The Billboard Encyclopedia of Classical Music

Designed for the intelligent music lover, this work combines depth of insight with a high degree of accessibility. Editor Sadie has been editor of the
New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2d ed., Oxford, 2001) since 1970 and is a respected music critic.
Unlike most encyclopedias, this one is organized chronologically by period. After an introductory section on the foundations of music worldwide, there are chapters covering medieval, Renaissance, early and late baroque, classical, early and late Romantic, modern, and contemporary eras. Each chapter has these divisions: introduction (history and major events of the time and social and cultural context), personalities (biographies of key musical figures), styles and forms (new and developing), and instruments (invention, construction, role). Short entries marked by icons cover additional facts on six aspects of music: "Arts and Culture," "Inside the Music," "The Voice," "Performance," "Women in Music," and "Influences." Sidebars give more facts throughout. Other features are cross-referencing, a glossary of musical terms, bibliographies, a list of musical organizations, and an index. The few black-and-white illustrations are unremarkable.
The text of this work is a very slightly updated version of the Billboard Illustrated Encyclopedia of Classical Music (Watson-Guptill, 2000) but with a much lower level of visual appeal. The illustrated edition also has a listening guide for each chapter focusing on a specific work and a discography. These are missing from the work under review, although entries for personalities do list a recommended recording. Bibliographies are slightly different, but information is essentially the same and will be of great use to students of music, cultural history, and general history by period. Arrangement of the encyclopedia works very well, keeping relevant information together, and it is recommended for public, community college, and high-school libraries. Since both versions are available, it remains to choose one on the basis of price, weighing the value of the illustrations. RBBCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved