Features
- Cover Type: Hard Cover with 697 pages
- Published by: W. W. Norton & Company October 1992
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 039395191X
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-0393951912
-
Book Dimensions:
9.6 x 6.4 x 1.5 inches
- Weighs: 2.2 pounds
Reader Reviews
Downs' book comes from the Norton Introduction to Music History Series. I've read the others (excluding Hill's book on Baroque Music not yet released), and while it's good, it's unfortunately the weakest of the lot. The book is geared for graduate study in music, and is a little too heady for beginners (by the way, the book's title refers only to Western music in the Classic Period, c.1760-1830). Downs takes a chronological approach to the subject, but begins with a boring introduction on Eighteenth-century philosophy and musical aesthetics. This really is a shame, because the rest of the book (if you make it through) happens to be much better. Downs covers the early emergence of Classic music out of the Baroque, and then follows with two short chapters on the first halves of Haydn and Mozart, respectively. After another interlude on music and other aspects during the Classic Period, Downs resumes with Haydn, Mozart, adds some Beethoven, and then leads the transition into the nineteenth century. Despite the boring beginning, Downs' writing style is still very rigorous and scholarly. He makes many references to the book's sister, the Norton Anthology of Classical Music, and provides the most in-depth analyses of the entire Norton Series. I feel bad giving the book three stars, but the other books by Atlas, Plantinga, Morgan and Hoppin are all better. Reinhard Pauly's book is also out there, but it's shorter and I haven't read it. Norton also published Charles Rosen's book Classical Style in 1999, which may be in response to this volume. I must say, however, that on information alone, this book is very good and can be a great reference.
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