摘要

This engagingly lucid Companion by one of Britain's leading critics explores and interprets 120 significant and frequently-played orchestral works. Each composer--39 in all, from Bach to Walton--is introduced in a biographical sketch and placed in the musical context of his time. Hopkins then employs his talent for illuminating a piece of music without resorting to technical language to offer the concertgoer and record buyer a fascinating discussion of style, form, and historical perspective.