THE REST IS NOISE: LISTENING TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

New York City, NY: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2007. First Edition. First Printing.. Hardcover. Fine/Fine Dust Jacket.. New York City, NY: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2007. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. First Edition/First Printing. 625 pages. The author's breakthrough debut book. One of the most important books on classical music ever published in our time. The First Hardcover Edition. Precedes and should not be confused with all other subsequent editions. Published in a small and limited first print run as a hardcover original only that sold out shortly after publication. The First Edition is now rare. Presents Alex Ross' "The Rest Is Noise: Listening To The Twentieth Century". Still his very best book. "A whirlwind tour, from the Viennese premiere of Richard Strauss' 'Salome' in 1906 to Minimalist Steve Reich's downtown Manhattan apartment. The wide-ranging historical material is organized in thematic essays grounded in personalities and places, in a disarmingly comprehensive style. Thus, composers who led dramatic lives, such as Shostakovich's struggles under the Soviet Regime, make for gripping reading, but Ross treats each composer with equal gravitas. The real strength of this study, however, lies in his detailed musical analysis, teasing out, in precise but readily accessible language, the notes that link Leonard Bernstein's 'West Side Story' to Arnold Schoenberg's avant-garde compositions or hint at a connection between Sibelius and John Coltrane. Among the many notable passages, a close reading of Benjamin Britten's opera 'Peter Grimes' stands out for its masterful blend of artistic and biographical insight. Even avid fans will find themselves hearing familiar favorites with new ears" (Publisher's blurb). "Reads like a sprawling, intense novel, one of utopian dreams, doom, and consolation, with the most extraordinary cast of characters from music and history alike. A great, inspiring ride" (Osvaldo Golijov). Currently the Resident Music Critic of The New Yorker Magazine, Alex Ross succeeded not one but two of the greatest music critics we shall ever read: Andrew Porter and Paul Griffiths, both Brits. His essays are among the reasons The New Yorker Magazine remains necessary reading, nothing less than one of contemporary life's most civilized pleasures (but only for as long as he avoids his more, and seemingly inescapable, ideological bent of late). An absolute "must-have" title for Alex Ross collectors. This title is a contemporary classic. As far as we know, this is the only copy of the First Hardcover Edition/First Printing available online and is in especially fine condition: Clean, crisp, and bright. Please note: ALL other copies available online have serious flaws (because they were avidly read) or are in multiple subsequent printings. This is surely an accessible and lovely alternative. A rare copy thus. Lavishly illustrated with vintage photographs. Winner of the MacArthur Genius Grant in 2008. One of the finest American writers of our time. A fine copy. (SEE ALSO OTHER ALEX ROSS TITLES IN OUR CATALOG). ISBN 0374249393.