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The Symphony: From Mannheim to Mahler: Student/Teacher Book

$23.99 USD
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The Symphony: From Mannheim to Mahler Cover Image
The Symphony: From Mannheim to Mahler: Student/Teacher Book

The Symphony: From Mannheim to Mahler: Student/Teacher Book

A Guide to the Development of the Symphony Through the 18th and 19th Centuries

By Christopher Tarrant and Natalie Wild

Level: Intermediate

Item: 12-0571542409
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Description
The Symphony: From Mannheim to Mahler is a fascinating and accessible guide that considers the development of the symphony from a number of different perspectives: analytical, historical, and critical. Exploring important milestones, touchpoints, events, key works, and the composers that surround the genre, it also includes a composer timeline, detailed case studies, and comprehensive music examples. This handy and informative book is ideal for GCSE, A-Level, and undergraduate music students, as well as anyone wanting to study and learn more about the genre.

Christopher Tarrant is Lecturer in Music Analysis at Newcastle University. He received his PhD from Royal Holloway, University of London and now teaches and writes about concert music of the long nineteenth century with a special emphasis on theory of form and the Nordic symphony. Christopher is also a violinist and conductor.

Natalie Wild is Director of Research and Deputy Director of Music at the Music in Secondary Schools Trust (MiSST). Her research focuses on the role a classical music education can play in breaking down social barriers. Natalie has taught both GCSE and A-Level Music for many years as Head of Music in various inner-city schools.

Contents:

* The early symphony

* Patronage and public concerts

* Melody, harmony, and syntax

* Form, structure, and cycle

* Sonata form

* Tonality

* Absolute music and programme music

* The symphony outside Germany and Austria

* The symphony's second age

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Additional Details
Publisher: Faber Music
ISBN10: 0-571-54240-9
ISBN13: 978-0-571-54240-6
UPC: 9780571542406
SKU: 12-0571542409

More about this title

About the Composer: Christopher Tarrant

Christopher Tarrant is a lecturer in music analysis at Newcastle University with a PhD from Royal Holloway, University of London. His research centers on concert music of the nineteenth century, with particular focus on formal analysis and the Nordic symphony tradition. Beyond the classroom, he works as both violinist and conductor, bringing practical performance experience to his theoretical work.

Why we love this

This book treats the symphony as a living, evolving form rather than a historical artifact to memorize. The case-study approach combined with music examples means students can actually see how composers solved structural problems, making analysis feel like detective work rather than rote learning. For A-Level and undergraduate programs, it bridges the gap between historical context and the technical skills students need to understand how symphonies actually work.

What to expect

Reading this book mirrors the journey of the symphony itself: starting with elegant clarity in the Mannheim school, moving through the structural mastery of Haydn and Mozart, gaining dramatic weight with Beethoven, and evolving into the expansive, experimental world of the nineteenth century. The writing is direct and purposeful, never condescending, meeting serious students where their curiosity already is.

Who it's for

GCSE and A-Level music students will find this essential for exam preparation and deeper repertoire study. Undergraduate music majors benefit from the rigorous analytical framework and comprehensive historical narrative. Anyone teaching or studying symphonic literature will return to this repeatedly as a reference and teaching tool.

How to use it

Use this as the backbone of a symphony appreciation unit in your curriculum, assigning case studies alongside recordings and scores. For A-Level students preparing for listening exams or analysis papers, the detailed examples and timeline become invaluable reference materials. Faculty teaching music history or form analysis courses will find the structure and comprehensiveness ideal for supporting lecture content with independent student learning.

Skills your students will build

  • Analyzing sonata form across different historical periods and composers
  • Understanding tonality and harmonic syntax in Classical and Romantic symphonies
  • Distinguishing between absolute and programmatic symphonic approaches
  • Tracing formal evolution and structural innovation across the symphony's development
  • Contextualizing musical works within patronage systems and concert culture

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