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carrieliza's review
4.0
Though I did find this book interesting, it took me forever to get through. I thought the sections dealing with music in and around Word War II were particularly well done, and I enjoyed reading about composers that I knew nothing about, but had played some of their work in band before. This book is a lot to take in, and while I don't think I'll be able to remember everything I read, some things will probably stick. I hope.
michael5000's review
5.0
November 2009 (audio): Outrageously good, both in its specific domain and as a lens on 20th Century cultural life in general.
Read 2016.
Read 2016.
benjaminj1996's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Even just in terms of scale, this is a seriously impressive book. It covers musical development in the 20th century with examples and narratives from all sorts of places. Ross is at his best when describing pieces of music - his writing really brings the music to life, somehow.
We get lots of profiles of different composers and key musicians which is great - yet I think even in just a decade this book may have become somewhat of a product of its time in that it hardly ever affords women the time of day in this regard. You could argue that women weren't really allowed any influence by society and therefore there is less to say - but I think if the research can be done about a large group of men, often finding lots of new details, the same could have been done for women. There are also one or two turns of phrase that I don't think would/should be used today here and there.
That said, what we *do* have in this book is really interesting and well done. Some composers/areas are bound to feel relatively glossed over just because of the sheer scope of the book and sheer detail of other sections - but this book really is a pervasive account of music in an entire century, which is no mean feat. Also, as a composer I've found the equal weight given to varied approaches to music quite inspiring, and has set some thoughts in motion in a number of different directions. It's also exposed me to composers and pieces I'd either not listened to before or hadn't really given enough time to, so it's been really helpful in my own musical development!
eososray's review against another edition
2.0
I did not enjoy this as much as its average rating of 4.10 leads me to think I should have but what I found is that much of the book talks about technical music details that I don't understand and, more importantly, don't actually wish to understand.
I found the author very informative and his love of all things music and his passion for the subject definitely come across. I learned a lot about composers that I didn't know about, and I spent a fair bit of time on the website listening to the music clips so I knew what was happening.
I do really wish that there had been more about Jazz, just a quick mention of Bessie Smith, The Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Jelly Roll Morton and a little more about Duke Ellington where not enough for my taste.
I found the author very informative and his love of all things music and his passion for the subject definitely come across. I learned a lot about composers that I didn't know about, and I spent a fair bit of time on the website listening to the music clips so I knew what was happening.
I do really wish that there had been more about Jazz, just a quick mention of Bessie Smith, The Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Jelly Roll Morton and a little more about Duke Ellington where not enough for my taste.
jmercury's review
5.0
The time and effort spent reading (and listening) through this remarkable book is lushly repaid as an informed understanding of modern composition. I've read this book twice over, after first buying it as a course textbook. If you have any interest in classical, electronic, pop, rock, or really any other style, you must read Ross' engaging, funny, heartfelt, and all-encompassing work.