which is good for a reader whose tastes are developing. He tends to emphasize large orchestral works at the expense of chamber music and solo instrumental works, as well as at the expense of opera and sacred music (and he seems to have a bit of a preference for late Romantic works). But that’s probably representative of the preferences of most classical music listeners, so it’s okay for an introductory book like this. Anyone who develops interest in specific areas will need more than this book offers. But, in good introductory fashion, it provides a mix of music history, composer biographies, a bit of musicology, and some explanation of genres. Definitely a good place to start, and probably worth checking out even if you’re fairly familiar with classical music.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read this cover-to-cover, but tend to pick out subjects, composers or pieces of interest. Valuable information to help one understand classical music. What a fabulous reference. I've looked for other books to buy on this subject and find that reviewers very often direct others to this particular book.

[Vincent Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

It provides short narratives on major works by composers. Organized firstly by type of work, then alphabetically. Detailed information on obtaining good recordings of the musical work (not necessary in my case).

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first edition is the book that got me into classical music. Did more than any other book to make me a better listener.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just a list of worthwhile CDs, I learned an amazing amount about classical music and composers from this book--I loved it!

[Evan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Attractively compiled; good standard information on composers and works. Weak in its predictable recording recommendations, though.

[jediShelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a great start to getting into classical music.