Post 10: FAQ

This entry isn't so much about music as it is about The Rest is Noise, Alex Ross, and the class itself. So, consider it a sort of supplement to the course evaluation.
As I finished up The Rest is Noise I ran into Dr. Doug Jensen in Montgomery, oddly enough I've gotten to know him during my time at Converse, even though I haven't had a single science class. He was asking me about the book. I could tell him all the content but not really about Alex Ross and the book itself. On his blog I came upon his bio, the book FAQ, and the book summary and video. I found the video interesting, because it was of Ross just candidly speaking about his experiences. The book FAQ answers things that I remember us briefly touching on and dancing around in the early days of the class. Especially the issue of the book's audience. It appears designed to be as accessible as Ross wants to present 20th century music as, but also as rewarding to the trained ears and minds as the most challenging works of the century. I think he captures the essence, the essential oils if you will, of the 20th Century. We talked about why he didn't include certain composers in class. In the FAQ he explains what we seemed to reach a conclusion about, that being the need for it to be readable and to preserve the principle themes that Ross is conveying. One other interesting fact that is mentioned in both the video and the FAQ is the title.
Ross describes it eloquently saying,
"It's a reference to Hamlet's last words, "The rest is silence." I had in mind the widespread perception that classical composition devolved into noise as the twentieth century went on. What may sound like noise on first hearing may reveal hidden beauty if you give it a second chance."

To me, both phrases evoke thoughts of John Cage, silence and noise. Cage also happens to be who Ross thinks is the most pivotal of all during the 20th century, who epitomized the stretching of boundaries. An interesting connection.
The passion that I have found for the subject of this class, and really for the class as a whole, is probably as much just my love of the cerebral stuff, but also the thoughtfulness of both Ross, and my professor. I don't think I would have had the same experience if either had been absent. It's probably crazy sounding to say that I think I have found my calling in studying the music of the 20th Century, but it certainly would be a course I would like to teach one day. Something for my list of goals, or my bucket list.