Front Matter

To the Reader

I F you want to play a good game at cricket or football or you have to learn  how the game is played, and to practise  it. When you have learnt and practised, then you get enjoyment.

And, in the same way, if you want to listen properly to lots of the very best music you have to learn  about it and then to practise  listening. And, here again, when you have learnt and practised you get the enjoyment.

But learning about a game, and practising it, are really quite good fun in themselves.

And I hope you will find that learning about music, and practising listening to it, are also quite good fun in themselves.

If you don't get some fun out of this book as you study it, and then, when you have studied it, get greater enjoyment out listening to music, you will greatly disappoint—