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Avg. Customer Rating:(based on 2 reviews) Sales Rank: 23452 Category: Book
Author:Daniel Barenboim Publisher:Verso Studio:Verso Manufacturer:Verso Label:Verso Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published) Media: Hardcover Number Of Items: 1 Pages: 224 Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8 Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.9
Product Description From Israel's most celebrated musician and outspoken critic, an examination of the power of music to transform society.
In this eloquent new book, Daniel Barenboim draws on his profound and uniquely influential engagement with music to argue for its central importance in our everyday lives. While we may sometimes think of personal, social and political issues as existing independently of each other, Barenboim shows how music teaches that this is impossible. Turning to his intense involvement with Palestine, he examines the transformative power of music in the world, from his own performances of Wagner in Israel to his foundation, with Edward Said, of the internationally acclaimed West-Eastern Divan Orchestra. Music Quickens Time reveals how the sheer power and eloquence of music offers us a way to explore and shed light on the way in which we live, and to illuminate and resolve some of the most intractable issues of our time.
Customer Reviews:
A meandering stream of consciousness December 17, 2008 3 out of 3 found this review helpful
After seeing an interview with Barenboim on "Charlie Rose" I rushed to purchase this book, with the hope that the author succinctly wove the fibers of music through life and the world, deftly illustrating connections which ultimately prove the value of music not only aesthetically but also pragmatically.
I was disappointed. From the first paragraphs Barenboim laid out the problematic issues the rest of the book would include. Chapter titles are at best not specific and at worst misleading and confusing. The weaving of music into society looks more like a philosophical view of music, (somewhat) supported by the great thinkers of the past, followed by the briefest of mention tying the issue to the modern world. It appears that the topic of weaving together music and the world was given to the author after the book was written, forcing Barenboim to angerly insert paragraphs at whim. Also, when discussing Spinoza, of whom the author claims to be a huge far, he proposes furthering the philosophers' ideas into intelligence and other matters. The way in which Barenboim writes this section is trite and makes me think of Dr. Phil adding his two-cents to William James or James Dobson to Martin Luther.
The central chapter of this book, "The Orchestra," includes an account of DB's work with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, a group of Israeli and Palestinian musicians which meet to perform works of Western classical music together, even in dangerous parts of the world. This section is heart felt and effectively written, leading the reader to understand how passionate DB is about his revolutionary undertaking.
Soon after, though, the real book ends and part begins, entitled "Variations." This is simply a collection of essays, interviews, and reflections on music and life. While there are interesting yet far from original ideas presented in this collection of previously released material, to end the book in this way leads me to believe his page quota had not been met and rather than expand the ideas of relating music to culture, life, and the world we live in, which he easily could have done, Barenboim opted to simply republish, republish, republish.
While writing a scholarly volume on the real-world importance of music is a noble and I think quite needed addition to our shelves, Barenboim comes up short in "Music Quickens Time." Organization of material into subtitled sections, expanded ideas on the correlation between music and culture, and a stronger grasp of the scientific and philosophical issues presented could have made this work more effective and enjoyable to read. The way it reads now, DB's book more appropriately should be entitled "Reading this makes time stand still."
Everything is Connected: The Power of Music or Music Quickens Time November 25, 2008 19 out of 19 found this review helpful
As in: The NEW YORK TIMES, dated November 24, 2008 offered an overview of a new book entitled "Music Quickens Time" Verso Books) by Daniel Barenboim. I recently read a book by Daniel Barenboim entitled "Everything is Connected: The Power of Music" (published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson-London). ATTENTION TO SHOPPERS.....these two books are exactly the same book. Don't purchase them twice!!! Although Mr. Barenboim is worth reading twIce, even many times, be cautioned that there is a confusion in the purchasing approaches to this item. There is no musician more impassioned with the gift of music to the world than Daniel Barenboim, and no more committed to peace that music is capable of bringing to all nations and the world. Such maxims as: "when you teach, you learn and when you give, you receive" are entwined in the process, the actions and life of this great individual and superb musician.
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