Customer Reviews
Recommendations from the experts - By: , 09 Apr 1999 
An outstanding guide to building a classical CD collection.As a classical music collector & a listener of public radio, I find this guide to be very essential,even for those who already have a CD collection.The book is in six chapters:Chapter one tells about music for orchestra,chapter two about concertos,chapter three on chamber music, chapter four on solo keyboard work on chapters five & six Mr.Libbey tells about vocal works,including, sacred music, secular choral music,and opera by various composers of different times.Mr.Libbey also offers great details about each work that he tells about. The book also has funny illustrations about composers & performers & about circumstances sorrounding certain compositions.My favourite is the illustration of the violinist where Mr.Libbey explains about Beethoven`s Razumosvsky quartet #1 on page 305,the chapter about chamber music. The book also shows pictures of composers, performers,and conductors.This book is of great value & help for classical music lovers everywhere.Mr.Libbey you did a marvelous job. Thanks for this great guide.A five stars indeed!
Recommendations from the experts - By: , 09 Apr 1999 An outstanding guide to building a classical CD collection.As a classical music collector & a listener of public radio, I find this guide to be very essential,even for those who already have a CD collection.The book is in six chapters:Chapter one tells about music for orchestra,chapter two about concertos,chapter three on chamber music, chapter four on solo keyboard work on chapters five & six Mr.Libbey tells about vocal works,including, sacred music, secular choral music,and opera by various composers of different times.Mr.Libbey also offers great details about each work that he tells about. The book also has funny illustrations about composers & performers & about circumstances sorrounding certain compositions.My favourite is the illustration of the violinist where Mr.Libbey explains about Beethoven`s Razumosvsky quartet #1 on page 305,the chapter about chamber music. The book also shows pictures of composers, performers,and conductors.This book is of great value & help for classical music lovers everywhere.Mr.Libbey you did a marvelous job. Thanks for this great guide.A five stars indeed!
Informative, fun, indispensible - By: , 17 Nov 1998 Anyone who loves classical music should have this book on their shelf. Often, there are composers I enjoy, or pieces I want, but I have no idea where to begin. There is an endless supply of titles in today's classical music market, especiallly for major works. This book is a good place to begin. Limiting itself to 300 works, it is able to give a good amount of information on the piece & the recordings it recommends. While you may not agree with Libbey's choices, at least you'll know what to expect when you encounter them.
Helpful for newcomers, but by no means definitive - By: , 13 Nov 1998 
It's true this book is a great tool for orienting oneself to the wonderful world of classical music. However, it is also true that this book omits many works that without doubt deserve to be here (Elgar's Violin Concerto & Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 22 are obvious examples). As for recommended recordings, one would be prudent to use Libbey's guide to identify 'must-have' compositions & then turn to the much more exhaustive (and, frankly, more accurately observant) 'Penguin Guide to Compact Discs' for spotting the right recording. Instead of lumping alll categories into such a tight space, perhaps Libbey could have released several volumes... each dealing with one or two categories that are here broken into chapters. And it wouldn't hurt if Libbey were to update this edition... as it is now nearly five years old.
I can't imagine buying Classical CDs without this book - By: , 06 Jun 1998 This is the one guide I turn to when I'm thinking about exploring new classical music. When I find a composer I like, this is the book that tells me what to consider purchasing next. There's so much out there, it's difficult to figure out which recordings are the most enjoyable. This guide will help you find the gems. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to know more about starting a classical CD collection.
