Why Classical Music Still Matters (Simpson Book in the Humanities) (Simpson Book in the Humanities)
Customer Review: Hard work
This is not an easy or enjoyable read. It’s very academic and is unlikely to appeal to anyone who doesn’t enjoy a somewhat high-flown, pretentious style of writing.
-
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Classic Literature with Classical Music)
-
Classical music - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
classicalmusicbroadcast.com - 24 hour Classical Music Radio Online …
Stephen Fry’s Incomplete and Utter History of Classical Music
Customer Review: Does what it says on the tin
The thing to understand about this book, apart from the fact that it isn’t really written by Fry himself, is that it is indeed incomplete, as it says in the title. I approached this with high hopes after reading his excellent book on poetry, and found myself somewhat disappointed. If I had read it first I suspect I may not have been so underwhelmed. As it is, there are very few books available which offer a readable, albeit necessarily potted history of classical music, and when approaching the subject as a rank amateur, desperately in need of a way into the genre one takes what one can get. It isn’t technical, it doesn’t have all the answers, it doesn’t cover everything and there are some terrible jokes in it, but it does offer a glimpse into and reasonable overview of the world of classical music without either being 12 billion pages long, or so technical you haven’t a hope in hell. This, in my opinion, is a good thing.
Customer Review: Oh deary me…
I was so excited when I bought this book. I love classical music, I love Stephen Fry’s wit and so I thought this happy union would have me wetting my pants with some Bach playing in the background.
As the title suggests, it is very very incomplete, but far from utter. I’m not a huge fan of Mozart, but I found it slightly unfair that he was given a total of around 6 pages of the book, whereas Fry’s favourite composer, Wagner (given a larger font throughout he book - somewhat annoying) gets a whopping 30 pages. Which is not very respective of the two composer’s works.
Fry’s wit is in there, alright. But reading his wit just isn’t the same as hearing it. I found it frustrating that I had to keep thinking how Fry would have said this or that line, to have even the faintest dribblings in my seat. Even then, Fry uses the same jokes over and over again. Tedium sets in after a while.
Perhaps the most annoying thing, though, is that this book is NOT a history of music. It is a very incomplete narrative of historical events interspersed with the odd musical reference. If I’m reading a book concerning the history of classical music, am I likely to care about the population of China in the 18th century? I think not.
In short, those who want to have a little chuckle would do better with either the Liar, Moab or the Tennis Star’s Balls. Those who want a little background to music would be better off buying the Groves Encyclopoedia. It may cost a lot more than the Incomplete and Utter History, but you get what you pay for.
On the back cover, R Schumann gives “his” views on this book. “I threw it in the Rhine”. I know the feeling, and will be quite happy to throw it in the Danube.
-
Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs and Classical Music
Customer Review: Bitter sweet symphony
With the naked musicians on the front cover and the sub-heading promising sex and drugs i was expecting a rather exciting and thrilling ride into the unknow world of classical music.I got however a book that in somes places just plodded along at a rather painful rate.Like my fellow reviewer said this is no jackie collins.In one chapter( all of 9 pages long)there were 18 different notes/quotes to keep checking back on.At times it felt like revising for a music exam.It’s Well written and does get to the heart of what’s wrong with the world of classical music.To many (including me)it seems like the dream job, but just like the front cover it fails to live up to what it promises.
Customer Review: What Happened To Classical Music In America And Why.
When I first began reading this book I almost put it down after a few chapters. Not that it’s badly written, it isn’t, but the stories of what goes on behind the scenes in the classical music world as experienced by the author didn’t tell me anything that I didn’t already know about life in the arts in general so it came as no big surprise. Then I read Chapter 12 titled appropriately TWILIGHT OF THE GODS and from that point on got the background on what happened to classical music in America and how it went from something once valued as a cultural necessity to becoming a commercial commodity to an ever decreasing audience. As someone who has spent over 20 years in public radio trying to bring classical music to a wider audience, it was eyeopening and depressing to see how it happened from someone on the inside who experienced it firsthand. I won’t go into details here, you’ll have to read the book for that but anyone who loves or cares about classical music in America owes it to themselves to check this book out to see what happened and hopefully what can be done about it. The autobiographical parts are sometimes offputting in their verisimilitude as Tindall doesn’t hesitate to call a spade a spade especially concerning herself but the observations she makes based on experience and solid research cannot easily be dismissed or ignored. Classical music will never hold the place it once did in American society as there are just too many alternatives coupled with poor public education for that to be the case. However after reading this book you’ll be in a much better position to understand why and just what can be done to keep it from disappearing altogether. The situation is bleak but far from hopeless if specific issues can be acknowledged and addressed. Knowledge is power and this book is an excellent place to start. Tindall’s story is like a microcosm of the classical music industry. If she can overcome her problems (she did) then so can it.
-
CLASSICAL MUSIC - washingtonpost.com
Classical Music MIDI Page
