A worthy present for Mozart on his 250th birthday: an original, sometimes eclectic, and mostly well-written book about the composer and his operas. “Mozart and His Operas” by David Cairns. (University of California Press) By Mark Kroll Mozart mania is back. In fact, it never left and don’t say I didn’t warn you. We are […]
Mark Kroll
Book Review: What’s Opera, Doc?
A groundbreaking book explores the music written for Hollywood’s animated cartoons and how the tunes shaped the characters and stories that are now a vital part of American culture.
Classical Music Commentary: Past Imperfect
Old recordings of classical music may have less to teach us than many critics think. By Mark Kroll It has been more than 100 years since the first wax cylinder scratched out a reproduction of someone screaming into a megaphone, but classical music recordings still “can’t get no respect.” A common lament has been that, […]