Mozart in the Jungle

Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music

By: Blair Tindall

Narrated by: Amanda Ronconi

Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

In the tradition of Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential and Gelsey Kirkland's Dancing on My Grave, Mozart in the Jungle delves into the lives of the musicians and conductors who inhabit the insular world of classical music.

In a book that inspired the Amazon original series starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Malcolm McDowell, oboist Blair Tindall recounts her decades-long professional career as a classical musician, from the recitals and Broadway orchestra performances to the secret life of musicians who survive hand to mouth in the backbiting New York classical music scene, trading sexual favors for plum jobs and assignments in orchestras across the city. Tindall and her fellow journeymen musicians often play drunk, high, or hopelessly hungover, live in decrepit apartments, and perform in hazardous conditions. These are working-class musicians who schlep across the city between low-paying gigs, without health-care benefits or retirement plans - a stark contrast to the rarefied experiences of overpaid classical musician superstars.

An incisive, no-holds-barred account, Mozart in the Jungle is the first true, behind-the-scenes look at what goes on backstage and in the Broadway pit.

©2005 Blair Tindall (P)2015 Audible Inc.

not easy to get through

This was a book club selection and that was the only reason I finished it.

Odd mix

I am a professional composer and have been looking forward to reading this book for some time. Overall, I found the book to be an odd mix of caddy behind-the-scenes descriptions of debauchery and a history lesson of the modern classical age. While I could see that the writer was trying to draw that comparison between her life and the history of the institutions around her, it feels as if there are two different books crammed into one. The story is compelling, though. If you can get past the performance of this obnoxious reader, I think it is still worth listening to. The performance reads as if she's smiling through every sentence, not aware of the meaning of the words she's speaking. It would have been much more interesting to have the author read it. Also, if you're here from the TV show, you will find a similar spirit, but nothing close to the actual story of that spin-off.

Excellent writting and content!

Loved the book and bought it after watching the Series with the same name. It is a little less enchanting at the start, don't be dicouraged.

Very interesting!

Kept my attention while doing mundane tasks and working out. It was extremely informational, which was fun and nice at times, and kind of boring at others. All and all a very well rounded book, that I'll suggest to friends interested in music.

Nothing like the television show ....

If you are expecting to hear a more detailed story of the television show (which I was because I'm hooked on the show), you will be seriously disappointed. That being said, this was an interesting book about what could be going on in your local symphonies, and makes you think and want to question how that big business is actually run. It made me look at my tickets and attendance at performances in the amazing venues open to me in Houston, and wonder if I could and should be doing more to keep the arts alive for future generations. If you never played an instrument or do not appreciate the hard work involved in perfecting a craft, you will probably not appreciate this book in the spirit in which it was written. It is a lot of facts and figures which can get boring at times, but there is a story line in there worth searching out. Well read, as always, Ms. R!

Entertaining, but with long pedantic sections

First, I discovered this book after seeing the two seasons of the Amazon TV series. This book is NOTHING like that. But more about that later.

If you are coming to this book without having seen the Amazon series, you will not be confused. The story is of a young musician, very talented it would seem, who moves to NYC, lives in a run-down apartment building, and makes her way through the world of classical music, with a side trip to Broadway orchestras.

The story is somewhat interesting, but the author shows her journalism roots (rather than entertainment) by interjecting dry statistics from newspapers, magazines, and government sources, on the state of classical music in the country.

But even the humanity of the story feels dry. Several characters appear throughout the book and we get to see their lives change. One of her friends has a very serious heart condition. The book takes us through the drama of all his operations and then decline. But there isn't any feeling to the story. We don't care.

Other characters feel just a dry. The author has a tendency to rank the quality of her friend's lives as to what kind of apartment they have, who they are married to, and what kind of music they create. The author eventually leaves the classical music field for journalism when she realizes she doesn't want to live in her apartment building after the age of 40. This is not how you create an empathetic character.

As far as the sex and drugs, they're in there, with a lot of booze on the side. I think we are supposed to be shocked that classical musicians, considered such a stiff and stuffy group, would smoke dope, snort cocaine, performed stoned, and sleep around with married people.

Sadly these are all the people the author seems to know.

But even these scandalous-sounding stories come out without any feeling. We don't care if someone plays stoned one night. Or a $10,000 flute is stolen from a restaurant. Or they do crossword puzzles in the pit of a Broadway orchestra.

The story ends with the author's cautions against sending children into music schools if they're not going to be able to get jobs in an industry that is losing employment. I agree that kids should not learn to play the oboe if they only want to do it to be a professional musician. Obviously someone as talented as the author had to leave because there wasn't enough work. But what about the joy of learning to make music? Or the discipline of learning an instrument. Or the fun of banging on the drum in a marching band.

If we listen to the author, all the music in education programs would be cancelled.

It's a shame, though, that the author stopped her story shortly after leaving classical music. A quick search on Google shows she's had quite the amazing life since then with restraining orders, fake marriage, and mental problems. Now THAT'S a story I would love to have read.

Now, for anyone who has seen the Amazon series and wants to get more about that story? Forget it! This book has as much to do with the Amazon show as a map of Texas does to the series "Dallas."

That's not to say you won't enjoy this book. It's just that they are totally different.

Same thing the other way round. If you have listened to this book, you'll be surprised at how little of it is in the series. The series has concocted characters that are not at all in this book. The characters in the series are interesting. But I'm really surprised they share the same title.

Excellent!

While nothing like the TV series, is still a compelling tale and history of classical music.

self destruction on the way to blaming others

This is a great book about a sexually exploited youth who uses her sexuality to advance her career and then complains there is too much sexual influence in classical music.
Let me share the Blair is a great musician and a great writer. On both counts she deserves every award and achievement. If you like music and personal stories this book will reach you. If self destructive behavior bothers you move on. She constantly complains that her reeds are not well formed or that she is being shorted opportunity. Both are directly due to her focus on building her skills and choosing to live a love free lifestyle.
On a positive side she does admit her lack of focus practice limited her performance and did lose her opportunity.
I hope Blair can see that she was gifted more than most and was blessed to have found a path to her own fulfilment. Almost all limitations along the way where due to poor choices. You the reader can decide if this was due to not being taught life skills, a rigged system or a stubborn pursuit of pleasure.
I learned that we, individually, are our own worst enemy. For me this book demonstrates that clearly.

Damn!!

I have a guitar teacher he drives all around center all Arkansas... The book is a downer but is true !!

A life filled with music, romance and friendship

A compelling story about the struggling life of musicians who try very hard to make a living with music.
It is also a love story where positive human feelings triumph over despair and boredom .
I recommend this book if you are interested in classical music, culture and ,human relationships .