Classical Music Books

Showing 1-50 of 1,477
The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century (Hardcover)
by (shelved 34 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.10 — 15,756 ratings — published 2007
Rate this book
Clear rating
Beethoven: Anguish and Triumph Beethoven: Anguish and Triumph (Hardcover)
by (shelved 19 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.25 — 1,859 ratings — published 2014
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Classical Style: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven The Classical Style: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 19 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.23 — 1,497 ratings — published 1971
Rate this book
Clear rating
Bach: Music in the Castle of Heaven Bach: Music in the Castle of Heaven (Hardcover)
by (shelved 18 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.07 — 1,723 ratings — published 2013
Rate this book
Clear rating
What to Listen for in Music What to Listen for in Music (Paperback)
by (shelved 15 times as classical-music)
avg rating 3.94 — 9,251 ratings — published 1939
Rate this book
Clear rating
Absolutely on Music: Conversations with Seiji Ozawa Absolutely on Music: Conversations with Seiji Ozawa (Paperback)
by (shelved 14 times as classical-music)
avg rating 3.89 — 6,876 ratings — published 2011
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Lives of the Great Composers The Lives of the Great Composers (Hardcover)
by (shelved 13 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.28 — 1,604 ratings — published 1970
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Vintage Guide to Classical Music The Vintage Guide to Classical Music (Paperback)
by (shelved 13 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.28 — 473 ratings — published 1992
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Cello Suites: J.S. Bach, Pablo Casals, and the Search for a Baroque Masterpiece The Cello Suites: J.S. Bach, Pablo Casals, and the Search for a Baroque Masterpiece (Hardcover)
by (shelved 12 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.02 — 2,520 ratings — published 2009
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Violin Conspiracy The Violin Conspiracy (Hardcover)
by (shelved 11 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.11 — 65,333 ratings — published 2022
Rate this book
Clear rating
Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music (Hardcover)
by (shelved 10 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.18 — 1,222 ratings — published 2020
Rate this book
Clear rating
Piano Notes: The World of the Pianist Piano Notes: The World of the Pianist (Paperback)
by (shelved 10 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.01 — 619 ratings — published 2002
Rate this book
Clear rating
Beethoven Beethoven (Paperback)
by (shelved 10 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.19 — 1,759 ratings — published 1977
Rate this book
Clear rating
Johannes Brahms: A Biography Johannes Brahms: A Biography (Paperback)
by (shelved 10 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.44 — 873 ratings — published 1997
Rate this book
Clear rating
Fryderyk Chopin: A Life and Times Fryderyk Chopin: A Life and Times (Hardcover)
by (shelved 9 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.44 — 606 ratings — published 2018
Rate this book
Clear rating
Mozart: The Reign of Love Mozart: The Reign of Love (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 9 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.33 — 771 ratings — published 2020
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Noise of Time The Noise of Time (Hardcover)
by (shelved 9 times as classical-music)
avg rating 3.75 — 26,342 ratings — published 2016
Rate this book
Clear rating
Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician (Paperback)
by (shelved 9 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.20 — 1,139 ratings — published 2000
Rate this book
Clear rating
An Equal Music An Equal Music (Paperback)
by (shelved 9 times as classical-music)
avg rating 3.80 — 11,003 ratings — published 1999
Rate this book
Clear rating
Classical Music for Dummies Classical Music for Dummies (Paperback)
by (shelved 9 times as classical-music)
avg rating 3.95 — 637 ratings — published 1997
Rate this book
Clear rating
This Is Your Brain on Music This Is Your Brain on Music (Hardcover)
by (shelved 9 times as classical-music)
avg rating 3.89 — 67,029 ratings — published 2006
Rate this book
Clear rating
Year of Wonder: Classical Music for Every Day Year of Wonder: Classical Music for Every Day (Hardcover)
by (shelved 8 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.41 — 1,348 ratings — published 2017
Rate this book
Clear rating
Mozart Mozart (Paperback)
by (shelved 8 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.11 — 1,233 ratings — published 1995
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Great Pianists The Great Pianists (Paperback)
by (shelved 8 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.05 — 842 ratings — published 1963
Rate this book
Clear rating
Language of the Spirit: An Introduction to Classical Music Language of the Spirit: An Introduction to Classical Music (Hardcover)
by (shelved 7 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.12 — 438 ratings — published
Rate this book
Clear rating
Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music (Paperback)
by (shelved 7 times as classical-music)
avg rating 3.39 — 3,144 ratings — published 2005
Rate this book
Clear rating
Shostakovich: A Life Remembered Shostakovich: A Life Remembered (Paperback)
by (shelved 7 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.36 — 216 ratings — published 1994
Rate this book
Clear rating
Mozart: A Life Mozart: A Life (Paperback)
by (shelved 7 times as classical-music)
avg rating 3.68 — 659 ratings — published 1999
Rate this book
Clear rating
Beethoven: The Music and the Life Beethoven: The Music and the Life (Paperback)
by (shelved 7 times as classical-music)
avg rating 3.89 — 346 ratings — published 2002
Rate this book
Clear rating
Why Mahler?: How One Man and Ten Symphonies Changed Our World Why Mahler?: How One Man and Ten Symphonies Changed Our World (Hardcover)
by (shelved 7 times as classical-music)
avg rating 3.75 — 467 ratings — published 2010
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Piano Shop on the Left Bank: Discovering a Forgotten Passion in a Paris Atelier The Piano Shop on the Left Bank: Discovering a Forgotten Passion in a Paris Atelier (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 7 times as classical-music)
avg rating 3.98 — 6,534 ratings — published 2000
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Tristan Chord: Wagner and Philosophy The Tristan Chord: Wagner and Philosophy (Paperback)
by (shelved 6 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.34 — 558 ratings — published 2001
Rate this book
Clear rating
Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad (Hardcover)
by (shelved 6 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.35 — 6,356 ratings — published 2015
Rate this book
Clear rating
Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain (Hardcover)
by (shelved 6 times as classical-music)
avg rating 3.95 — 73,205 ratings — published 2007
Rate this book
Clear rating
The NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection: The 350 Essential Works The NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection: The 350 Essential Works (Paperback)
by (shelved 6 times as classical-music)
avg rating 3.93 — 221 ratings — published 1991
Rate this book
Clear rating
Memoirs Memoirs (Hardcover)
by (shelved 6 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.14 — 77 ratings — published 1997
Rate this book
Clear rating
Classical Music: Third Ear: The Essential Listening Companion Classical Music: Third Ear: The Essential Listening Companion (Paperback)
by (shelved 6 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.43 — 47 ratings — published 2001
Rate this book
Clear rating
A Romance on Three Legs: Glenn Gould's Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Piano A Romance on Three Legs: Glenn Gould's Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Piano (Hardcover)
by (shelved 6 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.02 — 1,151 ratings — published 2008
Rate this book
Clear rating
Stravinsky: The Second Exile: France and America, 1934-1971 Stravinsky: The Second Exile: France and America, 1934-1971 (Hardcover)
by (shelved 5 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.38 — 39 ratings — published 2006
Rate this book
Clear rating
Beethoven: The Man Revealed Beethoven: The Man Revealed (Hardcover)
by (shelved 5 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.08 — 930 ratings — published 2012
Rate this book
Clear rating
Famous Father Girl: A Memoir of Growing Up Bernstein Famous Father Girl: A Memoir of Growing Up Bernstein (Audiobook)
by (shelved 5 times as classical-music)
avg rating 3.90 — 1,611 ratings — published 2018
Rate this book
Clear rating
Beethoven: A Life Beethoven: A Life (Hardcover)
by (shelved 5 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.31 — 331 ratings — published 2009
Rate this book
Clear rating
Gustav Mahler Gustav Mahler (Hardcover)
by (shelved 5 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.32 — 176 ratings — published 2003
Rate this book
Clear rating
Dinner with Lenny: The Last Long Interview with Leonard Bernstein Dinner with Lenny: The Last Long Interview with Leonard Bernstein (Hardcover)
by (shelved 5 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.34 — 412 ratings — published 2012
Rate this book
Clear rating
Chopin: A New Biography Chopin: A New Biography (Hardcover)
by (shelved 5 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.15 — 500 ratings — published 1979
Rate this book
Clear rating
Chopin's Letters (Dover Books On Music: Composers) Chopin's Letters (Dover Books On Music: Composers)
by (shelved 5 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.12 — 236 ratings — published 1931
Rate this book
Clear rating
Chopin in Paris: The Life and Times of the Romantic Composer Chopin in Paris: The Life and Times of the Romantic Composer (Paperback)
by (shelved 5 times as classical-music)
avg rating 3.92 — 192 ratings — published 1998
Rate this book
Clear rating
Evening in the Palace of Reason Evening in the Palace of Reason (Paperback)
by (shelved 5 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.07 — 1,222 ratings — published 2005
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Romantic Generation (The Charles Eliot Norton Lectures) The Romantic Generation (The Charles Eliot Norton Lectures)
by (shelved 5 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.33 — 212 ratings — published 1995
Rate this book
Clear rating
Franz Liszt: The Virtuoso Years, 1811-1847 Franz Liszt: The Virtuoso Years, 1811-1847 (Paperback)
by (shelved 5 times as classical-music)
avg rating 4.52 — 326 ratings — published 1983
Rate this book
Clear rating


Magda Szabó
“She didn’t really like classical music and there was no Vince to whisper in her ear and tell her what was beautiful about it. His descriptions were so clear. Handel was all scarlet ostrich feathers and silk ribbons fluttering in the wind, great silver trays blazing with candlelight. Wagner was trees creaking and silk ribbons fluttering in the wind, great silver trays blazing with candlelight. Wagner was trees creaking and snapping in the storm, foam running up the foot of a cliff, waves sweeping round rocks, black peaks reaching to the sky. Vince was no longer there, it was only music with no introduction and no commentary.”
Magda Szabó, Iza's Ballad

“The works that Johann Sebastian Bach has left us, are a priceless national heritage, of a kind that no other race possesses.”
Johann Nikolaus Forkel

More quotes...