Perfect Pitch: 100 pieces of classical music to bring joy, tears, solace, empathy, inspiration

by Tim Bouverie

100 pieces of classical music to bring joy, tears, solace, laughter, inspiration, empathy & everything else in between

"Thank you to Tim Bouverie for this book which can be enjoyed as much by the hard-nosed professional as the beginner, anxious to learn something of this great music." – Jools Holland

"A treat from the very first page... the perfect introduction to classical music for a beginner, a companion for the music lover, and sheer entertainment for both." – Joanna Lumley
 
A book for anyone who wants to bring more classical music into their life and doesn't know where to start.
 
Nearly all of us have the capacity to enjoy classical music but too often we are put off by not knowing where to look, or what we are actually looking for. We feel the need of a guide to help navigate such vast and varied artistic terrain.

With this delightful book, historian Tim Bouverie provides just this. Drawing on his lifelong passion for music, he has created a compilation of 100 classical masterpieces sure to move and be enjoyed by almost anyone. Some are well-known, some more idiosyncratic, others hidden gems waiting to be brought into the light. All are intended to comfort and inspire. He provides a short introduction to each piece – variously anecdotal, personal, historical and quirky – and a recommended recording to try.

Highly accessible and entertaining, Perfect Pitch is filled with engrossing stories and insights that bring to life 300 years of the world's greatest music.
 
An accompanying playlist is available on Spotify.
 
"The most beautifully written explanation of classical music I have come across...Brilliant." – Victoria Hislop

"Generous and passionate… astutely blends context and anecdote, always delivered with smiling and enthusiastic authority." – Dame Jane Glover, conductor and author of Mozart's Women

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

Published October 3, 2023

About the author

Tim Bouverie is the author of the Sunday Times bestseller 'Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain Churchill and the Road to War', shortlisted for the Orwell Prize.

His new book, 'Allies at War: The Politics of Defeating Hitler' is published by Bodley Head on 17 April 2025.

He studied history at Christ Church Oxford and was the 2020-21 Alistair Horne Fellow at St Antony’s College, Oxford.

Pre-reviews for 'Allies at War':

‘Allies at War cements Tim Bouverie's reputation as one of the most talented young historians we have. Magisterial in scope, shrewd in its judgements, well-written and often amusing, Allies at War is the best book I have ever read about the politics of the Second World War. It is a book I wish I had written.’ – Tim Shipman

‘In Allies at War, Tim Bouverie fully lives up to the dazzling reputation he won with Appeasing Hitler. Again, he combines depth of research, shrewdness of judgment and lightness of touch. The result is an absorbing read as well as a major work of history, illuminating the drama and complexity of modern history's greatest and yet most troubled alliance.’ – Professor Robert Tombs

‘A sweeping, fast-paced narrative of one of the great turning points of the 20th century. Deeply researched yet highly readable.’ – Professor David Reynolds

‘A grand sweep of history - a brilliant narrative’ – Antony Beevor

Praise for 'Appeasing Hitler'

‘An astonishingly accomplished debut. - Antony Beevor

‘A brilliant and sparkling debut...that reads like a thriller. I couldn’t put it down.' - Peter Frankopan

‘An unusually talented writer, one of the most promising young historians to enter our field for years.' - Max Hastings

‘Every so often I've been escaping to the corner of my garden and losing myself in Tim
Bouverie's brilliant Appeasing Hitler. It's a compelling read that combines detailed research with a flair for narrative.’ - Nick Robinson, Radio Times

‘Drawing on an impressive and interesting range of sources and characters, Tim Bouverie has written a fascinating and scholarly portrait of a decade when credulity, self-interest and poor judgement prevailed tragically and inexorably over morality and good sense: this is the reporting of history at its best’ - Caroline Moorehead

‘Appeasing Hitler is the stunning debut of a major new narrative historian. A riveting and
depressing story which has resonance today as the democracies again face dictatorships.' - Professor Margaret Macmillan

‘In meticulous detail and with moments of novelty and insight… [Appeasing Hitler] should become a standard text on this inglorious episode… an exceptionally promising debut. He has great narrative abilities and his research has been extensive.’ - Simon Heffer, Daily Telegraph

‘Sparkling and witty... The best account of the subject that I have ever read. ' - Professor Sir Michael Howard

‘This gripping book is…valuable because it illuminates some eternal truths’ - Andrew Rawnsley, Observer

‘Tim Bouverie tells the story of appeasement with skill, verve and panache, using contemporary accounts to great effect in exploring the mentalities that lay behind the
political decisions’ - Ian Kershaw

Reviews

[David Dunlap · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover blurb from the Mail on Sunday should, perhaps, alerted me to the fact that I am not the intended audience for this book: "The perfect gift for anyone asking the question: 'How do I get into classical music?'" --But the subtitle led me to think that this might be something akin to a manual of musical therapy: suggestions of music to fit one's moods or emotional needs at any given time. It is not. Instead, it's one music lover's list of the Top 100 pieces of classical music. (The book grew out of the author's desire to pass time during the pandemic lockdowns...) Of course, any such list must be idiosyncratic (and this one is, to be sure); but, on the whole, as a classical music aficionado myself, I am impressed by the selections the author has made. (Given that, I am still rather surprised by some of the omissions: Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto, Dvorak's Cello Concerto, *anything* by Vaughan Williams [an amazing omission, given Mr. Bouverie's nationality!], Debussy, OR Ravel, etc.) The reader is provided with background and vignettes for each selection. Some of these were new to me: that the second symphony of Sibelius, for example, had its roots in the composer's contemplation of an orchestral tone poem on the subject of Don Juan or Dante's Inferno. Or that Richard Strauss, thoroughly disenchanted with Christianity and its effects on civilization, planned to name his Alpine Symphony 'Der Antikrist' (after Nietzsche). There are also suggested recordings for each of the 100 entries; kudos to the breadth of these -- they are by no means restricted to fairly recent releases. What I took away from this book -- and found especially helpful -- is the chronological arrangement of the 100 selections: one tends to think of each composer in a timeline all his/her own. I was delighted to see what Schubert was composing at the approximate same time as Beethoven was writing his Ninth Symphony. We encounter Rossini at #28 (for his 'Barber of Seville,' which predates the Beethoven Ninth) and then meet him again at #55 (for his 'Petite Messe Solenelle,' which was composed after Wagner's 'Tristan and Isolde'). Fittingly, the book ends with Richard Strauss's 'Four Last Songs' -- it is unclear to me as to whether the author deliberately excluded any music after 1948 so as to conclude his book with this...or whether he believes that no noteworthy music has emerged since that time. But, ultimately, this doesn't matter: this is a light bon-bon of a book that will delight the classical music 'newbie,' as well as providing the more seasoned listener with things to savor.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be an ideal book for someone not familiar with classical music, as it would introduce them to some of the great works, with a little bit of background about the composers, history and events, as well as a description of why that piece made Tim Bouverie's top 100. Most of the pieces listed would have probably made my top 100 as well (although I would maybe have included Bach's St Matthew passion as well or instead of the mass in B Minor - very close call). I really enjoyed reading the entries and hearing the music in my head as I went along. I am planning to pick one of the pieces to play whilst working each day and I am looking forward to discovering some of the work I didn't know.

PS. I think that including "The Ring" as one entry is probably cheating, but more than understandable.

[Felicity · Rating 4 out of 5]

My partner's parents gave this to me for Christmas. I am a professional musician so I am not sure I am the target audience but never the less I enjoyed reading this book.

Bouverie is not a musician but has loved classical music since he was a child. He usually writes about History but after sharing classical playlists to friends during lockdown his publisher persuaded him to do this book. Of course all these pieces aren't necessary "the best 100 pieces" (which he acknowledges) but they are a broad spectrum of most genres in classical music and expose people to different composers and styles as well as different moods. I enjoyed the bits of research and have discovered a few pieces I didn't know as well as seeing many of my favourites on the list.

A great book for anyone who is new to classical music or if you want to discover some new pieces you might have missed.

[Jim Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Perfect Pitch, Tim Bouverie provides short essays on music he loves and thinks others will love. It’s not a list of the hundred greatest (whatever that may mean), but simply a hundred great pieces. I was already familiar with a substantial number of these, but the essays still often pointed out things I did not know. An overall pleasant read for lovers of classical music.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually an enjoyable experience with reading about and listening to one of the hundred pieces each day. Some new works to my ears so always a plus. Ultimately Bouverie’s choices are personal to him so disagreement seems to be ungentlemanly but having nothing of the last seventy years of classical music represented seems rather odd.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skim-read. Quite a lovely little hand-hold through a selection of classical music. Accompanied by a Spotify play list.

[Antonio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps a good book to get into classical music - good selection of music from all periods. I wished the summaries of the pieces were more engaging. Good for a "100-day" type of challenge reaging.

[Dominic Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent primer to some of the greatest music ever composed with a helpful guide to standout recordings. A useful introduction to classical music.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book , filled with stories of classical pieces from the last 300 years of music. Introduced me to some beautiful pieces for the first time. A book to keep forever