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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Amusing and (at times) enlightening conversation transcript.
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Finishing this book was like waking up from a dream you know for sure was pleasant but that you only remember snippets of. I can’t wait to reread it!
--a collection of transcribed conversations between the author and concert conductor Seiji Ozawa. Both talk about their love of music and their approach to creative work, as well as the experience of living abroad.
I'm not a musician, and I didn't get much even when I read along to the music (on Spotify). I did connect with some of the more abstract discussion of the "hungry heart" of the artist reaching toward mastery and the "stripping away layers" during performance. It's good to consider what makes art good.
This book was a suggestion from Paul Venet, and I read it on the beach. It's now in the hands of an opera-conductor student of mine, who has decided to translate it word for word.
I'm not a musician, and I didn't get much even when I read along to the music (on Spotify). I did connect with some of the more abstract discussion of the "hungry heart" of the artist reaching toward mastery and the "stripping away layers" during performance. It's good to consider what makes art good.
This book was a suggestion from Paul Venet, and I read it on the beach. It's now in the hands of an opera-conductor student of mine, who has decided to translate it word for word.
challenging
informative
slow-paced
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Delightful. Murakami is a student of music - he intimately knows a wide variety of pieces; symphonies, piano concertos, jazz. He and Ozawa discuss music history and Ozawa’s career - dissecting many performances. Particularly enjoyed their discussion of the influence of Mahler - and the conductor’s role in rehearsing an orchestra to take on Mahler - and Ozawa’s eastern ways of interpreting western music.
I laughed out loud when reading their conversation about Ozawa’s time as director of the Ravinia Festival in Chicago. He would travel to the blues clubs on his nights off to soak up some truly American music. Ozawa says “Do they still play the blues in Chicago?” Well - even though the Cubs won the World Series in 2016 - yes - we do still play the blues!
Even though the writing style is conversational - I found the book to be entertaining and enlightening. Ozawa’s description of how he prepares for a performance - the depths he goes to study a score and determine various interpretations. And his discussion of the different styles of different orchestras was fascinating. Well done.
I laughed out loud when reading their conversation about Ozawa’s time as director of the Ravinia Festival in Chicago. He would travel to the blues clubs on his nights off to soak up some truly American music. Ozawa says “Do they still play the blues in Chicago?” Well - even though the Cubs won the World Series in 2016 - yes - we do still play the blues!
Even though the writing style is conversational - I found the book to be entertaining and enlightening. Ozawa’s description of how he prepares for a performance - the depths he goes to study a score and determine various interpretations. And his discussion of the different styles of different orchestras was fascinating. Well done.
reflective
slow-paced
Nice book in which Murakami speaks with Ozawa on several occasions. For me as conductor nice to get into the head of Ozawa.