Building a Classical Music Library
A Review of Bill Parker's book to help the would-be classical collector with music appreciation.
Jul 13, 2006
Starting a classical music library can be intimidating to say the least. Not only must the would-be collector navigate through the multiple recording options for each work, but he or she usually must do so on a budget.
And what if you don't happen to have a classical music degree? Where do you even begin to start? Building a Classical Music Library promises to "[make] music appreciation approachable" and from its introductory definitions of classical music to its tips on finding affordable albums, this 286 page guide does just that.
Starting with Gregorian chant from the Middle Ages and concluding with Mimimalism from the 20th century, author Bill Parker covers the breadth of Western Art music. Highlighted in particular are composers with wider public appeal, composers whose works don't demand advanced knowledge for enjoyment.
So an electronic and experimental music lover will not find Karlheinz Stockhausen, Milton Babbitt, or Olivier Messiaen on the list, but the listener who can only think of Mozart and Beethoven when pressed to name classical composers will be introduced to John Adams, Igor Stravinsky, and Arnold Schoenberg.
Bill Parker sets the historical context with a brief biographical background for each composer and provides publishing and performance information for the specific recordings he chooses to represent each composer's work (if he included every recording available for each composer, the list would be a few volumes long).
If you are new to classical music or well-versed but simply want a convenient list of note-worthy recordings by which to supplement your collection, you will find Building a Classical Music Library to be a valuable addition to your shelves.
