Rating: 
Summary: I Miss My Orchestra, Buy This Book
Review: Shame on those who allowed my beloved Tulsa Philharmonic to go out of business. Had they read this book perhaps they would have found a means to keep it alive, to say nothing of the lost jobs for our wonderful musicans. Those in other cities should buy this book before the same thing happens to them -- as has happened and is happening in so many places in the USA. This author explains how each person can help. Don't miss this opportunity to learn what you can do, how you can prevent such a sad state of affairs.
Rating:
Summary: Required reading for all musicians and music lovers
Review: Sheldon Morgenstern tells it like it is in this welcome addition to the few books on the state of classical music in North America. After the journalistic approach of Norman Lebrecht (Who Killed Classical Music ?, When the Music Stops...), Morgenstern deals with the problem from the standpoint of a professional conductor with his forty years of activity in the United States and abroad. His experiences with musical colleagues, educators, managers, sponsors, board members and donors - many of whom are truly generous and devoted to music, others who are cynical and self-serving, and still others well-meaning but simply incompetent - make for captivating reading and provide ripe reflection for all who are concerned with the future of American culture. No Vivaldi in the Garage is indeed a " requiem for classical music in North America " but also a call for it's resurrection. A must-read.
Rating:
Summary: A view of the American Arts Scene from over the water
Review: Sheldon Morgenstern's new book "No Vivaldi in the Garage," appears in bookshops at a pivotal time for the Arts in the United States.
Shaken by the events of September 11, 2001, artists have tried to come to grips with the human conditions of intolerance, bigotry, and the fanaticism that breeds destruction of all this is meaningful and beautiful; the essence of "neutral" creative 'energy,' used to deconstruct civilzation's brightest beacons. Can we in America, accept the premise of the Taliban, that music should be banned, and that there should be "No Vivaldi in the [OUR] Garage," as Danny DeVito proclaims - a Bin Laden henchman of sorts - banning classical music from the 'garage' set of the sit-com "Taxi?!"Mr. Morgenstern's very personal account of a life spent in advocating for the Arts, traces his artistic roots, and weaves a touching memoir out of the strands of early influences, student days, and the travails and triumphs of an orchestral musician, emergent political-artistic foci, and conductor-music director-administrator pioneering. Mr. Morgenstern emerges from these pages as a man of many parts, and a student of much more than just musical scores. The rather grave mesage of this volume [warnings proven all too correct by recent alarums throughout even the most supposedly "safe" - read: heavily endowed - arts organizations] is couched in an engaging prose style that invites the reader to relax, but also to pay attention. Rather like a committed musician/conductor building a particular interpretation of a score, Mr. Morgenstern shares his odyssey - his calling - with the reader in compelling fashion. Placing the Symphony Orchestra, the Opera company, the Ballet troupe, and other Arts organizations on the pedestal of "high Arts," amounts to a death-defying tightrope walk.
Top-heavy with ineffective managements and unresponsive (curiously "deaf-eared!") administrators, an inexoribly adversarial scism between the producers of Art and its executant performers, seems a staus quo and repetitive stress syndrome that pressages the collapse of many Arts organizatioins. Mr. Morgenstern may not have all of the answers, but he makes a case for a trajectory that must be adopted in order to salvage our sinking ship of Art in America.
What, indeed, will the visitor from outer space do with Terrestrial "culture," when asked to evaluate America's impact on the culture of the world?! Futurists predict that the entertainment of the "new age" Aquarian Millennium will consist of solitary cyber worlds conjured on private small screens; an almost asocial, and perhaps anti-social medium that will tend, even further, to diminish the audience for the "live" listening and viewing experience. This may spell a future of young people increasingly alienated from the interactive, socializing and humanizing experience that has been for many of us a life-altering "Ah Ha" epiphany: for audience (YOU NEED US!) and performer (WE NEED YOU!). Change is inevitable, but history's lessons need to be heeded. Mr. Morgenstern may prove to be a modern day Nostradamus, as he looks over the water from France at our floundering "ship" of Art. Dedicated and concerned musicians, artists and arts administrators and patrons would do well to read and heed this book. Ralph Lockwood
Professor of Music
The School of Music
Arizona State University
...
Rating: 
Summary: One man's perspective
Review: Sheldon Morgenstern, conductor and Director Emeritus of the venerable Eastern Music Festival, has written what purports in its preface to be a hard, comprehensive look at the deteriorating state of the arts in general and classical music in particular in North America. The book doesn't turn out quite that way--it is mostly a career memoir, interesting and colorful enough with many telling anecdotes about one musician's formative years and influences. "No Vivaldi in the Garage" works best on this level. As an indictment of the sad state of the performing arts today it offers a valid portrait, but no solutions other than the oft-stated ones of not cutting music in the public schools et al. In addition, while Morgenstern must be given credit for being willing to name names, too much personal criticism of particular figures makes his writing seem at times petty and whiny.
Rating:
Summary: Important book, super title
Review: The worst feature of this book is the misleading classification
given it by the publisher and others that call this book a
serious book about classical music. It is nothing but an
autobiography, pure and simple. There is nothing wrong with
that in itself, but it is surely wrong to mis-classify a book
like this one.
The author has worked in the classical music field, and it is
simply his personal recollections and experience that make up
the whole of this book, and for that reason, it is considerably
more "personal" than truly informative.
We can only hope his musical ability exceeded his logic.
The author rails constantly throughout his book about our government, and he makes a point to parade his anti-government
marches and attitudes under our nose, and then he cites his
experience in recommending that our classical music be saved
by government subsidies.
So he dislikes our government and its actions, except, well,
maybe in the case of his pet projects, where he might take
our taxpayer money.
Oh, and he also makes it plain he is interested in the taxpayer
money ONLY if it comes with no strings attached. He explains
repeatedly that he can't stand "interference" from anyone,
government or private, who wants to make some imput as to how
that money is spent.
You can read this book, and about all you learn is that the
author doesn't like the government unless it is funding his
own projects, and then only as long as the people heading up classical music projects can spend the money without any
oversight or monitoring.
His one specific thought for public funding of classical music
is to impose a special gasoline tax on motorists, and he seems
to think it will be such a small amount, no one would mind.
But then, he seems quite surprised to learn, when that idea is
published, that nearly everyone is against it. Why would he be
about the only one surprised?
As a biography, the book isn't all that bad, but the reader needs to keep in mind this is just the writer's personal
recollections and opinions, and his alleged insights into the
world of classical music are very limited.
Anyone truly interested in the reasons for the decline of classical music needs to read the Norman Lebrcht book, "Who Killed Classical Music." That author has done extensive research and conducted numerous interviews with the participants
in that world, and he has documented every facet of the history
of classical music from its recording inception to the present
day. Plus, he names names, in both the best and worst situations, and the book reads at times like a serious research
work, and at other times, it reads like a tabloid. Get both the
facts and interesting personalities there.
This book is largely a waste of time.
Rating: 
Summary: mis-named
Review: The worst feature of this book is the misleading classification
given it by the publisher and others that call this book a
serious book about classical music. It is nothing but an
autobiography, pure and simple. There is nothing wrong with
that in itself, but it is surely wrong to mis-classify a book
like this one.
The author has worked in the classical music field, and it is
simply his personal recollections and experience that make up
the whole of this book, and for that reason, it is considerably
more "personal" than truly informative.
We can only hope his musical ability exceeded his logic.
The author rails constantly throughout his book about our government, and he makes a point to parade his anti-government
marches and attitudes under our nose, and then he cites his
experience in recommending that our classical music be saved
by government subsidies.
So he dislikes our government and its actions, except, well,
maybe in the case of his pet projects, where he might take
our taxpayer money.
Oh, and he also makes it plain he is interested in the taxpayer
money ONLY if it comes with no strings attached. He explains
repeatedly that he can't stand "interference" from anyone,
government or private, who wants to make some imput as to how
that money is spent.
You can read this book, and about all you learn is that the
author doesn't like the government unless it is funding his
own projects, and then only as long as the people heading up classical music projects can spend the money without any
oversight or monitoring.
His one specific thought for public funding of classical music
is to impose a special gasoline tax on motorists, and he seems
to think it will be such a small amount, no one would mind.
But then, he seems quite surprised to learn, when that idea is
published, that nearly everyone is against it. Why would he be
about the only one surprised?
As a biography, the book isn't all that bad, but the reader needs to keep in mind this is just the writer's personal
recollections and opinions, and his alleged insights into the
world of classical music are very limited.
Anyone truly interested in the reasons for the decline of classical music needs to read the Norman Lebrcht book, "Who Killed Classical Music." That author has done extensive research and conducted numerous interviews with the participants
in that world, and he has documented every facet of the history
of classical music from its recording inception to the present
day. Plus, he names names, in both the best and worst situations, and the book reads at times like a serious research
work, and at other times, it reads like a tabloid. Get both the
facts and interesting personalities there.
This book is largely a waste of time.
Rating:
Summary: Please Listen!!
Review: This author pulls no punches, tells the sad story about the classical performing arts in North America in a way that is easily understandable by all. And unlike so many others, he offers serious alternatives to 'traditional' thinking on this topic. We all need to listen very carefully to what he has written.
Rating:
Summary: Save your symphony, read this book
Review: This author wrote a book that was almost outdated when it first was avalable 1 1/2 years ago. The symphony situation in North America has rapidly gotten worse since publication of this book which already tells how woeful the situation is for symphony orchestras. He gives clear and numerous personal experiences that demonstrate the foolishness for the problems that contine to exist, and provides much food-for-thought about solving them. I found this an important read for anyone who cares about our culture.
Rating:
Summary: Worth reading, but flawed.
Review: This book is at its best when it describes the authors personal experiences in the world of music administration, a field at which he clearly excels. I found his comments accurate but limited in perspective and scope. I found his public sniping at his more famous colleaques to be self serving and unprofessional, and in my opinion, the greatest flaw of the book. None the less, I recommend this book to all those involved in the field of music administration, or who are interested in the crisis facing classical music today.
Rating:
Summary: Valuable and Insightful
Review: This book is right on target regarding the dangers that lurk for classical music in North American symphony orchestras. I found it very well researched, well reasoned, yet frightening. It should be a must read for anyone who cares about our culture in the broadest sense of that word's meaning.
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