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A review by eliza_bangert
The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century by Alex Ross
5.0
I started this book in August... I would have finished it sooner, but it's kind of a heavy one to carry around on public transportation, which is when I do most of my reading.
Anyway, I really enjoyed it. Of all periods of music, the 20th century is my favorite, yet it's the only one I didn't take a class on during college or grad school (other than the general music history class). What I like the most about Ross' approach is how well he integrates happenings in the music world with the current events of the time. Not only does that help me understand the music better, but I've also gained a greater understanding of 20th century history in general.
I found the last two chapters to be the most interesting, and I wish he had actually spent a little more time covering music from the last 25 or 30 years. I enjoyed the parallels he draws between classical and pop music during this time.
Just yesterday I discovered that he's posted audio examples on his website (therestisnoise.com). This is a really great resource, and I wish I'd known about it when I started the book!
Anyway, I really enjoyed it. Of all periods of music, the 20th century is my favorite, yet it's the only one I didn't take a class on during college or grad school (other than the general music history class). What I like the most about Ross' approach is how well he integrates happenings in the music world with the current events of the time. Not only does that help me understand the music better, but I've also gained a greater understanding of 20th century history in general.
I found the last two chapters to be the most interesting, and I wish he had actually spent a little more time covering music from the last 25 or 30 years. I enjoyed the parallels he draws between classical and pop music during this time.
Just yesterday I discovered that he's posted audio examples on his website (therestisnoise.com). This is a really great resource, and I wish I'd known about it when I started the book!