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What to Listen for in Music
Whether they listen to Mozart or Duke Ellington, Aaron Copland invites readers to ask two basic Are they hearing everything that is going on? Are they really being sensitive to it? With his provocative suggestions, Aaron Copland guides readers through a deeper appreciation of the most rewarding of all art forms.
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1939
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About the author
Aaron Copland
410 books76 followersWorks of American composer Aaron Copland include the ballets
Rodeo
(1942) and
Appalachian Spring
(1944), which won a Pulitzer Prize, any of several awards that, conferred annually for accomplishment in various fields of American journalism, literature, and music, Joseph Pulitzer established.
His musical works ranged from orchestral to choral and movie scores. For the better part of four decades, people considered Aaron Copland the premier.
From an older sister, Copland learned to play piano. He decided his career before the time he fifteen years in 1915. His first tentative steps included a correspondence course in writing harmony. In 1921, Copland traveled to Paris to attend the newly founded music school for Americans at Fontainebleau. He, the first such American, studied of the brilliant teacher, Nadia Juliette Boulanger. After three years in Paris, he returned to New York with his first major commission, writing an organ concerto for the American appearances of Boulanger. His "Symphony for Organ and Orchestra" premiered in at Carnegie Hall in 1925.
Growth of Copland mirrored important trends of his time. After his return from Paris, he worked with jazz rhythms in his "Piano Concerto" (1926). Neoclassicism of Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky strongly influenced his "Piano Variations" (1930).
In 1936, he changed his orientation toward a simpler style. This made his music more meaningful to the large loving audience that radio and the movies created. American folklore based his most important works, including "Billy the Kid" (1938) and "Rodeo" (1942), during this period. Another work during this period, a series of movie scores, included "Of Mice and Men" (1938) and "The Heiress" (1948).
In later years, work of Copland reflected the serial techniques of the "12-tone" school of Arnold Schoenberg. People commissioned notable "Connotations" (1962) for the opening of Lincoln center.
Copland after 1970 stopped composing but through the mid-1980s continued to lecture and to conduct. He died at the Phelps memorial hospital in Tarrytown (Westchester county), New York.
His musical works ranged from orchestral to choral and movie scores. For the better part of four decades, people considered Aaron Copland the premier.
From an older sister, Copland learned to play piano. He decided his career before the time he fifteen years in 1915. His first tentative steps included a correspondence course in writing harmony. In 1921, Copland traveled to Paris to attend the newly founded music school for Americans at Fontainebleau. He, the first such American, studied of the brilliant teacher, Nadia Juliette Boulanger. After three years in Paris, he returned to New York with his first major commission, writing an organ concerto for the American appearances of Boulanger. His "Symphony for Organ and Orchestra" premiered in at Carnegie Hall in 1925.
Growth of Copland mirrored important trends of his time. After his return from Paris, he worked with jazz rhythms in his "Piano Concerto" (1926). Neoclassicism of Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky strongly influenced his "Piano Variations" (1930).
In 1936, he changed his orientation toward a simpler style. This made his music more meaningful to the large loving audience that radio and the movies created. American folklore based his most important works, including "Billy the Kid" (1938) and "Rodeo" (1942), during this period. Another work during this period, a series of movie scores, included "Of Mice and Men" (1938) and "The Heiress" (1948).
In later years, work of Copland reflected the serial techniques of the "12-tone" school of Arnold Schoenberg. People commissioned notable "Connotations" (1962) for the opening of Lincoln center.
Copland after 1970 stopped composing but through the mid-1980s continued to lecture and to conduct. He died at the Phelps memorial hospital in Tarrytown (Westchester county), New York.
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September 28, 2024
5 ⭐
Coming back to this one after more than 2 years to give it the respect it deserves and upgrade my rating from 4 to 5 stars. Almost anytime I'm discussing music, reading about it, playing it etc. I'm reminded of some random fact that I learned for the first time here and which is yet to evacuate my hippocampus. A rarity among books which cover so much theoretical ground.
I'd also like to note that my position on Copland's "pretentiousness" when discussing the listener's reaction to contemporary classical (specifically of the atonal variety with dissonances that might be perceived as harsh) music has softened to the point that I largely agree with his view and feel that his delivery was about as fair and measured as an educated composer could be. I'll leave the paragraph in as it's probably a decent indication of the different response a reader with next to no musical knowledge could have compared to one with... Well, still next to none but a couple more years listening experience 😂
Thanks, first and foremost, to Diane for the (ongoing) buddy read/discussion. I, being the undisciplined and selfish buddy-reader that I am, skipped ahead but I’ve been the beneficiary of her great wealth of musical knowledge so far and am looking forward to continuing what’s been a great back-and-forth!
- Aaron Copland
“Plunged into the creative heart of the music of the master composers, we become master listeners. Dinner can wait.”
Why should one read a book on what to listen for in music? Well, in this case, if for no other reason, it was written by one of the twentieth century’s great American composers, Aaron Copland, so not only should you come away knowing how to listen to music with greater attentiveness and understanding, but additionally, with a rare insight into the creative mind of a successful composer and perhaps a couple of juicy little anecdotes.
William Schuman writes, in the introduction, that “listening to music is a skill that is acquired through experience and learning. Knowledge enhances enjoyment.”, and in keeping with this , Copland’s main objective here is to make the reader a better listener by empowering them through the acquisition of knowledge; knowledge of musical history and developmentally important epochs, of fundamental forms and musical structures, and of the orchestra and its multitudinous instruments and effective pairings. The book is, therefore, more an introduction to all of these aspects (“What to listen for…”) rather than a comprehensive “How To listen…”, as the title accurately suggests.
In the interest of finding out whether anything here might tickle your fancy, a number of areas covered in the book include: The 4 elements of music (rhythm, melody, harmony and tone colour), Musical textures (monophonic, homophonic and polyphonic), fundamental forms (sectional, variation, fugal, sonata and free-form), and some brief chapters on Opera and Musical Drama, contemporary and film music. The Opera chapter is merely a historical account of the form, while the chapters on contemporary and film music were later additions to the 1957 revision of the text, so read contemporary as ”contemporary”. Overall, the depth of exploration is really only satisfactory for the musical novice but the book has the universal appeal of having these ideas expressed through the filter of a very successful composer.
”Unfortunately for music, many listeners are content to sit in an emotional bath and limit their reaction to music to the sensuous element of being surrounded by sounds. But the sounds are organized; the sounds have intellectual as well as emotional appeal.”
As you read through, you’ll also accumulate a ridiculous number of fantastic listening recommendations from Copland which are collected from the body of the text and placed in a list at the end of each chapter. I was left with roughly two A4 pages full of recommendations of which I’ve only heard about half. The half that I have heard gives me faith that the entire list is likely top notch. Among these listening recs are a small number of listening exercises that Copland suggests, almost always revolving around the works of JS Bach.
One such inclusion is the Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582 which, in keeping with his belief in the necessity of repeated listening (”If you really wish to hear what goes on in these forms, you must be willing to go after them again and again”), Copland urges ”the lay listener… to study the notes or the recording or both many times, as few compositions will better repay careful listening”. Well, I took this very seriously; I must’ve listened to it 15 times a day for a week straight; on Organ, piano four-hands, orchestra, you name it - and indeed, it is a bit of an onion! During this intensive listening program, I was feeling a bit under the weather and was doing a pretty menial task out the back at work when I started experiencing a stabbing chest pain! I’d love to tell you that my life flashed before my eyes or that I feared death or mourned those I would leave behind in the case of a heart attack but, honestly, as I clutched my chest—as the Fugue reached its peak and the Organ sang out from the castle of heaven—the prevailing thought in my mind was “Man! What if I die with THE most epic background death track and no one sees OR hears it!” I suggested my partner save it on her phone, so if there's even a hint that I'm on the way out, I'll pull her in and, using my last few dying breaths, compel her to "p..play the... the bloody...passacaglia!" and the fugal climax of Bach's passacaglia will be witnessed by all present as the theme to my death. Marvellous!... Look, I’m not a mind reader but the look on her face suggested a hard no… I’ll keep chippin’ away!
“Music can only be really alive when there are listeners who are really alive. To listen intently, to listen consciously, to listen with one’s whole intelligence is the least we can do in the furtherance of an art that is one of the glories of mankind.”
All has been pretty hunky dory so far but there are a couple of minor issues I have with the book.
The first is the great number of times Copland avoids deeper discussion of interesting areas of musical theory with some variation of ”in a nontechnical book of this sort, it is not possible to make the measure-by-measure explanation” of this or, Oh, that?...that’s "too technical for discussion here". I understand and appreciate that the target audience for the work is the layman, however, teasing the reader so very often with just the foreplay of a tantalising idea and then retreating to another topic leaves one just a bit unsatisfied with the resulting depth, or lack thereof, of meaningful analysis. Being only a very short book, I feel there was space here to expand on certain areas without scaring away a broader audience; anyone who can understand what is in this book will still get as much, if not more, out of a slightly more complex text. Come on, Cops! Give the average musical nuffy (me) a bit of credit.
The second negative is, honestly, still up for discussion for me; I’d love to know what others think. Pretentiousness, in Copland’s writing, is entirely absent from this work until the chapter on “contemporary music”(circa 1957) added to the revised edition of that year. I don’t think it’s intentional, and I might be out of line here, but sentences like these really grind my gears:
”when [a piece of music] seems to be giving off little feeling or sentiment, there is a good chance that you are being insensitive to the characteristic musical speech of your own epoch.”
OR
”If… you find yourself rejecting music because it is too dissonant, it probably indicates that your ear is insufficiently accustomed to our present-day musical vocabulary, and needs more practice…”
Despite the fact that Copland adds the caveat, ”there is always the possibility that the composer himself may be at fault through the writing of uninspired or wilful dissonances”, the general tone of the entire chapter would suggest that if you don’t like the sound of something than you are probably just not ready for it and, while I don’t entirely disagree with his point, I do think it sets a murky precedent; it’s almost like musical gaslighting and Copland comes off as more than a little defensive of the contemporary music of his time and, perhaps specifically, the lukewarm public reception his own piano variations received when first released. At the end of the day, if you can explain to someone why Copland’s piano variations are so great, and after listening a dozen times, they still come away feeling like they’ve just listened to the dissonant tones of 100 screeching cats having their tails stepped on in varying sequences, by different sized feet and a myriad selection of variegated footwear; well, so be it, that person’s experience was a negative one, but no less valid for it!
“The destiny of a piece of music, while basically in the hands of the composer and performer, also depends on the attitude and ability of the listener. It is the listener in the larger sense who dictates the ultimate acceptance or rejection of the composition and performer.”
A fantastic launch pad for those looking to learn the basics of “Classical” music. You’ll come away with a good birds-eye view of musical forms and textures as well as collecting an enormous playlist of new music to work through; a detour past that that frustrating early question of “Ok, Classical Music… Where do I start?!”
Coming back to this one after more than 2 years to give it the respect it deserves and upgrade my rating from 4 to 5 stars. Almost anytime I'm discussing music, reading about it, playing it etc. I'm reminded of some random fact that I learned for the first time here and which is yet to evacuate my hippocampus. A rarity among books which cover so much theoretical ground.
I'd also like to note that my position on Copland's "pretentiousness" when discussing the listener's reaction to contemporary classical (specifically of the atonal variety with dissonances that might be perceived as harsh) music has softened to the point that I largely agree with his view and feel that his delivery was about as fair and measured as an educated composer could be. I'll leave the paragraph in as it's probably a decent indication of the different response a reader with next to no musical knowledge could have compared to one with... Well, still next to none but a couple more years listening experience 😂
Thanks, first and foremost, to Diane for the (ongoing) buddy read/discussion. I, being the undisciplined and selfish buddy-reader that I am, skipped ahead but I’ve been the beneficiary of her great wealth of musical knowledge so far and am looking forward to continuing what’s been a great back-and-forth!
- Aaron Copland
“Plunged into the creative heart of the music of the master composers, we become master listeners. Dinner can wait.”
Why should one read a book on what to listen for in music? Well, in this case, if for no other reason, it was written by one of the twentieth century’s great American composers, Aaron Copland, so not only should you come away knowing how to listen to music with greater attentiveness and understanding, but additionally, with a rare insight into the creative mind of a successful composer and perhaps a couple of juicy little anecdotes.
William Schuman writes, in the introduction, that “listening to music is a skill that is acquired through experience and learning. Knowledge enhances enjoyment.”, and in keeping with this , Copland’s main objective here is to make the reader a better listener by empowering them through the acquisition of knowledge; knowledge of musical history and developmentally important epochs, of fundamental forms and musical structures, and of the orchestra and its multitudinous instruments and effective pairings. The book is, therefore, more an introduction to all of these aspects (“What to listen for…”) rather than a comprehensive “How To listen…”, as the title accurately suggests.
In the interest of finding out whether anything here might tickle your fancy, a number of areas covered in the book include: The 4 elements of music (rhythm, melody, harmony and tone colour), Musical textures (monophonic, homophonic and polyphonic), fundamental forms (sectional, variation, fugal, sonata and free-form), and some brief chapters on Opera and Musical Drama, contemporary and film music. The Opera chapter is merely a historical account of the form, while the chapters on contemporary and film music were later additions to the 1957 revision of the text, so read contemporary as ”contemporary”. Overall, the depth of exploration is really only satisfactory for the musical novice but the book has the universal appeal of having these ideas expressed through the filter of a very successful composer.
”Unfortunately for music, many listeners are content to sit in an emotional bath and limit their reaction to music to the sensuous element of being surrounded by sounds. But the sounds are organized; the sounds have intellectual as well as emotional appeal.”
As you read through, you’ll also accumulate a ridiculous number of fantastic listening recommendations from Copland which are collected from the body of the text and placed in a list at the end of each chapter. I was left with roughly two A4 pages full of recommendations of which I’ve only heard about half. The half that I have heard gives me faith that the entire list is likely top notch. Among these listening recs are a small number of listening exercises that Copland suggests, almost always revolving around the works of JS Bach.
One such inclusion is the Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582 which, in keeping with his belief in the necessity of repeated listening (”If you really wish to hear what goes on in these forms, you must be willing to go after them again and again”), Copland urges ”the lay listener… to study the notes or the recording or both many times, as few compositions will better repay careful listening”. Well, I took this very seriously; I must’ve listened to it 15 times a day for a week straight; on Organ, piano four-hands, orchestra, you name it - and indeed, it is a bit of an onion! During this intensive listening program, I was feeling a bit under the weather and was doing a pretty menial task out the back at work when I started experiencing a stabbing chest pain! I’d love to tell you that my life flashed before my eyes or that I feared death or mourned those I would leave behind in the case of a heart attack but, honestly, as I clutched my chest—as the Fugue reached its peak and the Organ sang out from the castle of heaven—the prevailing thought in my mind was “Man! What if I die with THE most epic background death track and no one sees OR hears it!” I suggested my partner save it on her phone, so if there's even a hint that I'm on the way out, I'll pull her in and, using my last few dying breaths, compel her to "p..play the... the bloody...passacaglia!" and the fugal climax of Bach's passacaglia will be witnessed by all present as the theme to my death. Marvellous!... Look, I’m not a mind reader but the look on her face suggested a hard no… I’ll keep chippin’ away!
“Music can only be really alive when there are listeners who are really alive. To listen intently, to listen consciously, to listen with one’s whole intelligence is the least we can do in the furtherance of an art that is one of the glories of mankind.”
All has been pretty hunky dory so far but there are a couple of minor issues I have with the book.
The first is the great number of times Copland avoids deeper discussion of interesting areas of musical theory with some variation of ”in a nontechnical book of this sort, it is not possible to make the measure-by-measure explanation” of this or, Oh, that?...that’s "too technical for discussion here". I understand and appreciate that the target audience for the work is the layman, however, teasing the reader so very often with just the foreplay of a tantalising idea and then retreating to another topic leaves one just a bit unsatisfied with the resulting depth, or lack thereof, of meaningful analysis. Being only a very short book, I feel there was space here to expand on certain areas without scaring away a broader audience; anyone who can understand what is in this book will still get as much, if not more, out of a slightly more complex text. Come on, Cops! Give the average musical nuffy (me) a bit of credit.
The second negative is, honestly, still up for discussion for me; I’d love to know what others think. Pretentiousness, in Copland’s writing, is entirely absent from this work until the chapter on “contemporary music”(circa 1957) added to the revised edition of that year. I don’t think it’s intentional, and I might be out of line here, but sentences like these really grind my gears:
”when [a piece of music] seems to be giving off little feeling or sentiment, there is a good chance that you are being insensitive to the characteristic musical speech of your own epoch.”
OR
”If… you find yourself rejecting music because it is too dissonant, it probably indicates that your ear is insufficiently accustomed to our present-day musical vocabulary, and needs more practice…”
Despite the fact that Copland adds the caveat, ”there is always the possibility that the composer himself may be at fault through the writing of uninspired or wilful dissonances”, the general tone of the entire chapter would suggest that if you don’t like the sound of something than you are probably just not ready for it and, while I don’t entirely disagree with his point, I do think it sets a murky precedent; it’s almost like musical gaslighting and Copland comes off as more than a little defensive of the contemporary music of his time and, perhaps specifically, the lukewarm public reception his own piano variations received when first released. At the end of the day, if you can explain to someone why Copland’s piano variations are so great, and after listening a dozen times, they still come away feeling like they’ve just listened to the dissonant tones of 100 screeching cats having their tails stepped on in varying sequences, by different sized feet and a myriad selection of variegated footwear; well, so be it, that person’s experience was a negative one, but no less valid for it!
“The destiny of a piece of music, while basically in the hands of the composer and performer, also depends on the attitude and ability of the listener. It is the listener in the larger sense who dictates the ultimate acceptance or rejection of the composition and performer.”
A fantastic launch pad for those looking to learn the basics of “Classical” music. You’ll come away with a good birds-eye view of musical forms and textures as well as collecting an enormous playlist of new music to work through; a detour past that that frustrating early question of “Ok, Classical Music… Where do I start?!”
January 16, 2016
This is a fantastic book for the layperson who wants to become a more intelligent listener and who wants to understand more of what is going on in classical music (note: all classical music, not just the Classical period). Copland begins with an explanation of what music is and how it functions, moves to instruments, then to forms, adds an apologist chapter for contemporary music, and finishes with a chapter of what it means to be a good listener and the very significant role listeners play in the participation of the music creation.
As a book for the layperson, I think it's wonderful. It's smart, detailed, comprehensive, and Copland punctuates his objective analyses with stirring descriptions of the emotional impact of music that remind readers how evanescent and mysterious good music is. It was a real joy to read a work by someone who can describe so well the technical aspects of music, but in a way that refuses to reduce music to something entirely tangible. Copland never loses emphasis on the sublimity of music and the rather inexplicability of why good music sounds and "feels" so good to us.
As a decidedly non-layperson to the music world, I found myself skimming the beginning theory sections. The chapters on forms were a fantastic refresher, however (sorry, long-lost college music theory textbooks), and I enjoyed his discussions of music history throughout. As a fan of Bartok and Villa-Lobos and Satie, I loved Copland's apologist chapter for modern and contemporary music (contemporary for the 1957 edition), reminding readers and listeners that though m/c music is much more difficult because it breaks so thoroughly from the forms and tonal sounds with which we have become familiar (and which are scientifically verified to be mellifluous), it is the music of our day and we only do ourselves a disservice by not participating in it and working to understand it. We may never like it, but it contains riches that deserve our effort and appreciation, like any other period and form.
Copland suggestively defines music as a language for emotions that are inexpressible in written or spoken language. Like any language, true appreciation and fluency requires what Copland asks of his readers/listeners: a commitment to intentional, repeat, thoughtful, engaged listening across all historical periods and art forms. That starts with a greater understanding of the technical aspects of music and composition (which Copland has provided) and culminates in being able to simply let a piece - no matter how "formless" and atonal - happen, giving it the freedom to create nostalgia, to (re)create an emotional experience that envelops us for 10 minutes or three hours. Reading Copland, you wonder why more people don't fully engage their intellect with music. It has so much to offer, and we have so much to offer as listeners. Music really is "one of the glories of mankind." (229)
Of equal importance to the text itself are Copland's listening suggestions of pieces that exemplify the form or element he describes in the preceding chapter. I had intended to listen as I went along, but when I realized I wouldn't finish the book until summer if I kept up with that model, I decided to finish the book and then spend the next few months listening to each piece after a brief refresher of its chapter context. I highly recommend every reader do something similar. It is no good only reading about music; to know music you obviously must listen to it and Copland has provided a wealth of selections for that purpose.
As a book for the layperson, I think it's wonderful. It's smart, detailed, comprehensive, and Copland punctuates his objective analyses with stirring descriptions of the emotional impact of music that remind readers how evanescent and mysterious good music is. It was a real joy to read a work by someone who can describe so well the technical aspects of music, but in a way that refuses to reduce music to something entirely tangible. Copland never loses emphasis on the sublimity of music and the rather inexplicability of why good music sounds and "feels" so good to us.
As a decidedly non-layperson to the music world, I found myself skimming the beginning theory sections. The chapters on forms were a fantastic refresher, however (sorry, long-lost college music theory textbooks), and I enjoyed his discussions of music history throughout. As a fan of Bartok and Villa-Lobos and Satie, I loved Copland's apologist chapter for modern and contemporary music (contemporary for the 1957 edition), reminding readers and listeners that though m/c music is much more difficult because it breaks so thoroughly from the forms and tonal sounds with which we have become familiar (and which are scientifically verified to be mellifluous), it is the music of our day and we only do ourselves a disservice by not participating in it and working to understand it. We may never like it, but it contains riches that deserve our effort and appreciation, like any other period and form.
Copland suggestively defines music as a language for emotions that are inexpressible in written or spoken language. Like any language, true appreciation and fluency requires what Copland asks of his readers/listeners: a commitment to intentional, repeat, thoughtful, engaged listening across all historical periods and art forms. That starts with a greater understanding of the technical aspects of music and composition (which Copland has provided) and culminates in being able to simply let a piece - no matter how "formless" and atonal - happen, giving it the freedom to create nostalgia, to (re)create an emotional experience that envelops us for 10 minutes or three hours. Reading Copland, you wonder why more people don't fully engage their intellect with music. It has so much to offer, and we have so much to offer as listeners. Music really is "one of the glories of mankind." (229)
Of equal importance to the text itself are Copland's listening suggestions of pieces that exemplify the form or element he describes in the preceding chapter. I had intended to listen as I went along, but when I realized I wouldn't finish the book until summer if I kept up with that model, I decided to finish the book and then spend the next few months listening to each piece after a brief refresher of its chapter context. I highly recommend every reader do something similar. It is no good only reading about music; to know music you obviously must listen to it and Copland has provided a wealth of selections for that purpose.
January 19, 2020
"We expect a fine composition brilliantly performed, but how often do we think that it should also be brilliantly heard?"
Music is notoriously difficult to write about and classical music particularly is notoriously difficult to listen to. Aaron Copland, an important composer and conductor of the 20th century himself, makes you disagree with both.
This is the perfect book for people who want to enhance their own listening experience and broaden their understanding of what it really means to listen to music. This is written for laypeople with a curiosity for classical music, making this easily accessible and enlightening.
"Listening to music is a skill that is acquired through experience and learning. Knowledge enhances enjoyment."
Copland begins by explaining the importance of the listener and also notes how we need to give ourselves more credit – people without musical education tend to say that they can't form an opinion about a musical piece, yet we don't think that way in other fields where we might not have an extensive expertise (think reading books or watching films for example).
He then covers everything from the creative process of making music, musical structure, harmonies, rhythm, texture and forms before addressing more contemporary music alongside film scores and operas, too. I'm personally not new to the subject, but still enjoyed his way of explaining things and the way he illustrated seemingly difficult matters of subject.
I know people who feel alienated by classical music and just don't get it. This book perfectly proves that's it's about the commitment and interest one shows – through intentional, repeated listening new structures will be unveiled to the listener.
Music is notoriously difficult to write about and classical music particularly is notoriously difficult to listen to. Aaron Copland, an important composer and conductor of the 20th century himself, makes you disagree with both.
This is the perfect book for people who want to enhance their own listening experience and broaden their understanding of what it really means to listen to music. This is written for laypeople with a curiosity for classical music, making this easily accessible and enlightening.
"Listening to music is a skill that is acquired through experience and learning. Knowledge enhances enjoyment."
Copland begins by explaining the importance of the listener and also notes how we need to give ourselves more credit – people without musical education tend to say that they can't form an opinion about a musical piece, yet we don't think that way in other fields where we might not have an extensive expertise (think reading books or watching films for example).
He then covers everything from the creative process of making music, musical structure, harmonies, rhythm, texture and forms before addressing more contemporary music alongside film scores and operas, too. I'm personally not new to the subject, but still enjoyed his way of explaining things and the way he illustrated seemingly difficult matters of subject.
I know people who feel alienated by classical music and just don't get it. This book perfectly proves that's it's about the commitment and interest one shows – through intentional, repeated listening new structures will be unveiled to the listener.
October 5, 2009
A basic and helpful introduction to music for someone like me, i.e., no music training beyond playing the pianica in primary school, and strumming the guitar round campfires in high school. In this book first written in the 1930s, Copland distinguishes between listening on a sensuous plane (mere enjoyment of the quality of sound) and on expressive and sheerly musical planes. While not slighting the first, he contends that a better understanding of music increases our pleasure in it. Knowledge enhances passion, as I try (rather vainly) to persuade my students about poetry.
A chapter is devoted to each of the four elements of music: rhythm, melody, harmony and tonal quality, and the succinct discussion, giving just enough detail, builds clearly on what has been explained before. There are also chapters on traditional music forms, such as sections, fugues, and sonatas, as well as on free forms. Short passages of score illustrate the point made. They are often from Beethoven, probably because he is most familiar to the reader, but also because he ranks very high in Copland's pantheon. Other composers mentioned more than once include Palestrina, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Debussy, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Webern, Roy Harris. As to be expected from a contemporary composer, Copland makes a pitch for modern music: it is difficult, he acknowledges, but it is continuous in its use of musical elements with what has gone on before.
To illustrate "free" forms, Copland, rather surprisingly, refers to Bach.
There is a chapter on opera and music drama, in which he lines up the composers on opposing sides based on whether they exalt the word or the music. Wagner he praises for his music, but deplores for his ideas and words: total art was a failure. A chapter on film music, a genre Copland himself wrote, focuses on the process of composition and collaboration.
A good part of the book's fascination for me lies in this insider's point of view, the perspective of the maker. In an introductory section, Copland defends the "expressiveness" of music against the proponents of "pure" music. That defence seems to rest on the idea of authorial intention. The composer hits upon a musical theme and develops it the way he does because he wishes to express "something" through the music. Though that "something" is necessarily general, like an emotion, it matters as what the composer wishes to communicate to his listeners.
Copland urges the reader to listen for "the long line," the path along which a piece of music develops, and finally coheres. He describes la grande ligne this way:
In his references to the evolution of musical forms, he highlights the trend, without reifying it, towards the blurring of boundaries between sections, movements etc., and therefore a greater organicity. The "dissonance" of modern music lies in our unfamiliar ears, and is not so very different from the dissonance of earlier innovative music in the ears of its own contemporary audience. The difference is a matter of degree, and not of kind.
A chapter is devoted to each of the four elements of music: rhythm, melody, harmony and tonal quality, and the succinct discussion, giving just enough detail, builds clearly on what has been explained before. There are also chapters on traditional music forms, such as sections, fugues, and sonatas, as well as on free forms. Short passages of score illustrate the point made. They are often from Beethoven, probably because he is most familiar to the reader, but also because he ranks very high in Copland's pantheon. Other composers mentioned more than once include Palestrina, Bach, Tchaikovsky, Debussy, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Webern, Roy Harris. As to be expected from a contemporary composer, Copland makes a pitch for modern music: it is difficult, he acknowledges, but it is continuous in its use of musical elements with what has gone on before.
To illustrate "free" forms, Copland, rather surprisingly, refers to Bach.
Bach wrote a good many preludes (very often followed by a balancing fugue) many of which are in "free" form. It was these that Busoni pointed to as an example of the path that he thought music should take. Bach achieved a unity of design in these "free" preludes either by adopting a pattern of well-defined character or by a clear progression of chordal harmonies which lead one from the beginning of a piece to the end without utilizing any repetition of thematic materials. Often, both methods are combined. By these means Bach engenders a feeling of free fantasy and a bold freedom of design that would be impossible to achieve within a strict form. When one hears them, the conviction grows that Busoni was quite right in saying that the future problems of handling form in music are bound up with this Bach-like freedom in form.
There is a chapter on opera and music drama, in which he lines up the composers on opposing sides based on whether they exalt the word or the music. Wagner he praises for his music, but deplores for his ideas and words: total art was a failure. A chapter on film music, a genre Copland himself wrote, focuses on the process of composition and collaboration.
A good part of the book's fascination for me lies in this insider's point of view, the perspective of the maker. In an introductory section, Copland defends the "expressiveness" of music against the proponents of "pure" music. That defence seems to rest on the idea of authorial intention. The composer hits upon a musical theme and develops it the way he does because he wishes to express "something" through the music. Though that "something" is necessarily general, like an emotion, it matters as what the composer wishes to communicate to his listeners.
Copland urges the reader to listen for "the long line," the path along which a piece of music develops, and finally coheres. He describes la grande ligne this way:
It is difficult adequately to explain the meaning of that phrase to the layman. To be properly understood in relation to a piece of music, it must be felt. In mere words, it simply means that every good piece of music must give us a sense of flow--a sense of continuity from first note to last. Every elementary music student knows the principle, but to put it into practice has challenged the greatest minds in music! A great symphony is a man-made Mississippi down which we irresistibly flow from the instant of our leave-taking to a long foreseen destination. Music must always flow, for that is part of its very essence, but the creation of that continuity and flow--that long line--constitutes the be-all and end-all of every composer's existence.
In his references to the evolution of musical forms, he highlights the trend, without reifying it, towards the blurring of boundaries between sections, movements etc., and therefore a greater organicity. The "dissonance" of modern music lies in our unfamiliar ears, and is not so very different from the dissonance of earlier innovative music in the ears of its own contemporary audience. The difference is a matter of degree, and not of kind.
March 17, 2016
This book is cut up by a damaging assumption: classical music is difficult. Popular music is easy. Therefore elitism reduces the usefulness of this book.
The best components of the book probe the four essential elements to music: rhythm, melody, harmony and tone colour. Besides that - it is not worth reading.
The best components of the book probe the four essential elements to music: rhythm, melody, harmony and tone colour. Besides that - it is not worth reading.
March 16, 2019
If you do not have any musical training, but are a fan of the aural arts, you might be tempted by a book which promises to show you what you're missing out on. Copland's is a good starting point. He identifies three planes of listening: the sensuous (which is practised by anyone who enjoys music by "getting lost in it"), the expressive (which is practised by anyone who tries to understand the mood, the message, the idea behind the music), and finally, the musical plane (for which you need a degree of technical knowledge).
The sensuous plane cannot be taught, the expressive can be developed, but Copland focuses on the last of the three, teaching in fairly basic terms about the elements of music (rhythm, melody, harmony, tone colour), the musical texture, the musical structure, and the fundamental forms (sectional, variation, fugal, sonata, free). There are also chapters on opera, contemporary music, and film music.
This is a short book—do not expect an overly detailed account, and if you are not familiar with music notation, do not expect everything that is presented to be completely clear or thoroughly explained. Copious listening suggestions are provided in and at the end of each chapter.
A book for the lay listener by the Aaron Copland of Appalachian Spring? Yes, please. Highly recommended for the insight and the sensitivity (without condescension) with which the reader is guided through the basics of listening to music.
The sensuous plane cannot be taught, the expressive can be developed, but Copland focuses on the last of the three, teaching in fairly basic terms about the elements of music (rhythm, melody, harmony, tone colour), the musical texture, the musical structure, and the fundamental forms (sectional, variation, fugal, sonata, free). There are also chapters on opera, contemporary music, and film music.
This is a short book—do not expect an overly detailed account, and if you are not familiar with music notation, do not expect everything that is presented to be completely clear or thoroughly explained. Copious listening suggestions are provided in and at the end of each chapter.
In a sense, the ideal listener is both inside and outside the music at the same moment, judging it and enjoying it, wishing it would go one way and watching it go another—almost like the composer at the moment he composes it; because in order to write his music, the composer must also be inside and outside his music, carried away by it and yet coldly critical of it. A subjective and objective attitude is implied in both creating and listening to music.
A book for the lay listener by the Aaron Copland of Appalachian Spring? Yes, please. Highly recommended for the insight and the sensitivity (without condescension) with which the reader is guided through the basics of listening to music.
May 1, 2014
Copland logró escribir un libro muy ilustrador y accesible, apto tanto para personas con formación musical como para nosotros los "legos". Es corto, ameno y lleno de información muy educativa para los que queremos aprender más sobre música académica o "culta" (el término es bastante problemático pero...). En realidad siento que la lectura de este libro me ha dado herramientas para escuchar la música de manera más inteligente y poder disfrutarla mejor por lo que no dudaría en recomendarlo. El único problema que encuentro con este libro es su inevitable envejecimiento con el paso del tiempo ya que habla de compositores tales como Stravinsky como "contemporáneos", siendo que, en este día en que he terminado de leer este libro Stravinsky se encuentra tan alejado de mí como podrían estarlo Schubert, Brahms o Mozart. Desde que se publicó este libro la música ha cambiado muchísimo y me pregunto qué escribiría Copland sobre compositores como Glass, Nyman, Richter, Cage, Gorecki, etc.... en fin, supongo que con la debida perspectiva histórica y aceptando el inevitable paso del tiempo, este libro es realmente excelente. Leánlo y cultívense!
April 12, 2016
Copland takes a fascinating topic and manages to make it seem tedious. Fraught with elitist overtones, this book takes on the tone of a lecture by an academic long past the prime of his tenure. Classical music is fascinating, a joy, a thrilling adventure. In Copland's hands it feels as if was left too long in a dehydrator.
October 11, 2025
Cómo escuchar la música es un libro tan culto como ameno que nos ofrece herramientas para acercarnos y aumentar nuestro entendimiento y gozo de la música clásica (aunque dichos recursos los podremos aplicar a cualquier género musical). Pocos libros de difusión mantendría su vigencia más allá de unas propias décadas, pero Copland logró sintetizar sus conocimientos sobre la música compuesta hasta 1939 (la fecha de publicación inicial del libro) y la música "contemporánea" y las bandas sonoras de películas (en los capítulos añadidos en 1957) a tal grado, que el libro ha mantenido su vigencia y su fuerza. Y seguramente continuará siendo un texto básico de introducción a la música durante mucho más tiempo, particularmente por la manera magistral en que ilustra con obras específicas los diferentes elementos que analiza, desde los cuatro elementos básicos (ritmo, melodía, armonía y timbre) hasta las diferentes formas (desde las formas básicas por secciones, hasta la ópera y la música contemporánea del siglo XX), pasando por la textura y la estructura musicales. No serán pocas las personas que habrán intentando intercalar la lectura de cada sección con la escucha de las composiciones mencionadas y seguramente su experiencia de lectura y de aprendizaje musical será mucho más satisfactoria aún. Aunque indudablemente debe haber textos más sesudos y exhaustivos sobre la música, pocos debe haber tan amenos y cautivantes como el de Copland.
September 13, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ With growing up on music, this definitely opened my eyes to somethings, especially when it comes to genuinely listening to music. There was a lot of knowledge and the way the author added in his own experiences, which made the reading even more intuitive.
June 21, 2025
copland writing this book is like rembrandt writing a book on stick figure drawing
December 28, 2018
Parece ser fácil ouvir música, sobretudo no caso da música erudita. Mas por que a maioria de nós não consegue ouvir a música composta a partir do século XX? É que, na verdade, precisamos aprender a ouvir uma música com um ouvido inteligente, capaz de compreender o que o compositor está fazendo. Para isso, precisamos conhecer melhor os elementos que compõem a música (a melodia, a harmonia, o ritmo, o timbre) e as formas musicais que se construíram no ocidente e que servem de esquema para a composição (a forma seccionada, como a forma binária, a ternária e o rondó, as variações, como o baixo obstinado e a passacaglia, a fuga e as formas contrapontísticas, como a imitação, o canon, a inversão, o caranguejo, a forma sonata (e a sinfonia) e as formas livres, como o poema sinfônico).
Aprender a ouví-las significa, sobretudo, aprender a acompanhar vozes diferentes em uma mesma música, e é sobre isso que o compositor Aaron Copland coloca a ênfase deste livro (o que é mais claro no título em inglês: What to Listen for in Music), que se originou de um curso de apreciação musical por ele ministrado para leigos nos anos 50’s do século XX em Nova York.
A edição brasileira tem vantagens e desvantagens em relação à edição norte-americana. Depois da morte de Copland, o livro foi atualizado (inclusive com um capítulo escrito por Alan Rich sobre as transformações por que passou a música desde a morte de Copland). Nada disso consta da edição brasileira. No final de cada capítulo, diferentemente do que ocorre com a edição brasileira, a edição norte-americana indica uma lista de obras musicais que ilustram o que foi discutido naquela parte do livro. A edição brasileira, por outro lado, tem uma vantagem: ela vinha acompanhada com um cd (agora substituído por um código para baixar a trilha sonora na internet) que ilustra, ao piano, as várias partituras do livro, que explicam conceitos importantes que o autor discute, tornando muito mais fácil para o leigo compreender o que Copland discute.
É um livro de fácil leitura, e que, apesar de minha familiaridade com a música, estimulou-me a ouvir a música de um jeito diferente daqui para frente.
Aprender a ouví-las significa, sobretudo, aprender a acompanhar vozes diferentes em uma mesma música, e é sobre isso que o compositor Aaron Copland coloca a ênfase deste livro (o que é mais claro no título em inglês: What to Listen for in Music), que se originou de um curso de apreciação musical por ele ministrado para leigos nos anos 50’s do século XX em Nova York.
A edição brasileira tem vantagens e desvantagens em relação à edição norte-americana. Depois da morte de Copland, o livro foi atualizado (inclusive com um capítulo escrito por Alan Rich sobre as transformações por que passou a música desde a morte de Copland). Nada disso consta da edição brasileira. No final de cada capítulo, diferentemente do que ocorre com a edição brasileira, a edição norte-americana indica uma lista de obras musicais que ilustram o que foi discutido naquela parte do livro. A edição brasileira, por outro lado, tem uma vantagem: ela vinha acompanhada com um cd (agora substituído por um código para baixar a trilha sonora na internet) que ilustra, ao piano, as várias partituras do livro, que explicam conceitos importantes que o autor discute, tornando muito mais fácil para o leigo compreender o que Copland discute.
É um livro de fácil leitura, e que, apesar de minha familiaridade com a música, estimulou-me a ouvir a música de um jeito diferente daqui para frente.
July 21, 2024
As a person with little formal music appreciation training, this book is the primer I needed. But I need to read it a few more times to be able to gather the fullness of its pages.
August 29, 2018
A tight overview of the most significant things to look out for when listening to classical music. This guide is a very easy read for anyone with at least a rudimentary musical education, and is unlikely to lose many readers who lack one. Perhaps some of the discussion on harmony might be a little confusing, but if one takes it slowly, it is not difficult.
For the uninitiated, Aaron Copland, the author, is one of the most highly regarded American composers. During his ninety years, he made major contributions to the distinctly American style of classical music, producing such ballets as Billy the Kid, Rodeo and Appalachian Spring, as well as the perennially recognizable (and also distinctly American) Fanfare for the Common Man. He wrote What to Listen for in Music as a guide for people unfamiliar with classical music.
In the book, Copland covers all the key elements of music, beginning with the foundations: Rhythm, Melody, Harmony and Tone Color (Timbre). He then briefly outlines some of the most common musical forms found in classical music: Sectional, Variation, Fugal, Sonata and Free, tracing as he does so the historical development of some classical styles. He closes the book with a discussion on Opera, Contemporary Classical Music and Film Music. The concluding epilogue is written by music critic Alan Rich.
I can recommend this as a good introduction to classical music, and as a great refresher for those who have studied the basics, but left them out of mind for some time. It is well-structured and clear, and it doesn't waste words. It's a quick read that nevertheless covers a great deal of material.
For the uninitiated, Aaron Copland, the author, is one of the most highly regarded American composers. During his ninety years, he made major contributions to the distinctly American style of classical music, producing such ballets as Billy the Kid, Rodeo and Appalachian Spring, as well as the perennially recognizable (and also distinctly American) Fanfare for the Common Man. He wrote What to Listen for in Music as a guide for people unfamiliar with classical music.
In the book, Copland covers all the key elements of music, beginning with the foundations: Rhythm, Melody, Harmony and Tone Color (Timbre). He then briefly outlines some of the most common musical forms found in classical music: Sectional, Variation, Fugal, Sonata and Free, tracing as he does so the historical development of some classical styles. He closes the book with a discussion on Opera, Contemporary Classical Music and Film Music. The concluding epilogue is written by music critic Alan Rich.
I can recommend this as a good introduction to classical music, and as a great refresher for those who have studied the basics, but left them out of mind for some time. It is well-structured and clear, and it doesn't waste words. It's a quick read that nevertheless covers a great deal of material.
November 17, 2017
I found this book very interesting, and thought it said more about its author than its subject, at least for me. Copland provides explanations of and thoughts on all the main elements of and aspects of music: melody, rhythm, harmony, and formal structure, plus some additional special topics like opera, film music, and contemporary music. Copland's aim is to help the non-musician become a better, more sophisticated listener, so none of the information was news to me. However, I often found his take on it interesting and occasionally illuminating. The only downside was that Copland is very much a man of the mid twentieth century - he adheres strongly to a very evolutionary view of music, is often a little ethnocentric, and uses language such that you would think the only time women are professionally involved with music is when someone needs a soprano.
Nonetheless, What to Listen for in Music is a very good read. Copland really knows his stuff and has some great insights into things. His prose flows well and strikes the right balance between straightforward and poetic, technical and non-technical. He is extremely successful in his aim, too - this is a great introduction to how to approach classical music for serious listeners.
Nonetheless, What to Listen for in Music is a very good read. Copland really knows his stuff and has some great insights into things. His prose flows well and strikes the right balance between straightforward and poetic, technical and non-technical. He is extremely successful in his aim, too - this is a great introduction to how to approach classical music for serious listeners.
December 31, 2015
A wonderful explanation of the basic principles of classical music, not an easy task! He also does an admirable job of attempting to put in words some of the more mysterious elements of music. Although I have a degree in music, I still learned a few things, and benefitted from those things that were review.
What I enjoyed the most about this book, indeed, the reason I read it, was "listening" to Aaron Copland talk about music. You can often learn a bit about a composer's personality by listening to his works, but hearing him give a discourse on the subject was invaluable in appreciating his pieces more.
What I enjoyed the most about this book, indeed, the reason I read it, was "listening" to Aaron Copland talk about music. You can often learn a bit about a composer's personality by listening to his works, but hearing him give a discourse on the subject was invaluable in appreciating his pieces more.
August 14, 2013
I enjoyed reading it. I felt that it improved my understanding of classical form considerably although my lack of musical knowledge made some chapters difficult. I have been reading it in conjunction with Bernstein and a variety of Youtube clips. I think it's a book I shall return to on occasion to deepen my understanding. I've already gained immensely in the area of early 20th century works and am looking forward to extending my listening range.
It has also reinforced my interest in the period 1890-1930 when so much happened artistically that we still seem to be processing.
It has also reinforced my interest in the period 1890-1930 when so much happened artistically that we still seem to be processing.
October 9, 2016
This is a wonderful introduction to "classical" music by the American composer Aaron Copland. It is highly readable and chockfull of examples for laymen like myself armed with Deezer and largely illiterate in reading musical scores. It definitely enhanced immensely my listening skills and opened my mind to new works and composers with which I was previously unfamiliar. A must.
July 29, 2023
Purtroppo, non ci sono scorciatoie
L'aspirazione di Copland era altissima, senz'altro nobile e bella, e in realtà anche molto difficile. Rivolgersi direttamente alla grande massa degli amanti della musica che però non hanno le conoscenze tecniche necessarie, e riuscire ad avvicinarla alla comprensione più raffinata della musica classica, alla sua storia e alla sua evoluzione, alle sue svariate forme e interpretazioni, al complesso processo fatto di composizione, esecuzione e ascolto consapevole. Copland, che non è un semplice conoscitore, ma uno dei grandi compositori del nostro tempo, non solo legato alle epoche d'oro del passato ma anche aperto alle possibilità nuove, a partire dal jazz. Un obiettivo ambizioso e, naturalmente, accattivante per chi come me appartiene a quella massa.
Ha dunque raggiunto il suo obiettivo? Nel mio piccolo, mi ha permesso di avvicinarlo nel suo peregrinare attraverso i secoli e le forme musicali, attraverso i mille autori e millemila esempi di cui ci narra? La risposta è: non saprei dire. Sicuramente mi ha portato per mano nel suo mondo, mi ha descritto il mondo degli strumenti e della composizione, mi ha fatto intuire l'enormità della conoscenza e del lavoro che c'è dietro ogni composizione, ha provato a descrivermi fino al dettaglio le strutture e le forme. Ma, onestamente, il più delle volte mi ha perso per strada. Nonostante i miei tentativi di approfondimento e di ascolto, nonostante tutti i nostri sforzi, i miei e naturalmente i suoi. Ci abbiamo provato, ma la distanza mi è sembrata sempre più grande.
Resta il piacere del tentativo, e il desiderio di provare ad avvicinarmi di nuovo. Forse con testi più semplici, magari con obiettivi più limitati, sicuramente con più tempo e risorse. Perchè, nonostante tutto, quello della musica nobile è un mondo che ci appartiene da sempre, come umanità e come singoli. Un mondo di sentimenti e bellezza, profondo e impalpabile, che ci accompagna e ci emoziona lungo tutta la nostra vita. Forse non è così importante avere tutti gli strumenti per comprendere il come una musica riesca a parlare così inspiegabilmete alla nostra anima, e forse si può anche continuare a farne a meno lasciandosi commuovere d'istinto. Però so che sarebbe bello avvicinarsi un poco di più a quel mondo con gli occhi del compositore. Per capire.
L'aspirazione di Copland era altissima, senz'altro nobile e bella, e in realtà anche molto difficile. Rivolgersi direttamente alla grande massa degli amanti della musica che però non hanno le conoscenze tecniche necessarie, e riuscire ad avvicinarla alla comprensione più raffinata della musica classica, alla sua storia e alla sua evoluzione, alle sue svariate forme e interpretazioni, al complesso processo fatto di composizione, esecuzione e ascolto consapevole. Copland, che non è un semplice conoscitore, ma uno dei grandi compositori del nostro tempo, non solo legato alle epoche d'oro del passato ma anche aperto alle possibilità nuove, a partire dal jazz. Un obiettivo ambizioso e, naturalmente, accattivante per chi come me appartiene a quella massa.
Ha dunque raggiunto il suo obiettivo? Nel mio piccolo, mi ha permesso di avvicinarlo nel suo peregrinare attraverso i secoli e le forme musicali, attraverso i mille autori e millemila esempi di cui ci narra? La risposta è: non saprei dire. Sicuramente mi ha portato per mano nel suo mondo, mi ha descritto il mondo degli strumenti e della composizione, mi ha fatto intuire l'enormità della conoscenza e del lavoro che c'è dietro ogni composizione, ha provato a descrivermi fino al dettaglio le strutture e le forme. Ma, onestamente, il più delle volte mi ha perso per strada. Nonostante i miei tentativi di approfondimento e di ascolto, nonostante tutti i nostri sforzi, i miei e naturalmente i suoi. Ci abbiamo provato, ma la distanza mi è sembrata sempre più grande.
Resta il piacere del tentativo, e il desiderio di provare ad avvicinarmi di nuovo. Forse con testi più semplici, magari con obiettivi più limitati, sicuramente con più tempo e risorse. Perchè, nonostante tutto, quello della musica nobile è un mondo che ci appartiene da sempre, come umanità e come singoli. Un mondo di sentimenti e bellezza, profondo e impalpabile, che ci accompagna e ci emoziona lungo tutta la nostra vita. Forse non è così importante avere tutti gli strumenti per comprendere il come una musica riesca a parlare così inspiegabilmete alla nostra anima, e forse si può anche continuare a farne a meno lasciandosi commuovere d'istinto. Però so che sarebbe bello avvicinarsi un poco di più a quel mondo con gli occhi del compositore. Per capire.
May 11, 2020
Bir araştırmada okumuştum salgın döneminde klasik müzik ve caz gibi dinleyiciyi düşünme ve çalışmaya zorlayan müzik türlerinin dinlenme oranın artış olmuş. Kendimden de bunu doğrulayabilirim. Uzun süre evden çıkmamalarda eksik kalan parçaları didaktik bir şekilde tamamlama uğraşı içersindeyim ve böyle düşünenler de vardır. Klasik müzik konusunda örnek (kısmi) analizlerle saygın bir kaynak arayışındayken bu kitabı buldum. Türkçe çevirisini görmedim zaten bu işleri müzik yayınında en çok Pan Yayıncılık yapar senelerdir.
Klasik Batı Müziğinin Amerika'daki ilk saygın kompozitörlerinden Aaron Copland. Bugün klasik müzikte modern büyük bestecilerden biri olarak kabul ediyor. Aaron Copland eserleriyle Amerika'nın klasik müzik sahnesinde ilk olarak var olmasını sağlayan 3-5 adamdan biri. Avrupa'nın klasik müzik dünyasını domine ettiği bir çağda folklorik ve caz öğeleriyle de müzikte karakteristik ve fark edilecek bir ses oluşturmuş. Amerikanın klasik müzikte daha önce oluşmamış sesinin var olmasını sağlayanlardan, bu az buz bir başarı değil. Kendi verdiği ders notlarından derlenmiş ama kurgusu olan öğretici (reference) bir kitap. 1990'da ölen bu büyük bestecinin sırf size müziği anlatması fazlasıyla okumaya değer bir kitap bence.
Müzikten teknik olarak anlayan veya anlamayan herkese hitap ediyor. Bazı karmaşık konular yazılı olarak ancak bu kadar basit anlatılabilir. Besteci nasıl düşünür, senfoni orkestrasını oluşturan müzik aletleri nelerdir, bunların gelişimleri, bir besteyi oluşturan elementler temel formlar ve ritmik yapı nelerdir. Biraz da müziğin estetiği var.
Mesela French Horn (fransız kornosu), fagot, obua genel karakterleri nedir. Besteci bunları nasıl düşünüp kullanır. Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun) isimli senfonik şiirinde Debussy girişteki soloya neden flüt ile başlamıştır gibi soruların cevabına dair bilgiler içeren kitap.
Bütün bunları dinleme listesi ve örneklerle kitap boyunca anlatıyor. Klasik müzik nasıl dinlenir nerden başlamalıyım veya devam etmeliyim, senfoni orkestrası ne demek gibi soruları olanlar için uzun olmayan güzel bir kaynak. Kitabın adı aslında ne dinlenmeli şeklinde olsa da sadece dinleme önerileri veren bir kitap değil.
Klasik Batı Müziğinin Amerika'daki ilk saygın kompozitörlerinden Aaron Copland. Bugün klasik müzikte modern büyük bestecilerden biri olarak kabul ediyor. Aaron Copland eserleriyle Amerika'nın klasik müzik sahnesinde ilk olarak var olmasını sağlayan 3-5 adamdan biri. Avrupa'nın klasik müzik dünyasını domine ettiği bir çağda folklorik ve caz öğeleriyle de müzikte karakteristik ve fark edilecek bir ses oluşturmuş. Amerikanın klasik müzikte daha önce oluşmamış sesinin var olmasını sağlayanlardan, bu az buz bir başarı değil. Kendi verdiği ders notlarından derlenmiş ama kurgusu olan öğretici (reference) bir kitap. 1990'da ölen bu büyük bestecinin sırf size müziği anlatması fazlasıyla okumaya değer bir kitap bence.
Müzikten teknik olarak anlayan veya anlamayan herkese hitap ediyor. Bazı karmaşık konular yazılı olarak ancak bu kadar basit anlatılabilir. Besteci nasıl düşünür, senfoni orkestrasını oluşturan müzik aletleri nelerdir, bunların gelişimleri, bir besteyi oluşturan elementler temel formlar ve ritmik yapı nelerdir. Biraz da müziğin estetiği var.
Mesela French Horn (fransız kornosu), fagot, obua genel karakterleri nedir. Besteci bunları nasıl düşünüp kullanır. Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun) isimli senfonik şiirinde Debussy girişteki soloya neden flüt ile başlamıştır gibi soruların cevabına dair bilgiler içeren kitap.
Bütün bunları dinleme listesi ve örneklerle kitap boyunca anlatıyor. Klasik müzik nasıl dinlenir nerden başlamalıyım veya devam etmeliyim, senfoni orkestrası ne demek gibi soruları olanlar için uzun olmayan güzel bir kaynak. Kitabın adı aslında ne dinlenmeli şeklinde olsa da sadece dinleme önerileri veren bir kitap değil.
May 11, 2025
What to Listen for in Music is like if your cool, musically inclined uncle wrote a book that’s part lecture, part self-help, and part love letter to music, except the uncle really wants you to get it, even though you're probably not going to. Aaron Copland's goal here is simple: he wants to teach you how to hear music the way a composer does. And in the first half of the book, he does this in a way that’s almost charmingly easy to follow. He breaks music down into bite-sized chunks: melody, rhythm, harmony—like he’s showing you the secret behind your favorite album’s magic trick.
But then, like all good things, it takes a hard left into the weeds. Once you’re about 80 pages in, Copland starts talking in circles about chords and tones like you should’ve been taking notes in a music theory class, except, guess what? You weren’t. So suddenly you’re stuck in a conversation where everyone else is talking about Beethoven’s emotional range, and you’re just hoping the snacks will come out soon.
It’s the perfect book for anyone who thinks they want to be a composer but has zero interest in actually learning how to play an instrument. By the end of it, you’ve got a fresh perspective on how to listen to music, but you’ll probably be less inclined to listen to Copland’s advice again anytime soon.
But then, like all good things, it takes a hard left into the weeds. Once you’re about 80 pages in, Copland starts talking in circles about chords and tones like you should’ve been taking notes in a music theory class, except, guess what? You weren’t. So suddenly you’re stuck in a conversation where everyone else is talking about Beethoven’s emotional range, and you’re just hoping the snacks will come out soon.
It’s the perfect book for anyone who thinks they want to be a composer but has zero interest in actually learning how to play an instrument. By the end of it, you’ve got a fresh perspective on how to listen to music, but you’ll probably be less inclined to listen to Copland’s advice again anytime soon.
May 23, 2024
I've been gravitating toward classical as my main source of music for the past few years, but I don't pretend to really know much about it. I know what I like: the lieders of Schubert and I always end up back with Haydn, for example. I found this book to be helpful to expand my knowledge on the music, from composition to the emotions evoked by different pieces. However, it's definitely a book I feel I'll need to revisit to truly retain the information provided. There are references to so many composers and specific works that I wasn't able to stop and listen to; perhaps I'll pick up a physical copy of this book and do so at some point.
If you liked (or are interested in) this book, I'd highly recommend checking out the Now Hear This sub-series within Great Performances on PBS.
Format: Audiobook via Hoopla
Rating: 3.75 stars
Book 77 of 2024
If you liked (or are interested in) this book, I'd highly recommend checking out the Now Hear This sub-series within Great Performances on PBS.
Format: Audiobook via Hoopla
Rating: 3.75 stars
Book 77 of 2024
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May 13, 2021What to look for in a layman 's guide
It's so good to hear from the horse's mouth even when some of the technical detail goes over, or under one's head. It's not a difficult read however and with a basic grasp of musical notation you can follow the musical quotations. These are a significant part of the early chapters. It really gets interesting when he gets on to contemporary music, an addition for a later edition. The description of various compositional forms is also reassuring for those of us with a still simplistic ken of serious music. The pedagogical assumptions behind the text may be outmoded but Copland's heard was in the right place in sharing his experience with so who bothered to enquire.
It's so good to hear from the horse's mouth even when some of the technical detail goes over, or under one's head. It's not a difficult read however and with a basic grasp of musical notation you can follow the musical quotations. These are a significant part of the early chapters. It really gets interesting when he gets on to contemporary music, an addition for a later edition. The description of various compositional forms is also reassuring for those of us with a still simplistic ken of serious music. The pedagogical assumptions behind the text may be outmoded but Copland's heard was in the right place in sharing his experience with so who bothered to enquire.
Read
January 8, 2020It is exactly how the title of the book said. Focusing mainly on what to listen was addressed in deep but i wish to find a book with title as "how to listen what in Music" but never mind. It is not waste of time, at least as i learned many things.
One thing i learned is " we humans are dynamic as well as our feeling". Listening to same music can feel different as time goes on, So, it is better to listen music without concrete attachment to music. Other thing i learned is "we need to be inside and outside to the music". it means thinking like a composer and fetching for the notes to make it beautiful is one part of listening as well as enjoying it like a dancer is other part.
Few other things were brief which are interesting to know but i don't think i remembered it well as I suck at history and this book reminded me of my history text book. Luckily, in between ingredients about music helped me survive the war.
Hence, it is a good book.
One thing i learned is " we humans are dynamic as well as our feeling". Listening to same music can feel different as time goes on, So, it is better to listen music without concrete attachment to music. Other thing i learned is "we need to be inside and outside to the music". it means thinking like a composer and fetching for the notes to make it beautiful is one part of listening as well as enjoying it like a dancer is other part.
Few other things were brief which are interesting to know but i don't think i remembered it well as I suck at history and this book reminded me of my history text book. Luckily, in between ingredients about music helped me survive the war.
Hence, it is a good book.
January 14, 2023
Excellent introduction to the forms of classical music, from madrigals and fugues to opera to atonal symphonic poems. Copland gives suggestions for what masterpieces to study. You can then go to YouTube and find excellent performances with scrolling scores to follow from one measure to the next. What fun! My first try was J. S. Bach's Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor (BWV 582). Try for yourself. You'll experience new dimensions to Bach's amazing genius.
February 23, 2022
"Una grande sinfonia è l'anima di un uomo trasformata in un fiume che ci porta irresistibilmente dalla sorgente a una lontana intravista destinazione. La musica vi scorre come onda e la creazione di questa continuità ed effusione, che fa parte della sua essenza stessa - la grande linea -, costituisce la ragione d'essere e lo scopo della vita del compositore."
June 15, 2021
Ocupa o mesmo espaço do Forma e Estrutura Musical de Roy Bennett, talvez sua maior diferença sendo a ausência de exercícios e da quantidade de partitura impressa do de Bennett, se o dele é um livro acadêmico rigorosamente organizado, o de Copland se assemelha mais a uma conversa despretensiosa de como um compositor estadunidense da primeira metade do séc. XX explicaria formas musicais e apreciação musical ao leigo.
December 14, 2018
Excelente introdução para quem quer aprender a ouvir direito (ou de forma inteligente) música erudita. Com um Spotify na mão você aproveita ainda mais o livro. Recomendo demais!
March 28, 2020
Great introduction to classical music for laylistener, but written in textbook style. Still a very good book for a fan of aural arts to begin with
May 11, 2022
Approachable written and fascinating.
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