Robert Hickok

A helpful chart outlining musical periods is useful for placing composers in the proper period. The work is functional, a textbook feel pervades the work, surveying the technical aspects of music and music history. The more technical aspects require more than a passing knowledge of music theory. The value of the work though is a comprehensive survey of all forms of music from the fundamentals through all the important styles of music throughout history.

"Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, which he began in 1804, was first performed in Vienna in December 1808 (p. 206)."