BOOKS OF THE YEAR

Reading for pleasure? Our writers choose the titles they most admired and enjoyed this year; on the next few pages, a wide range of ideas about what to give this Christmas

CLASSICAL

There's a glut of opera books this Christmas. Opera: A New Way of Listening by Alexander Waugh (De Agostini pounds 15.99) is aimed at "the newcomer and confirmed enthusiast alike". It includes over 100 plot summaries, suggestions on how to get the best out of the opera experience, and a CD with extracts from over 25 operas. Tom Sutcliffe's Believing in Opera (Faber pounds 20) is an in-depth study of post-war operatic staging and interpretation: a fascinating, if somewhat daunting, read. Jurgen Kesting's Luciano Pavarotti: The Myth of the Tenor (Robson Books pounds 16.95) follows his rise to superstar status but asks whether his talent has become masked by his fame. Don Carlos and Company (OUP pounds 10.99) by Christopher Morgan records the historical facts around which eight of the most popular operatic stories are based. Morgan reveals how often "minor incidents had found their way on to the opera stage" and how fact and fiction have overlapped; he also includes a synopsis of the eight operas covered. The Joy of Opera (Deutsch pounds 20) by Nigel Douglas is the perfect present for any opera-lover. Beautifully illustrated (above) and packed with anecdotes, it looks at the history of opera, directors, venues and the phenomenon of the prima donna. Michael Tanner's biography of Wagner (HarperCollins pounds 16.99) is a detailed look at why the music of this great composer (top) has repeatedly provoked such intense and hostile reactions. Don't look for plot summaries (there are plenty of other books where they can be found), but this is ideal for the Wagner fan. Moving away from opera, A Guide to the Concerto (ed Robert Layton, OUP pounds 12.99) is an informative reference book with a chronological guide to the concerto and over 130 examples from popular musical scores. On a lighter note, Fritz Spiegl's Book of Musical Blunders and other Musical Curiosities (Robson Books pounds 16.95) is an entertaining compilation of gaffes and blunders, hoaxes and jokes, misprints and mishaps, plus classic Punch cartoons. From the same author comes Lives, Wives and Loves of the Great Composers (Marion Boyars pounds 19.95), a selection of biographical portraits. Spiegl reveals that Beethoven was "a leering womaniser" and Brahms "visited brothels". Yehudi Menuhin's lavish and colourfully illustrated The Violin (Flammarion pounds 35) traces the instrument's development: its makers, players (above), teachers, composers and listeners. A must. Finally, don't miss A Guide to 20th Century Composers by Mark Morris (Methuen pounds 30), a comprehensive reference book with detailed entries on over 500 composers.