The Classic FM Pocket Book of Music

View other editions of The Classic FM Pocket Book of Music.
View books by Darren Henley, Tim Lihoreau.

Toilet-side reading for the newbie classical music fan - Rated
This is a throwaway mini-book best read while sitting on the loo. It provides a select and humorous introduction to key classical music composers and terms. There's some juicy info here but also a tendency to slide off into making weak jokes. This is sometimes annoying considering each entry gets only around 50-100 words.

The book appears to relegate Bach to a minor composer and considers the greats to be Mozart and Beethoven. Well, some of us (many of us) beg to disagree. Bach is to music what Shakespeare is to literature.

This is not an essential book and, like somebody pointed out, a good stocking filler or trivial gift for somebody who listens to Classic FM in the car and wants to take their interest further. Don't expect too much and you'll like what you find.

Extremely Concise - Rated
I rushed to buy this "so called book" on the account of; first and foremost my deep love to know more about classical music and also taking into consideration the other reviews, and what a shock I had when I received it, so quickly I must admit! Inspite of the shock of realising how small and consequently obviously so concise it is, I tried to read anxiously to find out if my eyes may be deceiving, but very quickly in turn I found to my absolute disappointment that I; the very amateur classical music listener, know much more than the extremely concise information in this booklet, and I just wish if all interested buyers should know this before considering to buy.
If you are a Classical Music lover, then naturally you must know more than the contents of this booklet, and you also naturally will be disappointed with it like me, and I wish if the publishers can be aware of this and do some efforts to make it meet the demand of a more serious reader.

Useful & informative - Rated
Very handy and informattive mini source of information covering composers, meanings of musical words etc.
Handy to have on the bookcase.

The perfect Christmas stocking filler - Rated
I bought this book for a train journey a couple of months ago and I enjoyed it so much that I've now bought copies as Christmas stocking fillers for all of my friends.

It's not the biggest book I've ever seen on the subject of classical music, but it's incredibly good value for money and very well written.

It works on two levels. If you are brand new to classical music and want to get an overview of the subject, then this is absolutely perfect. If you're an old hand like me, who was brought up on classical music, you'll enjoy the colourful stories about composers' lives.

I couldn't recommend this book highly enough. It really brings to life a subject that can seem a little on the dusty side in other books.