A History of Western Music

The eighth edition of A History of Western Music is a vivid, accessible and richly contextual view of music in western culture.

Building on his monumental revision of the seventh edition, Peter Burkholder has refined an inspired narrative for a new generation of students, placing people at the centre of the story.

The narrative of A History of Western Music naturally focuses on the musical works, styles, genres and ideas that have proven most influential, enduring and significant - but it also encompasses a wide range of music, from religious to secular, from serious to humorous, from art music to popular music, and from Europe to the Americas.

With a six-part structure emphasising the music's reception and continued influence, Burkholder's narrative establishes a social and historical context for each repertoire to reveal its legacy and its significance today.