The Best Classical Music Books of All Time

Discover the most influential classical music books, recommended by leaders, experts, and readers worldwide

We may earn commissions for purchases made via this page.

Not sure what to read? Our AI can suggest the most recommended Classical Music books!

1
Book Cover of Dmitri Shostakovich, Solomon Volkov, Antonina W. Bouis - Testimony: The Memoirs of Dmitri Shostakovich
4.76
Recommended for: 
Music enthusiasts, historians, and those interested in Soviet history. Intermediate readers.
You will:
  • Understand Shostakovich's life and work
  • Influenced performances of his music
  • Changed perception dramatically
  • Insights into Soviet Russia's music community
  • Warm anecdotes about composers
Reviews:
Insightful
International Bestseller
Influential
25th Anniversary Edition
New Foreword
One-Sided
Incomplete
  • International Bestseller
  • Influential in Shostakovich's Legacy
  • New Grove Dictionary Recommendation
Recommended by Judd Greenstein
Judd GreensteinI’m not up to date on the debate, but it’s a powerful book in many ways. Knowing it’s unreliable casts a shadow over the experience, though
|Read Amazon reviews |Rate or write a review
2
Book Cover of mauro costa - 37 Simplified Classical Pieces for Piano: Easy scores of timeless pieces for beginners. Play the songs that made history and progressively improve your skill!

By mauro costa – Pianist and composer with extensive teaching experience (you?) 

4.72
| 2022 | 77 Pages
Recommended for: 
Beginner pianists and music teachers. Ages 12 to Adults.
You will:
  • Learn to play recognizable classical pieces with simplified arrangements for beginners.
  • Discover effective finger placement techniques to enhance playing skills.
  • Understand the progressive difficulty of pieces to build confidence over time.
  • Explore famous melodies that make learning enjoyable and rewarding.
  • Gain insights into music reading and interpretation through practical examples.
Reviews:
Easy to Play
Recognizable Pieces
Progressive Difficulty
Helpful Guidelines
Fun to Practice
Not for Complete Beginners
Limited Song Selection
  • #1 Best Seller in Specific Artist Songbooks on Amazon
  • New York Times Bestseller
  • Rated Amazon Best Book of the Year
Recommended by Christina Forster
Christina ForsterLearning to play piano again. I used to play piano all the time throughout my childhood and have been trying to learn again. This book is perfect with its 37 musical pieces that gradually get more difficult. There are many songs included that I used to love to play such as Swan Lake, Fur Elise, Ave Maria, and Canon in D. I have only just started but am making my way through the first several pieces and can't wait to continue
|Read Amazon reviews |Rate or write a review
Classical Music Book made by AI

By TailoredRead – AI that creates personalized books for you 

4.98
| 2025 | 30-300 pages
Learn Classical Music faster with a book created specifically for you by state-of-the-art AI. Our AI has vast knowledge of Classical Music, and will craft a custom-tailored book for you in just 10 minutes. This tailored book addresses YOUR unique interests, goals, knowledge level, and background. Available for online reading, PDF download, and Kindle, your custom book will provide personalized insights to help you learn faster, expand your horizons, and accomplish your goals. Embark on your Classical Music learning journey with a personalized book - made exclusively for you.
Recommended for: 
All readers across all knowledge levels.
You will:
  • Get a Classical Music book tailored to your interests, goals, and background
  • Receive a book precisely matching your background and level of knowledge
  • Select which topics you want to learn, exclude the topics you don't
  • Define your learning goals and let your book guide you to accomplish them
  • Get all the knowledge you need consolidated into a single focused book
Reviews:
Insightful
Focused
Highly Personalized
Easy to Read
Engaging
Actionable
Up-to-Date
3
Book Cover of Caroline Haigh, John Dunkerley, Mark Rogers - Classical Recording: A Practical Guide in the Decca Tradition (Audio Engineering Society Presents)

By Caroline Haigh – Engineer with years of experience at Decca and Abbey Road Studios (you?) and 2 more 

4.71
| 2020 | 410 Pages
Recommended for: 
Recording engineers, music producers, classical music enthusiasts. Intermediate to Advanced readers.
You will:
  • Understand classical recording techniques
  • Learn about Decca tree setup
  • Discover microphone placement strategies
  • Master recording orchestral music
  • Explore opera recording methods
Reviews:
Detailed
Informative
Comprehensive
Authoritative
Practical
Repetitive
Technical
Read Amazon reviews|Rate or write a review
Loading
Category:
Choose a different view: