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The Rest Is Noise (2007)

by Alex Ross(Favorite Author)

4.11 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

0312427719 (ISBN13: 9780312427719)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Picador

review 1: Aside from occasional lapses into "then the oboe plays B flat," Ross is an astonishingly good describer of music, the way it sounds, and the way it makes you feel. He's also incredibly comprehensive in his survey of 20th century music, though there's a lot more Richard Strauss than I expected. Well-researched, well-told, with lots of amusing anecdotes and cameos by non-musical celebrities. It's fascinating.As a music junkie, I felt the only really detrimental omissions were of non-European, non-American composers in general (Asia and South America combine for maybe five mentions), and the weird omission of Bohuslav Martinu's six symphonies, which would have added weight to his chapter about composers taking up exile in America during the 1930s-40s.On the other hand, as a p... moreerson who did NOT know much about many of these composers, I learned a lot. Sadly some of the pieces he's recommended I've hated, but hey, not his fault.
review 2: Alex Ross has an engaging enthusiastic writing style coupled with an in-depth encyclopaedic knowledge of classical music which made reading this long history of 20th century classical music a delight. By telling the stories of some key composers as well as their revolutionary ideas he successfully grounds this book at a very human level instead of allowing music theory overwhelm the main narrative. So far my favourite book of the year, and worth reading if you have any interest in music. less

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