The classical style Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven

This is essentially a reprint of Rosen's National Book Award winning volume (CH, May'73). The author has added a new chapter, "Beethoven's Later Years and the Conventions of His Childhood," a new preface in which he responds to the various criticisms the book has garnered over the past quarter century, and a compact disc of his performances of Beethoven's Opp. 106 and 110 piano sonatas. The new chapters, a fascinating examination of Beethoven's retention of conventional compositional procedures in the midst of the innovations of his later years, provides a completely new perspective on his stylistic development and should be the source of much debate among musicologists in years to come. This remains simply the most important book on the classical style in music. Every library and serious student of music should own a copy of this expanded edition. W. E. Grim; Worcester State College

The first edition of this book won the 1972 National Book Award and remained available in paperback for more than two decades. For this edition, Rosen adds a 14-page preface answering some of his friendly critics and a 26-page essay on Beethoven‘which includes 44 musical examples, not seen‘that emphasizes the composer's indebtedness to Haydn and Mozart. Otherwise, the text of the original edition remains unchanged. A CD (not heard) of Rosen playing two Beethoven piano sonatas (opp. 106 and 110) is also included. Libraries successful in keeping together the book and CD of Rosen's Romantic Generation (LJ 4/1/95) may want to attempt the same with this set, but once the CD is lost, the price seems high for only two new essays if the older edition is still serviceable.‘Bonnie Jo Dopp, Univ. of Maryland Lib., College Park (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.