Bestseller The Classical Style – Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven

Charles Rosen surveys the language of the music of the classical period. He concentrates on the three major figures of the time Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven because ‘it is in terms of their achievements that the musical vernacular can best be defined’. He follows the development of each composer’s best known genres: for Haydn, the symphony and string quartet; for Mozart, the concerto, string quintet and comic opera; for Beethoven, the piano sonata. In addition, the author ranges widely through material which falls outside these categories.