What makes Mozart's music so great? Why does a minor chord sound sad and a major chord sound happy? What is the difference between opera and operetta? From Bach to Bernstein, this definitive guide offers a complete description of the history of classical music. Whether you already love classical music or are just beginning to explore it, The Complete Guide to Classical Music invites you to discover the spirituality of Byrd's masses, the amazing power of Handel's Messiah, and the wonders of Wagner's operas, as well as hundreds of other composers and their masterpieces. This guide takes you through more than 1,000 years, charting the evolution of musical instruments, styles, and genres. Biographies of important and lesser-known composers provide rich insights into their music and the historical and cultural contexts that influenced their genius. The book explores the characteristics that defined each musical era - from the ornate brilliance of the Baroque, through the drama of Romantic music, to contemporary genres such as Minimalism and electronic music. Timelines, excerpts, and color photographs give voice to this music and to the extraordinarily talented individuals who created it.