The author is extremely qualified to write this book. He began studying piano at the age of six, and remained a musician throughout his life. He also hosted a radio program from 1959 until his death in 2005 about classical music, and he traveled the globe to bring music to people everywhere. He also won several awards and accolades for his work, including two Peabody Awards for excellence in broadcasting for his radio show. He clearly researched the book, and his bibliography shows that he used a wide variety of sources to help with the historic and musical parts of the book.

The only thing that might have made this book better is to include a CD with the purchase, so the reader could listen to the music in question as the author continues through the book. He refers to certain musical pieces throughout the book, and even gives the musical notations for many, so it would be nice to follow along and listen to the specific pieces he mentions,...

When this book was first printed, CDs did not exist, but the publisher could update it now, and it seems that would make it even more appealing to a general audience.
In conclusion, this book has a wide audience, and it has remained in print since 1984, which shows that it appeals to a diverse group that keep passing it on to others. It belongs on the shelf of anyone who enjoys classical music, anyone who wants to learn more about classical music, including the history, and anyone who enjoys a good writing style with plenty of explanations and examples. It would be a good book to introduce music to young people, too, because it is not too overwhelming or hard to read. The book is valuable, and reading it will certainly make the reader want to listen to classical music more often.

References

Haas, Karl. Inside Music. New York: Random House,…