The Rest Is Noise (Audiobook)

from bell7

This book is about 20th century classical music. You might think, as a result, that it has a potential reader base about as big as those who listen to such music, but you would be mistaken. The Rest is Noise: Listening to the 20th Century encompasses so much more. One of the blurbs on the back us...

from Steve38

What a brilliant book. What a piece of work. A readable, enjoyable, comprehensive review of classical music and its development in the twentieth century. Mr Ross deserves much praise for his scholarship, his research and his style and imagination. Only one slight criticism and it's probably of me...

from JeffV

Romantic, Impressionistic, neo-Classical, Avant-garde, Minimalism, Populist: musical styles were in a constant state of flux throughout the century. Technology allowed composers to experiment in ways never before possible. Powerful influences attracted the intellectual composers on direction (suc...

from omphalos02

Comprehensive (and remarkable) research support this very readable and well-written tour of twentieth century music. From my personal standpoint, I wish Ross had given a little more time to Scriabin, and even a mention of Walter/Wendy Carlos, but those are really quibbles regarding this tremendou...

from clogbottom

This ranks with some of the best non-fiction for laymen out there (much of which is written by John McPhee.) A glut of information, generously larded through with singular anecdotes and quotes, surrounded by the obvious and intense love for the subject felt by Alex Ross. In some ways it is the ch...