How to Listen to and Understand Great Music, 3rd Edition

By: Robert Greenberg, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Robert Greenberg

Length: 36 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Great music is a language unto its own, a means of communication of unmatched beauty and genius. And it has an undeniable power to move us in ways that enrich our lives - provided it is understood.

If you have ever longed to appreciate great concert music, to learn its glorious language and share in its sublime pleasures, the way is now open to you, through this series of 48 wonderful lectures designed to make music accessible to everyone who yearns to know it, regardless of prior training or knowledge. It's a lecture series that will enable you to first grasp music's forms, techniques, and terms - the grammatical elements that make you fluent in its language - and then use that newfound fluency to finally hear and understand what the greatest composers in history are actually saying to us.

And as you learn the gifts given us by nearly every major composer, you'll come to know there is one we share with each of them - a common humanity that lets us finally understand that these were simply people speaking to us, sharing their passion and wanting desperately to be heard. Using digitally recorded musical passages to illustrate his points, Professor Greenberg will take you inside magnificent compositions by Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Verdi, Wagner, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, and more. Even if you have listened to many of these illustrative pieces throughout your life - as so many of us have - you will never hear them the same way again after experiencing these lectures.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2006 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2006 The Great Courses

The best professor for music appreciation or any other subject!

I feel fortunate to have learned from Prof. Greenberg, for I have a habit of starting new things and losing interest. It is because of him and only him that I have mastered this course. I have even read his notes and done a repeat of listening to his lectures, which is unprecedented for somebody like myself who suffers from ADHD. A personal 'thank you' to Prof. Greenberg for his mastery of the subject, his passion for teaching and his genuine empathy and generosity toward his students, even if faceless in this situation. Thank you, Sir!

Great Professor, but...

Really, the professor is just something else! I laughed out loud sometimes... he’s just great.
The course is huge though. I just enjoyed “classical” music and thought this course could do me some good to appreciate it even more. It did, but I was lost sometimes to be honest. My fault I guess.
So, if you’re not studying music be advised: it is long. This may take you a while to finish.

Excellent Course in depth survey

Professor Greenberg's presentation style is a blend of Louis Black and Winnie the Pooh. His love of music comes through loud and clear in each lecture. Highly recommended.

What a great survey of great music!

I now understand how music is a mirror. How it reflects our culture and context. Very informative, highly entertaining, funny and inspiring.

Glorious

I, as a passionate music lover, truly enjoyed this course. While not short, professor Greeneberger makes it interesting, and even funny, without losing depth in its explanations, on which I always learnt new things, or new approaches, even of the composers I was familiar with.

Highly recommended. I feel privileged to have listened to it. Mi love for music has become even stronger...

Extremely informative!!

I loved these lectures! I thought Robert Greenberg made the material extremely interesting besides being informative.
I play violin in the Delaware County Symphony. I must tell them that they need to change their name to Orchestra! LOL!

Great music makes for a great listen.

What did you love best about How to Listen to and Understand Great Music, 3rd Edition?

I learned a lot about how to dissect music.

What was one of the most memorable moments of How to Listen to and Understand Great Music, 3rd Edition?

Professor Greenberg's impassioned defense of early 20th century music. And, my friends, I mean IMPASSIONED!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It was interesting throughout.

Any additional comments?

Prof. Greenberg needs to learn what the phrase "begs the question" means.

Wonderful!

Professor Greenberg's delivery is excellent. He outlines what he will be addressing in any given lecture, and delivers what he promises in a structured and sensible manner. He has a good sense of humor, and his passion for the subject comes through. I am somewhere around lecture 20 and have learned a lot. I listen on the 40 minute drive to work every day and just discovered there is a PDF that accompanies the lectures. It is not necessary, but will be nice to have to review. I don't listen on the way home because I am tired and really do not want to zone out and miss anything. It is that good.

submersion in the evolution of music

I totally enjoyed the order, intensity and balance if history, analysis, and musical listening. Excellent! Thank you

Long Slog, But Totally Worth It

It took quite a while to get through this series, but it was definitely worth it. I now understand and can recognize various classical music when I hear it. Not only that, but I am seeking it out more, and I know what I like. Professor Greenberg knows his stuff. He did a great job keeping his lectures interesting and understandable. I strongly recommend this series of lectures.