Available to buy now, Faber Music has published The Symphony: From Mannheim to Mahler by Christopher Tarrant and Natalie Wild. Devised as an accessible guide for students, it considers the development of the symphony from a number of different perspectives: analytical, historical, and critical.

The aim of this handy and informative book is to provide a guide suitable for GCSE and A-Level students which is relevant to their syllabus, for undergraduate music students who can often find the jump to academic texts daunting, and also for anyone wanting to study and learn more about the genre.

The Symphony explores 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.

• 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

Praise for The Symphony

‘Tarrant and Wild offer a wonderfully clear and accessible introduction to this most creative, innovative, and rewarding of musical genres.’
Daniel M. Grimley, Professor of Music, University of Oxford

‘…a fresh and accessible approach to a familiar subject that will deepen the experience of the repertoire for listeners, performers, teachers, and students.’
Edward Gardner, Principal Conductor, London Philharmonic Orchestra

About the authors

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.