The manual consists of four parts corresponding to the years of study in musical literature. Section I talks about music, its forms and genres, section II tells about the development of Western European music, presents six biographical tables of life and work - I.S. Bach, J. Haydn, V. Motsart, L. Bethoven, F. Schubert, F. Chopin. Section III tells about Russian music of the XIX century, six biographical tables of life and work are given - M.I. Glinki, L.S. Dargomyzhsky, A.P. Borodin, M.P. Musorgsky, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov, P.I. Tchaikovsky. The final year of study is devoted to Russian music of the XX century., the life and work of composers of the turn of the XIX - XX centuries, Soviet period, modernity. At the end of each section, oral and practical tasks are given, questions for discussion in the class, tests that help students control their knowledge.