A Deep Dive Into "A Concise Introduction To Music Listening Fourth Edition" – A Timeless Classical Gem
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to have your soul gently shaken by music, A Concise Introduction To Music Listening Fourth Edition might just be the album for you. Released way back in 1988 (yeah, that’s right—when mullets were still cool), this compilation is a treasure chest of classical masterpieces curated with love by Various artists under the label Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc. It’s not flashy or loud, but man, does it hit different.
Let me tell you about two tracks that stuck with me long after the needle stopped spinning: Gretchen Am Spinnrade and Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67, First Movement (Allegro Con Brio). These pieces? They’re basically emotional gut-punches wrapped in beautiful soundscapes.
First up, Gretchen Am Spinnrade. Oh my gosh, where do I even start? This piece feels like overhearing someone's private moment of heartbreak. The piano tiptoes around while the voice spills out raw emotion—it’s hauntingly intimate. You can almost picture poor Gretchen sitting at her spinning wheel, lost in thought, maybe crying quietly because life got too heavy. There’s something so human about it, you know? Like, yeah, we’ve all been there. That mix of longing and sadness grabs hold of you and doesn’t let go. Honestly, I had to pause it halfway through because it felt too real. Not many songs make me stop whatever I’m doing, but this one did.
Then there’s Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. Come on, who hasn’t heard those iconic opening notes? Da-da-da-DUM! But listening to it here, in this context, made me hear it differently. It wasn’t just some dramatic intro anymore; it felt alive, like a storm brewing inside your head. Every section builds on the last, pulling you deeper into its world. By the time the strings kick in full force, you’re not just hearing music—you’re living it. And honestly, isn’t that what great art should do? Make you feel like you’re part of something bigger than yourself?
The rest of the album has plenty more gems—like Clair de Lune, which sounds like moonlight spilling across water, or La Campanella, which makes you wanna grab a violin and try (and fail) to play along. But those two tracks? They’re burned into my brain now.
What strikes me most about this album is how timeless it feels. Sure, it came out decades ago, but these compositions could’ve been written yesterday—or centuries before. Classical music has this weird way of existing outside of time, and this collection nails that vibe perfectly. Listening to it feels less like flipping through an old textbook and more like having a late-night conversation with someone wiser than you.
Here’s the kicker though: as much as I enjoyed this album, I couldn’t help thinking… why don’t we talk about classical music like this anymore? Like, imagine if TikTok creators started breaking down symphonies instead of dance trends. Would kids lose their minds over Beethoven drops? Probably. Just saying.
Anyway, if you’re looking for an album that’ll make you think, feel, and maybe shed a tear or two, give A Concise Introduction To Music Listening Fourth Edition a spin. Trust me, it’s worth every second.
Artist:Various Album: A Consise Introduction To Music Listening Fourth Edition
Symphony No. 2 In D, Op. 43, Fourth Movement (Finale: Allegro Moderato)
Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 63, First Movement (Allegro Moderato)
Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 13 (Pathétique), Third Movement (Rondo: Allegro)
Symphony No. 40 In G Minor, K. 550, Third Movement (Menuetto Allegretto)
Symphony No. 101 In D Major (The Clock), Fourth Movement (Finale: Vivace)
Joy
Rodeo, "Hoe-Down"
Until Spring, Opening Section
Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat, Op. 83, First Movement (Allegro Non Troppo)
Fugue In G Minor (The Little)
Horn Concerto No. 3 In E Flat, K. 447. Third Movement (Allegro)
Carmen, "Gypsy Song"
April Is In My Mistress' Face
The Rite Of Spring, Part I
Concerto For Orchestra, Fifth Movement (Finale)
New England Triptych (Three Pieces For Orchestra After William Billings), Third Movement, "Chester"
Old American Songs, No. 4, "Simple Gifts"
Messiah, Tenor Aria: "Every Valley Shall Be Exalted"
Don Juan, Op. 20
Clair De Lune
String Quartet No. 6 On F Major (American), Op. 96, First Movement (Allegro Non Troppo)
Belshazzar's Feast (Excerpt), "Slay And Rejoice"
Four Pieces For Mixed Choir, Op. 27, "Unentrinnbar"
Messiah, Recitative: "The Voice Of Him That Crieth"
American Scenes, "Autumn"
Concerto In E Major, "Spring" From The Four Seasons, First Movement (Allegro)
Porgy And Bess, "Bess, You Is My Woman Now"
Messiah, Chorus: "Hallelujah"
Trout Quintet In A Major, Op. 114, Fourth Movement, Theme And Variations
"Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring," From Cantata No. 147
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 67, First Movement (Allegro Con Brio)
Symphony Of Psalms, Part I
The MEdium, Act I, Séance Scene
Kleine Kammermusik Für Fünf Bläser, Op. 24, No. 2, Fifth Movement (Sehr Lebhaft)
Sanctus
La Campanella
The Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra, Op. 34, "Variations And Fugue On A Theme By Purcell"
Symphony No. 40 In G Minor, K. 550, First Movement (Allegro Molto)
West Side Story, "The Dance At The Gym"
Night Of The Four Moons, "La Luna Esta Muerta, Muerta..."
Gretchen Am Spinnrade
Kanon In D
Dawn And Siegfried's Rhine Journey
Fantasie-Impromptu, Op. 66
Images
Catalog Numbers
P5 20034
Labels
Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc.
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Formats
5 × Vinyl
LP Box Set
Barcodes
Barcode: 9 780534 086411
Interesting fact about Album
Here’s something cool: the album *A Concise Introduction To Music Listening Fourth Edition* isn’t your typical classical music collection. Released in 1988 in the US by Wadsworth Publishing Company, it’s more like a musical textbook. It includes iconic pieces like "Hoe-Down" from *Rodeo*, "Clair de Lune," and even "Hallelujah" from Handel’s *Messiah*. What makes it stand out is how it blends famous works with lesser-known gems, creating a crash course in classical music. Imagine flipping through pages while listening to Beethoven’s *Symphony No. 5* or Vivaldi’s "Spring." It’s basically a playlist designed to teach you how to listen—pretty neat for anyone curious about the genre!
