Did Mozart come before Beethoven? Who in the world was Palestrina? Why did Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" cause a riot? Which of Haydn's 104 symphonies should you buy? What is a concerto and how does it differ from a sonata? There are so many composers - who are the ten you really should know? And where can you get answers to these and all your other classical music questions without getting bogged down in technicalities and jargon?Now you can turn to this lively and refreshingly opinionated guide to the top classical composers, designed expressly for beginners. Written by a former classical music novice who grew frustrated by the lack of material aimed at listeners like himself, Classical Music is guaranteed to give you the confidence and the knowledge you need for a lifetime of informed listening.Comprehensive, discriminating, and delightfully irreverent, Classical Music provides such essential information as rankings of the top 50 composers; a detailed look at each composer's life and work; Starter Kits of the five most essential works of each composer; master collections of 25 selections for expanding your library beyond the Starter Kits; specific recommendations for the best CDs of all 250 Starter Kit selections; concise explanations of musical terminology (tone color vs. tonality), forms (sonata vs. concerto), and periods (Baroque vs. Classical); a guide to the parts and history of the symphony orchestra; and the composers' (not always flattering) opinions of each other.Whether you are just starting your music library, expanding an existing collection, or branching out into new works and new composers, you'll find Classical Music an essential guide to the galaxy of classical music stars. It is a complete classical music education in one delightful volume. Read Less