From Publishers Weekly:
Music critic Pincus, who has been covering concerts at Tanglewood since 1975, seeks to convey the full sweep of the 50-year-old Berkshires festival. His musical expertise is in evidence as he comments insightfully on the origins of Tanglewood and the performances of stellar participants. But the book is frequently mired in trivia (is it of interest to anyone except Tanglewood insiders that stand-in conductor Carl St. Clair had a stomach-ache during his 1985 two-concert stint, and the first food he was able to "savor and keep down" afterward was pizza?), and the writing is marred by meaningless cliches ("With this music in this performance, on this day, the earth somehow shifted on its axis"). And one wonders how Boston Symphony Orchestra conductor Ozawa will take to being called "an export as durable as the Toyota." Pincus's tendency to skip around chronologically is disorienting, as are his digressions from the goings-on at the festival to offer bios of the musicians involved. The end result is an informative but tangled portrait of Tanglewood. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal:
Tanglewood, of course, is the summer music festival that the Boston Symphony Orchestra has presented annually in western Massachusetts since 1938. More than a concert series, it also encompasses the Tanglewood Music Center, an educational wing whose students, many now of international stature, have been trained by those who already have attained that rank. Pincus--the region's music critic--is generally objective enough in his documentation of political and other nonmusical factors. More importantly, he considers musical matters in a most knowing manner, turning vignettes of personalities, performances, and repertoire into an important history. The value of his work is intensified by the insight offered in individual portraits, making it most interesting reading for even the casual music lover.
- Dominique-Rene de Lerma, Florida State Univ., Tallahassee
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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