The Rest Is Noise

Listening to the 20th Century

By: Alex Ross

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 23 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

The Rest Is Noise takes the listener inside the labyrinth of modern music, from turn-of-the-century Vienna to downtown New York in the '60s and '70s. We meet the maverick personalities and follow the rise of mass culture on this sweeping tour of 20th-century history through its music.

Ross, music critic for The New Yorker, is the recipient of numerous awards for his work, including two ASCAP Deems Taylor Awards for music criticism. In addition, he was named a 2008 recipient of a MacArthur Foundation fellowship, given for achievements in creativity and potential for making important future cultural contributions.

©2007 Alex Ross (P)2007 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

• National Book Critics Circle Award, Criticism, 2007

Excellent but cd have been better still

A guiding "synthetic big idea" wd have given the prose more drive. The book has been so well reviewed that I was expecting even more, a big original idea abou 20th century music. Eg Rose's repeated and intriguing reference to Mann's Faustus could have served with a longer analysis of Faust. When he is more of a close-reading musicologist like his brilliant brief remarks on Lutoslawski it is very instructive; when there are just nice reviewer-type comparisons like how John Adams' home and surroundings are a bit like his music - then it feels like a series of enjoyable but basically journalistic reviews strung together.

Part of the issue is Rose's tact - he clearly restrains himself from too many clear evaluations; to give a more incisive original thesis there could be more controversy like his (only) suggested but recurring claim that Adorno n Boulez were dictating the direction of music much too much. Jon Stewart said it when bashing cnn "To be an arbiter means sometimes taking a stance."

Like almost everyone, I missed the extracts of the pieces discussed - despite the (too?) light prose no music makes it harder reading and harder listening. I was switching between listening and youtube and wikipedia for more details, more evidence that the prose "architecture" was lacking. The Kindle version has the missing additional recording bibliography with Rose's recommendations. In this way, both when I knew the piece already and when I didnt this made for a great learning experience:)

excellent overview of music in the 20th century

Generally good - but the actor's pronunciation of certain musical terms is suspect. (Timbre is pronounced Tam-ber not Timber.) I'm also not sure if his pronunciation of certain composer's names is correct. Other than that quite good.

Excellent Narration

Having heard Ross on YouTube read in his soft spoken manner, it was impressive to hear his command of language given further heft by Gardener, whose strong delivery makes the book sound like a classic authoritative text.
Being a near-encyclopedic account of twentieth century music, the listening is beneficial mainly for the overview, with liner note-style details of pieces best returned to with the physical book. It would be impossible to appreciate what is described unless you already have an intimate knowledge of all the music covered.

Not a work for the unitiated...

Like many of the composers about which he writes, Mr. Ross appears have some disdain for mass appeal. Without at least some grounding in music theory, particulary the theories of harmony, this book can be expected to only mystify. I myself have only a brief and non-formal grounding in that area, and I was only able to get a small feel for the works being described. Unfortunately, without musical example, verbally describing symphonic works simply doesn't work.

Beyond that disclaimer, this is an interesting (though very selective) overview of the interaction between the sequestered world of classical composing and outward reality.

Unfortunately, what often comes through is simply the disdain the classical composer has for the rest of us. That along with Mr. Ross' delight in pointing out the homosexual composers whether or not it is germain to their works drags this work into a quite bleak view of the century.

The narration was good in pace and articulation, although a number of non-English words are poorly pronounced.

Fantastic, reignites appreciation for last century

Any additional comments?

This is surely the decisive history of 20th century orchestral music. Ross showcases an encyclopedic knowledge of 20th century composition, which is nicely complemented by his thorough and insightful research into the cultural, social, and political history each of the composers sprouted from. He weaves his way around the world and through various schools of composition, highlighting the composers and their works whether romantics or modernists, post-modernists or jazz (and in that swing or bebop), impressionistic or twelve tone. The book has a corresponding website that lives on with continuing blogposts, links to works, suggested listening, and the like. This book is probably best for readers who already have at least some familiarity with the classical repertoire and is made much richer by finding recordings of the works discussed. An eye-opening and educational book, an introduction to the realities and politics (both at the governmental and international levels, as well as within the musical community) that gave rise to much of the music of the last century. Well worth the time of any lover of orchestral music.

Completely engaging and comprehensive

This book truly changed the way I understand 20th music and provided me with deep insights into the changing role of composition. The interconnection between music and society was examined in great depth. Ross really enhanced my appreciation and understanding of music that I had, at best a limited grasp of.

An Audible Feast for the ears and the brain!

Where does The Rest Is Noise rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of the best Audible Books I've heard. It makes me realize how much more I retain when I'm listening to something as opposed to reading the words. I've read some nice thrillers and mysteries and classical fiction and poetry. This, my first foray into non-fiction, was incredibly rewarding.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Perhaps---Mahler. Because this is a non-fiction book, there are no characters per se. But Grover Gardner's superb, clear narration makes Alex Ross's history of 20th century music absolutely riveting.

Have you listened to any of Grover Gardner’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

He is new to me but I plan to look him up and listen to other of his performances. What a wonderful, clear voice. His enunciation is crystal clear and utterly engaging.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It's too long to do that! I would have to go without a night's sleep. But it's most certainly a book that made me return to it as frequently and as quickly as I could. It is a reflection and history of 20th century music that has the quick pace and excitement of a thriller.

I also should say that I find the topic innately fascinating so I was prepared to enjoy it and to be illuminated. What I did not know was what a fantastic addition to my "knowledge" bank this would be. I knew the bare outlines of the stories of the various composers and compositions. I did not know the wonderful nuances and the vivid historical perspectives this book would provide. It's a book worth rereading and I certainly will never delete it from my library.

Any additional comments?

If you like--or are interested--in classical music, you will enjoy this book. If you think that the 20th century was a musical wasteland, give this title a try.

Brillant

Would you listen to The Rest Is Noise again? Why?

If you've read Alex Ross in the New Yorker, you know what a brilliant and gracious critic he is. But here the full breadth of his erudition is unfolded, and his genius for close reading of musical texts and relating them to larger intellectual movements is staggering.

Fascinating Insight into the Context of 20th Century Classical Music

You have to get used to his style of jumping between anecdotes about different composers pretty freely, but your reward for doing so is that he brings out a compelling overarching narrative and shows how every composer he discusses fits into it. As a classical music fan I learned a lot about composers I knew well, and even more about composers I didn’t, and I now have a long list of fascinating pieces Ross described I can listen to and appreciate all the more. I was thoroughly entertained throughout, and I whole-heartedly recommend.

Dancing about architecture?

Overwrought. Doesn't work. Somehow this book manages to take the fun out of something wonderful. This might work better as a reference book kept for specific listening sessions but it's overlapping structure kind of rules that out in terms of usefulness. In shorter New Yorker bites this kind of thing works but this is a tough slog. God bless him for doing this huge project just the same. He got it done. Also, just know that it's concerned strictly with classical music and that general world which is impossible to tell when reading the description, not an accident likely. So... everything else is noise apparently.