Language of the Spirit

An Introduction to Classical Music

Contributors

By Jan Swafford

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$19.99

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$25.99 CAD

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  1. ebook $19.99 $25.99 CAD
  2. Hardcover $38.00 $48.00 CAD

This item is a preorder. Your payment method will be charged immediately, and the product is expected to ship on or around April 11, 2017. This date is subject to change due to shipping delays beyond our control.

A preeminent composer, music scholar, and biographer presents an engaging and accessible introduction to classical music

For many of us, classical music is something serious — something we study in school, something played by cultivated musicians at fancy gatherings. In Language of the Spirit, renowned music scholar Jan Swafford argues that we have it all wrong: classical music has something for everyone and is accessible to all. Ranging from Gregorian chant to Handel’s Messiah, from Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons to the postmodern work of Philip Glass, Swafford is an affable and expert guide to the genre. He traces the history of Western music, introduces readers to the most important composers and compositions, and explains the underlying structure and logic of their music.

Language of the Spirit is essential reading for anyone who has ever wished to know more about this sublime art.
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Genre:

On Sale
Apr 11, 2017
Page Count
336 pages
Publisher
Basic Books
ISBN-13
9780465097555

Jan Swafford

About the Author

Jan Swafford is a preeminent composer and music scholar and the author of bestselling The Vintage Guide to Classical Music. A regular contributor to Slate, the Guardian, and the Boston Globe and a former professor of composition at the Boston Conservatory, Swafford lives in Medford, Massachusetts.

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