The Classic FM Family Music Box


Book Description

The Classic FM Family Music Boxis the perfect introduction to the world of classical music. Featuring beautiful hand-drawn illustrations and 8 sound-chip buttons that play short bursts of iconic pieces of music, this unique book brings to life some of the greatest composers throughout history. Readers will be introduced to the genius of legendary artists such as Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Elgar, Handel, Verdi, Vivaldi and Strauss, and will experience their lives, inspirations and music as never before. In addition to high-quality sound chips, a unique QR code allows access to a bespoke landing page on Classic FM's website allowing readers to listen to full versions of the music featured in the book.




The Big Book of Classical Music (Songbook)


Book Description

(Piano Solo Songbook). All your favorite piano masterpieces in one convenient collection! This book features piano solo arrangements of 100 classics by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Debussy, Faure, Franck, Gounod, Grieg, Handel, Haydn, Mahler, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Pachelbel, Puccini, Tchaikovsky, Verdi, Vivaldi, Wagner, and more!




Little Fur Family


Book Description

There was a little fur family warm as toast smaller than most in little fur coats and they lived in a warm wooden tree.




Gaspard the Fox


Book Description

Since its conception, Gaspard the Fox, the picture book written by Zeb Soanes and illustrated by the award-winning James Mayhew, has enthralled young people around the world. This charming and humorous picture book celebrates urban foxes and their relationship with the humans and animals they share the city with.




Continental Riff


Book Description

A continental tour of Europe doesn’t go quite as planned! When Stockwell Park Orchestra goes on tour to Europe, it proves a challenge for even the most efficient German logistical planner. A teenage stowaway, brass players falling in canals and a sabotaged timpani van are all in a day’s work for Ingrid Bauer of Note Perfect Tours, but even she can’t solve all the problems this week throws at her. Maybe a bit of surprise Bach can calm the muddy Brexit waters. She just has to fish out the musicians first. Praise for The Stockwell Park Orchestra Series: “I was charmed... a very enjoyable read.” Marian Keyes “Friendly insults between musicians, sacrosanct coffee-and-biscuit breaks, tedious committee meetings: welcome to the world of the amateur orchestra.” BBC Music Magazine “...a witty and irreverent musical romp, full of characters I’d love to go for a pint with. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the Stockwell Park Orchestra and can't wait for the next book in the series.” Claire King, author of The Night Rainbow “Sharp, witty and richly entertaining.” Lev Parikian, author of Why Do Birds Suddenly Disappear? “With its retro humour bordering on farce, this novel offers an escape into the turbulent (and bonkers) world of the orchestra.” Isabel Costello, author of Paris Mon Amour “...a very funny tale of musical shenanigans set in the febrile atmosphere of the Stockwell Park Orchestra” Ian Critchley




The Music of Life


Book Description

Award-winning biographer Elizabeth Rusch and two-time Caldecott Honor–recipient Marjorie Priceman team up to tell the inspiring story of the invention of the world’s most popular instrument: the piano. Bartolomeo Cristofori coaxes just the right sounds from the musical instruments he makes. Some of his keyboards can play piano, light and soft; others make forte notes ring out, strong and loud, but Cristofori longs to create an instrument that can be played both soft and loud. His talent has caught the attention of Prince Ferdinando de Medici, who wants his court to become the musical center of Italy. The prince brings Cristofori to the noisy city of Florence, where the goldsmiths’ tiny hammers whisper tink, tink and the blacksmiths’ big sledgehammers shout BANG, BANG! Could hammers be the key to the new instrument? At last Cristofori gets his creation just right. It is called the pianoforte, for what it can do. All around the world, people young and old can play the most intricate music of their lives, thanks to Bartolomeo Cristofori’s marvelous creation: the piano.




Beethoven


Book Description

“An ideal ‘first book’ on Beethoven” from one of the world’s most eminent classical music aficionados (Booklist). Beethoven scholar and classical radio host John Suchet has had a lifelong, ardent interest in the man and his music. Here, in his first full-length biography, Suchet illuminates the composer’s difficult childhood, his struggle to maintain friendships and romances, his ungovernable temper, his obsessive efforts to control his nephew’s life, and the excruciating decline of his hearing. This absorbing narrative provides a comprehensive account of a momentous life, as it takes the reader on a journey from the composer’s birth in Bonn to his death in Vienna. Chronicling the landmark events in Beethoven’s career—from his competitive encounters with Mozart to the circumstances surrounding the creation of the well-known “Für Elise” and Moonlight Sonata—this book enhances understanding of the composer’s character, inspiring a deeper appreciation for his work. Beethoven scholarship is constantly evolving, and Suchet draws on the latest research, using rare source material (some of which has never before been published in English) to paint a complete and vivid portrait of the legendary prodigy. “A gripping and thought-provoking read.” —Howard Shelley, pianist and conductor “By exercising a genuine authority in identifying how Beethoven, the man, manifests himself in our appreciation of the music, Suchet brings an incisive freshness to an extraordinary life.” —Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, Principal of the Royal Academy of Music




Modern Phobias


Book Description

Did you leave work yesterday and have a stab of fear that you'd forgotten to press save before switching off your computer? Did you then go to the pub, get very drunk, then wake this morning unable to remember what awful things you might have said or done ...? You're not paranoid (most of the time) but suffering from modern phobias. Such as Antefamaphobia - the fear that people were talking about you, but stopped just before you entered the room. Or Agmenophobia - the fear that the queue you join will end up being slower than the other one. The Book of Phobias will confirm every sneaking suspicion you have of a suffering from a weird and wonderful phobia, and highlight some you never knew you had!




The Classical Music Book


Book Description

Learn about the world’s greatest classical compositions and musical traditions in The Classical Music Book. Part of the fascinating Big Ideas series, this book tackles tricky topics and themes in a simple and easy to follow format. Learn about Classic Music in this overview guide to the subject, great for novices looking to find out more and experts wishing to refresh their knowledge alike! The Classical Music Book brings a fresh and vibrant take on the topic through eye-catching graphics and diagrams to immerse yourself in. This captivating book will broaden your understanding of Classical Music, with: - More than 90 pieces of world-famous music - Packed with facts, charts, timelines and graphs to help explain core concepts - A visual approach to big subjects with striking illustrations and graphics throughout - Easy to follow text makes topics accessible for people at any level of understanding The Classical Music Book is a captivating introduction to music theory, crucial composers and the impact of seminal pieces, aimed at adults with an interest in the subject and students wanting to gain more of an overview. Here you’ll discover more than 90 works by famous composers from the early period to the modern day, through exciting text and bold graphics. Your Classical Music Questions, Simply Explained From Mozart to Mendelssohn, this fresh new guide goes beyond your typical music books, offering a comprehensive overview to classical music history and biography. If you thought it was difficult to learn about music theory, The Classical Music Book presents key information in an easy to follow layout. Explore the main ideas underpinning the world’s greatest compositions and musical traditions, and define their importance to the musical canon and into their wider social, cultural, and historical context. The Big Ideas Series With millions of copies sold worldwide, The Classical Music Book is part of the award-winning Big Ideas series from DK. The series uses striking graphics along with engaging writing, making big topics easy to understand.




The Song Garden


Book Description

Every year, Calla and her family participate in the town's showcase, but this year, she is determined to create a song garden without the help of her parents. Her friends all have great ideas, but writing a song doesn't come as easily to Calla. There are so many choices...what if she gets it wrong? Will Calla be able to conquer her worries and let her creativity shine through? Written by an elementary music teacher to spark composition in young readers, The Song Garden teaches children that their creations are truly their own.