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Product Description
A riotous, rambling and incomplete history of classical music, complete with leg measurements
Book Description
'Hello, I'm Stephen Fry. Now time for the first outing of a brand, spanking new feature here on The Incomplete and Utter History of Classical Music... putting some unsuspecting figure in music under the spotlight.' In his Incomplete & Utter History of Classical Music, Stephen Fry presents a potted and brilliantly rambling 700-year history of classical music and the world as we know it. Along this musical journey he casually throws in references to pretty much whatever takes his fancy, from the Mongol invasion of Russia and Mr Khan (Genghis to his friends), the founding of the MCC, the Black Death (which once again became the new black in England), to the heady revolutionary atmosphere of Mozart's Don Giovanni and the deep doo-doo that Louis XVI got into (or 'du-du' as the French would say). It's all here - Ambrose and early English plainsong, Bach, Mozart (beloved of mobile phones everywhere), Beethoven, Debussy, Wagner (the old romantic), right up to the present day. Entertaining and brilliantly written, this is a pretty reckless romp of a history through classical music and much much more.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I think the only thing that made me finish this book was that I wanted to be able to write a full review here on Amazon.
Others have already commented on the incessant and appalling attempts at humour throughout - often a seemingly interesting and relevant comment or fact quickly becomes yet another feeble setup for a dodgy pun or surreal gag.
Bearing in mind this book is clearly aimed at those of us who aren't experts in the field of classical music, it's very frustrating to find there's almost nothing on terminology and the structure of classical music, apart from a brief bit on concertos. If you want to know how a symphony differs from a mass, or what an overture actually is, or a sonata, or a tenor, or soprano, you will need to look elsewhere.
Most of the composers themselves are only briefly discussed or mentioned, with the majority of the text given over to describing the author's own opinion of his favourite pieces of music, the rubbish jokes, or lists of contemporary history that's usually got nothing to do with the music.
There are no pictures such as portraits of the composers, there's no index or glossary, nor advise on further reading or even a bibliography.
Having read a couple of Stephen Fry's other books it is almost immediately clear that he is not the main writer (if at all), and the various references within the text suggesting otherwise are almost insulting.
I'm thrilled to have finally finished it so I can now read something (anything) else, and feel the only thing I have learnt from it is to be very cautious of books that say "as told to ..." on the cover.
Others have already commented on the incessant and appalling attempts at humour throughout - often a seemingly interesting and relevant comment or fact quickly becomes yet another feeble setup for a dodgy pun or surreal gag.
Bearing in mind this book is clearly aimed at those of us who aren't experts in the field of classical music, it's very frustrating to find there's almost nothing on terminology and the structure of classical music, apart from a brief bit on concertos. If you want to know how a symphony differs from a mass, or what an overture actually is, or a sonata, or a tenor, or soprano, you will need to look elsewhere.
Most of the composers themselves are only briefly discussed or mentioned, with the majority of the text given over to describing the author's own opinion of his favourite pieces of music, the rubbish jokes, or lists of contemporary history that's usually got nothing to do with the music.
There are no pictures such as portraits of the composers, there's no index or glossary, nor advise on further reading or even a bibliography.
Having read a couple of Stephen Fry's other books it is almost immediately clear that he is not the main writer (if at all), and the various references within the text suggesting otherwise are almost insulting.
I'm thrilled to have finally finished it so I can now read something (anything) else, and feel the only thing I have learnt from it is to be very cautious of books that say "as told to ..." on the cover.
128 of 134 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Beware. This book isn't actually written by Stephen Fry, but by Tim Lihoreau of Classic FM. And, like Classic FM, it can be entertaining but also incredibly irritating. And, sadly, it tries to be funny in the wrong way, at the wrong moments.
However. It contains enough useful information to keep me hooked, and occasionally some of Stephen Fry's wit shines through.
Don't buy this book just because it's written by Stephen Fry - because it isn't. But if you have an interest in classical music and can live with Classic FM in book form, it's recommended.
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I felt as though I was being arched and punned and whimsied to death. An insult to any reader any age any amount of previous knowledge. Just awful.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Very put-downable
The other reviews have helped me decide I really don't need to struggle on with this turkey... I'm only 20 pages in and am fed up with the constant 'gags' which get in the way of... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Sean Ryan
Informative and witty.
An absolute must-read for all who rather like classical music and lots of those who don't. Weaves a very readable account of the composers, their music and the periods of history... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Furby Flyer
Not what I had hoped for
I started off enjoying this book, but I soon became disillusioned. The jokes kept on coming (not all of them particularly funny)and this soon got in the way of the text. Read more
Published 10 months ago by CJ
Utterly Brilliant
I love everything Stephen Fry has written and this is the book I would like to have written if I had a zillionth of his talent. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Pippa
A TOTAL RIP OFF - avoid!
Beware - this book is NOT written by Stephen Fry. It's jacket totally misleads, and this is terrible given someone in a bookshop or online would look at this book and buy it... Read more
Published on 31 May 2010 by GWR Rowbottom
Revealing and extremely funny
Stephen Fry gives a very good commentary on the history of the classical music.
It was one of the few history text books that I had been able to read continuously without... Read more
It was one of the few history text books that I had been able to read continuously without... Read more
Published on 4 April 2010 by Tsvi Sivan
Not Great. Disappointing, in fact
This was going to be my insight into a subject about which I know little, but could do with knowing more. Perhaps I expected too much, but this is pretty poorly written. Read more
Published on 24 Mar 2010 by Theyais
Complete and utter rubbish!
The foreword is quite good as it actually is written by Stephen Fry. In fact he gives a quite amusing account of being pursued by Classic FM people with a microphone to get enough... Read more
Published on 4 Jan 2010 by Malcolm Black
boringly funny
I found the book well both informative and humorous at first but eventually i got bored with the ever increasing childlike anecdotes and lost interest around three quarters of the... Read more
Published on 20 Jun 2009 by Adrian Moss
Not even nearly full history
Stephen Fry seems to be also a writing genious: witty and fluent text with remarks for both ends of your torso, just hilarious. Also for friends of classical music...:-)
Published on 21 April 2009 by Timoteus
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