The acclaimed and award-winning Oxford History of Western Music offers an unmatched narrative account of the evolution of Western classical music. Laced with brilliant observations, memorable musical analyses, and a panoramic sense of the interaction between history, culture, politics, art, literature, religion, and music, the Oxford History of Western Music is essential for anyone who wishes to understand the rich and diverse tradition of Western music. The driving force behind the Oxford History of Western Music is Richard Taruskin, one of the most prominent and provocative musicologists working today.

The Oxford History of Western Music offers convenient access for anyone interested in Taruskin's essential history of Western music, from first-time readers to long-time fans of the work, from students assigned chapters in a course to experienced scholars seeking a handy point of entry for their research. Readers can easily search across the entire work to pinpoint quotations or follow up references. They can jump across chapters through the Table of Contents or through an index designed by Oxford's editors. For users that also have access to Grove Music Online, Taruskin's text is accompanied by links to relevant, editorially-selected articles in Grove.