How to Listen to and Understand Great Music, 3rd Edition

De: Robert Greenberg, The Great Courses

Narrado por: Robert Greenberg

Great music is a language unto its own, a means of communication of unmatched beauty and genius. And it has an undeniable power to move us in ways that enrich our lives - provided it is understood.

If you have ever longed to appreciate great concert music, to learn its glorious language and share in its sublime pleasures, the way is now open to you, through this series of 48 wonderful lectures designed to make music accessible to everyone who yearns to know it, regardless of prior training or knowledge. It's a lecture series that will enable you to first grasp music's forms, techniques, and terms - the grammatical elements that make you fluent in its language - and then use that newfound fluency to finally hear and understand what the greatest composers in history are actually saying to us.

And as you learn the gifts given us by nearly every major composer, you'll come to know there is one we share with each of them - a common humanity that lets us finally understand that these were simply people speaking to us, sharing their passion and wanting desperately to be heard. Using digitally recorded musical passages to illustrate his points, Professor Greenberg will take you inside magnificent compositions by Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Verdi, Wagner, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, and more. Even if you have listened to many of these illustrative pieces throughout your life - as so many of us have - you will never hear them the same way again after experiencing these lectures.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2006 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2006 The Great Courses

Breaking New Grounds

There are very few books that seem to take advantage of audiobook technology as this one has. It is a lecture explaining the origin of music, as well as the developments and changes of schools of thought behind each form of music and how to develop an ear for it, with snippets of the music discussed broken down in each lecture to clarify the lecturer's point, followed by the full piece discussed at the end.

I feel like I can understand music, even modern music, better.

I'm now smarter but I have miles to go

This was a fantastic introduction to all the music I've been listening to without any understanding for decades. Even before I was done with this series of lectures I went out and bought 3 more classes from Professor Greenberg.
I really enjoyed the insightful guided tour through hundreds of years of music, but it was the humor and anecdotes which, along with the amazing music, keep me coming back for more.

Upbeat

Greenberg is a crazy man, very dramatic and funny. The focus is on classical music as opposed to popular music and he would likely object to my use of both terms. He introduces the music and composers who moved the art forward. Thus, this course is also a history of music in the context of the history of culture and politics. The series is replete with biographical anecdotes of famous composers which are always entertaining and interesting. The main point is to guide the listener through the mysteries of great music so that you might gain a greater appreciation of how music is put together and its place in history and culture. Although the subject can be dry at times, Greenberg will have you laughing in explosive and unexpected moments in every lecture.

I Kinda Get It!

At last a music history course, and I didn't even know I wanted one! Now I want more, and recommend this class to anyone who'd like to round out understanding of the arts. At first the narrator/writer annoyed me some, too chummy, but I got over that and grew to appreciate his earthy style and manner.

super entertaining

this is the best course I've listened to in terms of delivery and energy. awesome.

Well done

I learned a lot from the professor. Taking time to learn about a totally new field has been well worth it.
Among the many things I learned is that opera as a genre is not for me. Over the years I hope to learn more about many areas of music. I now have a deep respect for those who write and play music. this book is well worth your time and a credit.
There is a lot to recommend this course including the most engaging storyteller I have ever had the pleasure of listening to.
Enjoy I know I did .

incredible. Robert Greenberg is a genius

absolutely loved it and learnt so much. I'm going to replay it immediately. You won't be disappointed.

Masterpiece

This was the best audible book I ever listened to. It's one of those books I plan to listen to again. I feel like it made me a better person. I can't say enough about it and have been sending the link to this to all my friends. Everyone I know has had the same reaction.

Utterly excellent!

If you could sum up How to Listen to and Understand Great Music, 3rd Edition in three words, what would they be?

thorough, rich, insightful!

What did you like best about this story?

Robert Greenberg has an incredible amount of information, which he conveys so clearly and with so much conviction it's hard to believe. His passion and sense of humor add to the entertainment of learning just how far music has come.

Have you listened to any of Professor Robert Greenberg’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

First and won't be the last!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Literally impossible. It made for weeks and weeks of enjoyment.

Any additional comments?

My sincere thanks for the inspiration and information!!

Loved this course!!

So interesting, so great to listen to, I really learned a lot. I highly recommend