BBC Proms Guide to the Great Symphonies

Book excerpt: The BBC Proms Guides provide all the background and information you need about some of the most popular works in the repertory. As one of the world's leading music festivals, the BBC Proms has over the years published unrivalled and highly-praised programme notes by some of today's leading writers on music. This volume provides an accessible and authoritative guide to some of the greatest symphonies. From Haydn and Mozart to the masters of the twentieth century, including the complete symphonies of Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler and Sibelius, these are works which have shown their continual power to move and engage audiences, and which have remained central to our concert-going, broadcasting and record listening over generations. If you want to know more about how the great symphonies were written and what to listen out for as you encounter these remarkable pieces, this is the place to start.