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Alex Ross’ acclaimed book The Rest is Noise comes to life with help from pianist Ethan Iverson at Rackham Auditorium. Iverson has described this performance as a “book recital” and we’re wondering what people think about that idea?
For more background on the project, don’t miss Alex Ross’ and Ethan Iverson’s blogs, plus our interview with Iverson about the project:
I am looking forward to experiencing the power and genius of Mahler’s music in the hands of Leonard Slatkin. This piece is Mahler’s magnum opus; in his words, “the greatest thing I have done.” For Mahler enthusiasts, this is the pinnacle
It is so easy these days to attend a performance and never once interact with the presenter. If one purchases their tickets through the online system, has them mailed to their house and never has any questions then this patron of the arts could avoid all true human contact. Ushers are often the combo-breakers for our lack of interaction. Not only is it nearly impossible to pass through the lobby without a hello from an usher or staff member, ushers seat patrons, provide program books and give a warm smile to those that they come into contact with.
SN: This concert features a double bill of two jazz combos: the Vijay Iyer Trio and Rudresh Mahanthappa’s Apex. What can audience members expect to hear from these two ensembles? In what ways are they …
I’ve seen two of Martin McDonagh’s plays when they were produced in New York in the mid-late 1990s, and they are simply brilliant pieces, in part because of the way they force you to re-examine your own morals. He sets up these outrageous scenes that are absolutely hilarious, then delivers the knock-out punch that makes you realize you’ve been laughing at something that is, in fact, incredibly tragic.
This week’s news includes an update on the Detroit Symphony Orchestra contract negotiations, an interview with jazz pianist Vijay Iyer, and a debate about the impact of live cinema broadcasts by the Met and others.
In honor of Single Ticket Day, we dug deep into our photo archive to share photos of past Single Ticket Days with you.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
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Hi – Lisa Murray here from UMS. I'll be 'moderating' our online conversation about this performance, which starts in less than an hour. I'm told that I don't have to write clever things to be a blog moderator, nor do I need to be an expert on 20th century music (which I'm not) — my job is to faciliate conversation and respond to any questions. I did read Alex Ross's book some time ago and loved it, so I'm excited to see the performance and hear some of the music he wrote about so eloquently. Back after the concert…
Really enjoyed the 'book recital'! I will always think about Schoenberg now whenever I pick up a grapefruit in the market… Curious to hear what others thought of it.
Ross does write eloquently and knowledgeably, but he is disappointing on the stage. Where we were sitting, near the back, he was hard to hear, because he talks (actually, he was simply reading from his book) very fast, swallows his words, and tends to throw away his punch lines by lowering his voice and turning away from the microphone. The piano music was wonderful, and Ethan Iverson amazingly versatile, but I was hoping to learn more; what Ross read did not relate that precisely to what Iverson played. This was a curious hybrid, neither concert nor lecture. It would have been more enlightening to stay home and read Ross's book.
This, is the first time I have been so disappointed by a UMS performance, and I've attended for years, so I feel a bit guilty for my comments!
Mary, no need to feel guilty — all comments are welcome, especially thoughtful ones like yours! I agree, Alex Ross did seem a little shy or nervous. Also, it was when I was reading this book that I thought for the first time about purchasing a Kindle-type product (still haven't done it though). I wanted to be able to read a passage, then click on a link and listen to the exact music he was describing right then and there. If I could do that, and if my Kindle-type product could somehow provide me with 24/7 access to Ethan Iverson's piano improvisations on demand, I would be set…
I had the same problem of not following the stories as good as I wanted to. I'm not quite sure how the stories could have been communicated better: maybe with a better sound system or maybe telling the stories in a more concise manner. I would love to read the book, though. The idea and performance was very unique and interesting.
We sat close to the front and could hear Alex fine, but I agree that he does not have a great stage presence. I have read the book, so it was a bit disappointing to have him just read excerpts. I enjoyed the piano selections – it would have been interesting to hear more about the specific unique musical elements of the pieces and how they reflected the composer's individual style and the changing styles of 20th century music. That being said, I still enjoyed the event and am glad I took the time to attend!
Somehow, with my limited knowledge of 20c. music,I waded through Alex Ross' book, so I was delighted to hear him in Ann Arbor. Our son is a contemporary composer, creating what often seems "noise." He led me to the book, and indeed I have learned. Music, as in all of life and art, evolves, and I want to be a part of the process. Ethan Iverson is amazingly versatile. Thank you for this lecture/concert. Sherry Root, member of UMS Choral Union.
My reaction was similar to several posters. We were right in front, so could hear Alex Ross without difficulty, but I was expecting more than just hearing excerpts from the book. Not knowing much about 20th Century music, I was actually hoping he would talk more about the structure various composers used, then have the pianist illustrate what he was talking about. I thought the pianist was great and though I'm glad I attended, I was hoping for something more.
I loved the YouTube video by Ethan Iverson ahead of the event.
The concert was exactly as I expected – selections from the book and then selections from the composers. I agree that Alex Ross had less of a stage presence than an actor would have (read too fast, overly diffident), but I thought it was kind of sweet. Being a writer myself, I understand that shyness. I had heard the book on CD from the Ann Arbor District Library, and if you want to hear it read well, I highly recommend a listen!
I also found that the concert healed an injury to my back. No joke.http://scientificink.com/blog/2010/04/27/music-an...
What a great comment! I think maybe in our next brochure we should say "UMS cures back pain!!" –Jim @ UMS
I loved the YouTube video by Ethan Iverson ahead of the event.
The concert was exactly as I expected – selections from the book and then selections from the composers. I agree that Alex Ross had less of a stage presence than an actor would have (read too fast, overly diffident), but I thought it was kind of sweet. Being a writer myself, I understand that shyness. I had heard the book on CD from the Ann Arbor District Library, and if you want to hear it read well, I highly recommend a listen!
I also found that the concert healed an injury to my back. No joke.http://scientificink.com/blog/2010/04/27/music-an...
Interesting to read everyone's comments so far — thanks for posting. It sounds like some people might have enjoyed something closer to an in-depth lecture/demonstration, while others may have been looking for more of a performance experience. What do you think about the general 'book recital' idea? Would you be interested in seeing more events like this one?
I would be interested in seeing more events like this. Knowing the event was coming spurred me to read the book, and that helped me enjoy the event even more!
[...] shoulder blade. Later that day, I attended a concert at Rackham Auditorium. It was a reading by Alex Ross of his book The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century, accompanied by Ethan Iverson on the piano. While I enjoyed the crisp and funny writing, I found [...]