Do you enjoy classical music but wish you knew more about it? Do you buy CDs, tune in to radio programs, go to concerts, and sometimes wonder just what, precisely, all those Italian musical terms mean? In this wonderfully engaging guide, Miles Hoffman demystifies the terms and concepts of classical music in an accessible and witty style. With more than one hundred entries, The NPR Classical Music Companion delves into definitions and etymologies, explores terms with reference to famous composers and works, and calls upon amusing analogies to make sense of music's finer points. Ranging from a paragraph to a few pages, the explanations gathered here tackle both the familiar and the not so familiar, from " a cappella " to " motet," from " opus numbers " to " zarzuela." The result is a delightful and comprehensive assemblage. For anyone who thinks that only professional musicians can understand classical music, this guide offers a clear path through a potentially daunting world. As much a companion to keep by the radio as an enjoyable book to read in a few sittings, The NPR Classical Music Companion makes understanding music a pleasure.