In this fascinating analysis of how to listen to music intelligently, Aaron Copland raises two basic questions: Are you hearing everything that is going on? Are you really being sensitive to it? If you cannot answer yes to both questions, you owe it to yourself to read this book. Whether you listen to Mozart or Duke Ellington, Aaron Copland’s provocative suggestions for listening to music from his point of view will bring you a deeper appreciation of the most rewarding of all art forms. This classic work, the only book of its kind written by an eminent American composer, features:
• Chapters on contemporary music and film music
• Recommended recordings for each chapter
• A selected list of books for further reading and reference
In this edition, leading music critic Alan Rich continues Copland’s discussion of contemporary music for today’s listeners and traces the composer’s success in bringing music lovers “closer to the magical mysteries of the music we can hear and want to hear better.”
Foreword by Alan Rich
Introduction by William Schuman
Author's Note for the 1957 Edition
Preface
Acknowledgments
1. Preliminaries
2. How We Listen
3. The Creative Process in Music
4. The Four Elements of Music - I. Rhythm
5. The Four Elements of Music - II. Melody
6. The Four Elements of Music - III. Harmony
7. The Four Elements of Music - IV. Tone Color
8. Musical Texture
9. Musical Structure
10. Fundamental Forms - I. Sectional Form
11. Fundamental Forms - II. Variation Form
12. Fundamental Forms - III. Fugal Form
13. Fundamental Forms - IV. Sonata Form
14. Fundamental Forms - V. Free Forms
15. Opera and Music Drama
16. Contemporary Music
17. Film Music
18. From Composer to Interpreter to Listener
Epilogue: "Since Then" by Alan Rich
Appendix I
Appendix II
Appendix III
Selected Bibliography for Further Reading
Index
“One of the most helpful, sensible, and enjoyable discourses on the subject ever published.”—Victor Record Review
“By far the best thing of its kind yet to appear.”—Modern Music
“The definitive guide to musical enjoyment.”—Forum
