The Rest is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century

By Alex Ross

Alex Ross’s sweeping history of twentieth-century classical music, winner of the Guardian First Book Award, is a gripping account of a musical revolution.

The landscape of twentieth-century classical music is a wild one: this was a period in which music fragmented into apparently divergent strands, each influenced by its own composers, performers and musical innovations. In this comprehensive tour, Alex Ross, music critic for the ‘New Yorker’, explores the people and places that shaped musical development: Adams to Zweig, Brahms to Björk, pre-First World War Vienna to ‘Nixon in China’.

Above all, this unique portrait of an exceptional era weaves together art, politics and cultural history to show how twentieth-century classical music was both a symptom and a source of immense social change.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Aug 25, 2011
• ISBN: 9780007380862

Alex Ross

Alex Ross graduated from Harvard in 1990. He wrote for the New York Times from 1992 until 1996 when he became staff writer at the New Yorker. His first book The Rest is Noise is about the cultural history of music since 1990, which won the Guardian First Book Award. It was also shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson non-fiction prize and the Pulitzer Prize. He is also the author of Listen to This. He lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews for The Rest is Noise

[lxydis-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've always been a fan of Alex Ross's NYer reviews for their intelligence and accessibility. I'm loving this book, which is fascinating and informative (for a musical amateur with next to no knowledge of "modern" music--i regret i never took a college course in this) as well as engagingly written. I'm actually listening to the book on tape, and, despite the names of various foreign composers and iconic 20th works that are sited (luckily I'm familiar with most of them by name already), my experience with listening to it is absolutely enhanced by the fantastic reader (not sure who it is, but must look it up, because I'm thinking he must be a musical connoiseur or critic himself). The reader has a good rhythm and reading style--you can always tell the quotes of secondary sources--and does a fantastic job with french and german and other languages (he gets the names right: Poulenc, for instance, is sometimes mispronounced, but not by him!) a not inconsiderable feat, given the range of people this history must inevitably cover.
Audiobooks are a relatively new departure for me, and i've had a couple of experiences where the reader has definitely NOT done the book any service (Richard Preston's Wild Trees comes to mind).

[nmele_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ross's acclaimed history of twentieth century music deserves every bit of the kudos he has been getting. Reading it, I not only could place favorite works in a fuller context but also got a sense of the connections among the various "names" from Berg to Stravinsky. Ross also inspired me to go back and listen to some of the pieces after many years of neglect and convinced me to listen to work by composers I have been aware of but not previously interested in hearing. Although his focus is on "classical" music, his history is broad enough to include Duke Ellington, Scott Joplin, Bob Dylan and the Beatles, and more. A great read, and an interesting perspective from which to view the Depression, the two World Wars and the Cold War and other events.

[katong_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

He has a wonderful way of setting music in contexts, personal, historical and in terms of development of musical ideas. It's a fine way to read the history of the century, through the music. Much ammunition for arguments with friends who are still enthralled with an avant garde, and many discoveries of music I didn't know (Strauss' Four Last Songs, Copland's later chamber music, and I am sure there more to come as I work through the "listening list").

[ninjafinity · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Reading this book was amazing.I love classical music. I play and write it, and I wanted to learn more about it. Twentieth century music has always amazed me, but I never knew much about it. A teacher recommended [The Rest is Noise], and I'm glad he did. The book talks about a huge range of styles and composers, from nineteenth century Romanticism to minimalism, from Mahler to Adams. In the process of talking about techniques and styles of music of the twentieth century, Ross also told of the era's history. It's amazing how intertwined music and the rest of history are.The only reason that I didn't give this 5 stars is because people who haven't studied music might not have fully understood it. Besides that, [The Rest is Noise] is a masterpiece. I would highly recommend it.

[dazzyj_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A masterly synthesis of a huge subject. Ross manages to describe the often undescribable , and at the same time links it all adroitly to the enormous political currents of that crazy century we only just made it through. If you have ever been daunted by the edifice of twentieth century classical music, this book is the perfect place to find your way in.

[jasonlf · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent. I listened to most of the book on audible, it's a shame you just get the text and not interspersed music.The middle section on the period surrounding World War II worked te best because of the integration of history, mini-biography and music. The chapter on Benjamin Britten, focusing on Peter Grimes, was also very strong, but essentailly functioned as a standalone chapter rather than an integrated part of a larger narrative. Which is true of much of the book. But also true of much of 20th Century classical music -- which isn't exactly Alex Ross's fault.  

[bell7_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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 uses the adjective "sprawling" to describe it, and I think it's truly the best word for it. From opera to minimalism, Strauss to Britten, a glimpse of Germany under Hitler and Russia under Stalin (particularly from the point of view of the musicians), Alan Ross includes much information that would interest a history buff, a music major, or anyone in between.If the book is hard to summarize on its own, summarizing my reading experience is even more so. I first started reading in February. Since I knew very little about classical music, and even less so about 20th century classical music, I determined to listen to many of the pieces mentioned in the text. Thankfully Ross includes an appendix of recommended recordings - a "top ten" and then 20 additional recommendations. I focused on the main ten, especially when I realized how much of a time commitment symphonies and operas truly were. And mind you, he sometimes lists more than one piece for one composer, so this was still more than 10 CDs I committed to.What an experience! I didn't like everything I listened to, but it made the book come alive wonderfully. I listened to my first opera. I started to hear the atonality, the dissonance, that Ross so often refers to, especially in the music of Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern (I noted next to this that this was "not music to wake up to"). I really enjoyed the connections I was able to make between the text and other, outside elements. For instance, in my notes on the pieces I listened to, I noted that one of Schoenberg's orchestral pieces reminded me of the orchestra playing at the end of "I am the Walrus." I was delighted to read a bit later on that a portion of Sibelius's 7th symphony is referenced in the Beatles song "Revolution 9" - a different song, yes, but I felt the comfort of having a similar idea and bringing together something familiar with the new information I was learning. And the learning will continue - I've made a note of music I want to look into, both referenced in the text and not (after all, now I need to learn about earlier classical music, too!), and of a few composers - Mahler and Stravinsky come immediately to mind - that I enjoyed enough to find more.A truly memorable read.

[adavidow_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I finally have a sense of 20th century music--not all avant garde. What a wonderfully written book. Alas, it is not all-inclusive--nothing about the St. Petersburg Folk Society--but it is one of those wonderful treasures that informs and delights simultaneously. Who knew 20th century music was so damn interesting?

[joyceanmachine · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book surveys 'classical' composers from Mahler and R. Strauss up to the present. One of the things I really liked about it was the way he pretty much doesn't care about the distinction between who's 'progressive' and who's 'conservative' - Shostakovich and Copland get as much coverage as Messiaen and Boulez. (You can contrast it with Paul Griffiths' Modern Music, which very much takes the orthodox modernist line, devoting tons of space to Stockhausen, Maderna, Nono etc. and being utterly patronising about Shost and Britten.) Also, he does a very good job of placing the music in its broader cultural and political contexts without that ever being overbearing. Another plus is that he has the extremely rare gift of being able to describe pieces of music in a way that gives an idea of what it sounds like, and without bewildering the reader with technicalities.He also has many 'ah yes!' insights along the way. I'll just give a couple of my favourites. He argues, based on features of the physical way people perceive music, that twelve-tone music will always be unsettling in a way that can't be wholly accounted for by the fact that it's an unfamiliar idiom. (He's not *anti*-twelve-tone music, far from it, but just thinks that we should acknowledge that it really is difficult to listen to, and that that's not just down to closed-minded listeners.) Another bit I liked was the way he tells the history of post-WWII American music, where Cage comes out as a major liberating influence, not just from tradition, but from the European avant-garde as well. So he traces a lineage from Cage to Feldman to Lamonte Young to Riley and Reich. (Sadly, Alan Hovhanness gets left out of Ross's story here, whereas I think he should have been mentioned as a key figure. He and Cage were good friends, and admired each others’ music despite the obvious differences.)Another point I liked was where he quoted Duke Ellington objecting to people saying that jazz is 'modern classical music' or 'black classical music.' Ellington thought that to call jazz any type of classical music was to deny jazz its own ‘original genius’. I've always thought something like this, but it's good to know that I have the authority of Ellington on my side! Incidentally, some of the reviewers made a big point of the supposed fact that Ross tells the whole story of 20th century music from Mahler to the Velvet Underground. The truth is that it is a history of classical music compositon in the 20th century, with jazz and rock being discussed a bit, but only as part of that broader cultural context I mentioned earlier.Of course I have some reservations. One minor one is the journalistic tone of some of the writing - e.g. on the first page Gershwin is introduced as 'George Gershwin, creator of Rhapsody in Blue''. I can't fully articulate why this phrase annoys me so. I think it's got something to do with the facts that (1) Gershwin didn't 'create' Rhapsody in Blue, he composed it; (2) one would think that anyone wanting to read a book on the history of 20th century music would know who George Gershwin was. Also, people who use "[sic]" when quoting people as often as he does really should look to the beam in their own eye. (You'll see what I mean if you read it.)That might just be me, but a more serious complaint I have is that British composers are almost totally neglected. He talks about the influence of folk music traditions on composers, and he discusses the usual suspects - Bartok, Janacek, etc. - but *where is Vaughan Williams??* Likewise, Tippett barely gets a mention. The only British composer to get extended treatment is Britten. He gets a whole chapter to himself, including a ten-page summary of Peter Grimes. Now, I like Britten but this seems excessive, and only makes the neglect of other British composers all the more galling.He does *almost* compensate for this at the very end with one nice remark, on how British music went through many of the same phases as music elsewhere, but 'without the constant background noise of ideological disputation.' A nice little insight I think, especially as he has told a plausible story about how it wasn't just in the Soviet Union, but in Western Europe and the U.S. as well, that composers were subjected to political pressures.On the whole the book has a bit of an Americo-centric bias - for example, you would get the impression that the most important thing Messaien ever did was to visit Utah. But please don't be put off by my complaints! Any book that aims at this kind of comprehensiveness on *any* subject is bound to strike any reader as biased or lacking in some ways. On the whole it's a great read, from which you can get plenty of both new information and new insights. As you'd expect, the comments about the immediate present and the speculations about the future are a bit vague. But they are optimistic, and he makes optimism about music's future seem plausible.A final word of warning: if you do read this book, you'd better either have a very large collection of 20th century music, or a lot of money to spend on building one! Time and time again you will find yourself reading Ross's description of a piece and saying to yourself "I want to hear that *now*."

[teaperson_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A readable and accessible introduction to 20th century classical music. Some chapters read like adaptations of New Yorker articles (they are), but it still holds together and creates a great picture of things that I (a non-expert, non-classical-music fan) really didn't know much about.

[jeffv_19 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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 (such as atonality) while popular demand shifted it back. During the first half of the century, Classical Music was in lock-step with the rapidly changing political scene...indeed, it would be the death of some composers to be politically incorrect. Composers were larger-than-life figures, and often considered national heroes even if their personal conduct was every bit as reprehensible as modern, drug-and-alcohol-ridden rock stars. Herein lies the most remarkable transformation -- classical music by and large escaped political repression in the latter half of the century, composers lost a good measure of glory, and classical music became another genre in a diverse musical landscape; entertainment for society's elite (or would-be elite). Yet despite the decline of power and prestige, by the end of the century, more people were consuming classical music by 1999 than any time in history.Ross does a terrific job telling the story of the history of music, the composers, national agendas and influences, and trends. The personalities, friendships and rivalries all come alive. Most important is how Ross describes the music. As the title indicates, he tells the reader what to listen for in the music, what exemplified a particular style, what signature passages made the composer worthy of note. I was pleasantly surprised on how complete the book is considering the vast scope. Major composers, influential as they were, command a large part of the text but minor composers also got their due, whether they were perfecting the style set forth by a mentor or helped change the course of music, even slightly. While today an uninformed listener might consider pop and classical to be opposite ends of the spectrum, in reality, the distinction has always been somewhat blurry. One of Sibelius' greatest hits was a waltz that became wildly popular in Vienna. Prokofiev and Korngold, among others, wrote notable scores for Hollywood or the movie industry. Jazz developed as almost a spin-off; many jazz greats either had classical roots or greatly influenced classical composition, like Duke Ellington and John Coltrane. In modern times, the likes of Brian Eno, David Byrne, Bjork, and even the pop-hit producer Timbaland are entwined with classical influences. The emergence of China as a political power is mirrored by it's rise on the cultural scene as well...and a wealth of eastern music and musicians are part of the new repertoire gracing concert halls throughout the US and Europe. For me personally, prior ages of classical music have always been easy to understand. The baroque era is marked by ecclesiastical influences as composers experimented with polyphonic tones. Music of the classical age is is orderly and generally predictable -- not surprising as it was born during the Age of Reason. Romantic and Impressionistic music captures imagery and emotion. The 20th Century styles have all seemed less easy to grasp, mostly because I've always tried to listen to it as I had earlier music. I'm not sure if I'm going to suddenly like Schoenberg or Cage or Reich any more than before, but now I understand better where they are coming from, and what they were trying to accomplish. A greater understanding of the trendsetters will also help me better follow stylistic themes among their disciples. It'll take a few months to know for sure, but this book could represent an "eureka" moment that removes a barrier erected by ignorance.

[clogbottom · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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 chronicle of necessity of the implosion of an art form. In other ways it suggests a crippling hubris in those who imploded it. It is also the story of how technology changed society. It is also the story of how war changed art.If you have any passing love for any composer who lived in this century, this book is a trove of eye-widening information. If there were to be one critique, from me, about this book, it would be the author's tendency to focus on, in what is an otherwise even-handed historical overview, the topics he has a personal affinity for. Namely, Benjamin Britten. This isn't a problem for me because I knew nothing about any of these people, so any information was equally welcome. But he got a whole chapter to himself where no one else did. Just sayin'.Lovely anecdotes re: Gustav Mahler, Dmitri Shostakovich, Richard Strauss, Boulez and Stravinsky, Reich and Glass...Lovely book.

[sopekmir_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The reading of "The Rest is Noise" by Alex Rose was one of the best experiences I could have. Among others, it describes the period of 1933 to 1945 - the most tragic period of XX century. What is shocking is how close was music to politics of all sorts. The figures of Richard Strauss or Anton Webern on the one side and Shostakovich or Prokofiev, and their close relations to Nazis and communist regimes - is just horrifying. Honestly, before reading this incredible book I was unaware how abused was (maybe still is ....) music by politicians....But it also shows that in the later part of XX century, music became less "political" and more engaged in itself - in creation of "The imaginary country that cannot be found on a map" (Debussy).Alex Rose, shows us what makes the great music, free from politics, when he writes:"The debates over merits of engagement and withdraw [of music] has gone for centuries (...)Composition only gains power from failing to decide the eternal dispute. In a decentered culture, it has a chance to play a kind of good-father role - able to assimilate anything new because it has assimilated everything in the past".I do not see, and I believe, the author also does not think that way - that the music CAN in fact be motivated by what happens in the world - it cannot be isolated. But, what is the great hope, that the music is not, and will never be played to fulfill some crazy dictator's agenda ....I strongly recommend this book for everyone who is interested in modern music.

[briandewey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A great reference on 20th century music. It's most valuable if you already know the composers. For me, this worked for parts (Mahler, Strauss, Stravinsky, Britten, Glass, Shostakovich). I don't have a lot of atonal music, and those sections were a little lost on me.Learning about the role of music (& culture in general) during the cold war was the most fascinating bit of the book. It reminded me how politics will pervade everything.

[willyt_44 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The unifying structure of this book is a description of the main composers and music of Western Classical music in the 20th century. Off this main theme the author describes how these composers responded to the politics and culture of their times. The book is quite comprehensive (over 500 pages), although as in any book of this type, readers who are somewhat conversant in this subject may find a composer or two that they wish were covered (or covered in more detail). Ross's main method is to provide the reader a picture of the composer's personality, connections to those pieces or composers to whom the composer may have been influenced, and a detailed description of portions of the composer's important pieces. This method allows the reader to make connections to related musical pieces and provides instructions on what to closely listen for when one next listens to those pieces. Despite the level of detail, I found the book to be quite readable; I was able to read the book at hundreds of pages at a time instead of tens of pages, the pace that I would have to use for some detailed texts, such as a scientific text. If the reader wants more information, Ross provides approximately 60 pages of detailed notes at the end of the text, a portion of his blog that contains links to some of the music that he describes in detail in the book, and a list of suggested recordings. Ross's opinions on the music and composers are apparent, but I like this in a non-fiction work.I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to better understand classical music, especially classical music from the 20th century.

[theageofsilt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This history of 20th century music reads more like a novel with an exploration of the lives and moments in history of great, albeit often unpopular, composers. The agony of Shostakovich in Communist Russia, the Europeans artists who find themselves in Hollywood and the attitude of the Third Reich toward music are explored in great and interesting detail. I would have preferred more time given to composers working after the 1950's and especially Ross's thoughts on the direction of "classical" music in the future.

[omphalos02 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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 tremendous achievement.

[gregtmills · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The subtitle of this book is "Listening to the Twentieth Century", and that what Alex Ross does. The result is a slightly idiosyncratic reading of twentieth century composition -- all the highlights and big names are here, more or less, but Ross is here to tell the story his way. (His longish foray into the tragic life of Sibelius is fascinating, though he's composer who wasn't well served by modernity, and could be characterized as the last 19th century composer, despite dying in 1957.) Ross loves this music, and it's clear that he lives with the pieces he writes about. He write with affectionate detachment throughout, and doesn't gloss over the moral failings of great artists (Strauss in particular is shown to be tragically bullheaded) He dips lightly into musicology and often meanders into funny, sometimes dishy, anecdotes about these sometimes comically grave characters that made music in the twentieth century. Ross also is willing to let the music speak for itself -- odd to say about a book, I know -- but in this book Ross is very careful about decoupling the music from the pretensions of its creators. I can't speak for true music people, but if your curious dilletante like me, this book is invaluable.