I’ve been reading a highly-praised new book called The Rest is Noise, by Alex Ross, the music critic for the New Yorker.  Its subject matter is twentieth century music. Ross has done remarkable research, coming up with fascinating details and making thoughtful connections, but the book lacks any discernible thesis or point of view. It [...]

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Marita and I flew into Philadelphia the week of November 12th to hear some great music-making, visit the Stokowski Collection at the University of Pennsylvania, and to spend a few days with friends Laura and Jack in legendary Bucks County.
As everyone knows by now, Christoph Eschenbach’s tenure as music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra is [...]

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