"The Rest Is Noise" (Alex Ross)

"The Rest Is Noise" by Alex Ross explores the history of 20th-century classical music, highlighting how composers responded to social, political, and technological changes. The book examines innovations from composers like Stravinsky and Schoenberg, emphasizing their efforts to reinvent musical language amid turbulent times. Ross connects these artistic developments to broader cultural shifts, illustrating how music became a reflection and influence of the world’s upheavals. Ultimately, the book offers a narrative that makes complex musical evolutions accessible, showing how the core ideas and innovations of modern music shaped—and were shaped by—the societal landscape.