Rating: 
Summary: More up-to-date info needed
Review: This book is sad but true in the world of professional symphony orchestra woes, but much worse has happened since it was printed, just as the author said it would. It needs to be read before all our ensembles have folded because of the various reasons Morgenstern predicted would come to pass.
Rating:
Summary: Important book, super title
Review: This is a witty book, well written, but frightening for those who care about the future of our symphony orchestras. Even the
world famous Philadelphia Orchestra is now facing serious financial problems for all the reasons that Morgenstern describes in No Vivaldi in the Garage. I share his views of what has created the problems faced by so many orchestras, and sadly share his pessimism for the future unless there are visionaries ready to take serious action.Morgenstern's book also includes a detailed appendix about statistical information I'd not found elsewhere, information about what orchestras should and should not be doing. Highly recommended, by far the best I've yet read on this topic.
Rating:
Summary: Read This If You Care About Classical Music
Review: This is an extraordinary insightful condemnation of those who are responsible for the rapid decline of symphonic music in America. If you care about a complete education or what may soon happen to the sumphony orchestra in your hometown -- if it still has a symphony orchestra -- read this book and put it in the hands of those who can make positive changes.
Rating: 
Summary: Don't waste your time
Review: What is supposed to be a scrutiny of the reasons for the decline in classical music, is in fact not much more than a very dull biography, that doesn't look like it took him very long to write, of a conductor who seems to have conducted every second, third and fourth rate orchestra known to man, mostly in north America and eastern Europe. Instead of a meaningful exploration of the various elements of musical life, we get a long, gruelling and tiresome descriptions of the various bureaucratical problems in the music business that are in fact not very different from any other business in any other area. Interestingly, the man that mentions the word "arts" to the point of abusing the word, holds in his book no references - none - to men and women of literature, play-write, philosophy, sciense ,technology, politics or media. There are, on the other hand, many references to movies and sports. The books is shallow, and doens't really address any of the real problems of music that it promises. It has no reference to the fact, for example, that mediocraty in classical music, mosly in composition and conducting, took over BEFORE budgets started to be severely cut. While constantly persuing government subsidy he doesn't seriously address the question of why people should be forced to pay for music they don't want to hear. In a world where technology brought us its revolution, opening new horizons and creates new opportunities - Mr. Morgenstern doens't even consider the possibility of the arts supporting themselves through the use of the new technology, that enables us, for example, to record and distribute recordings without dependancy on recording companies, making money that way. Until page 120 or 130, where the word "e-mail" was mentioned for the first time, I seriously wondered if Mr. Morgenstern ever saw a computer is his life. In a world Where political events change the geo-political balance in the world - not a word from Mr. Morgenstern about any of these subjects. You don't really get an impression of an educated man, or a curious one. There is no reference to the decline in the music education system, where harmony, couterpoint, form ,score learning abilities and composition skills used to be much more extensive and elaborate than they are today. Morgensten's own formal musical education, particularly in harmony and couterpoint doesn't seem to be very extensive. He doesn't give the impression of a man who ever wrote a Bach style fugue in his life. The style of writing is amateurish, he is clearly not a man who reads books, his personal experiences as they are descirbed are boring and superficial and don't really teach us anything of value about music, musical life or the music business. It is difficult to even guess who the target audience is. It is certainly not musicians, since they don't need an explenation of what a frock is, but it's not for lay men either. This books seems to be directed at people who like classical music, but know absolutely nothing about it. For Mr. Morgenstern - the only solution is governmnet subsidy, and in the last chapter "what's next" - he gives us his solution to the financial problems of symphonic orcestras - which is: raise taxes on gasoline - and give the extra income to classical orchestras. Isn't life wonderfully simple? He does state that the new tax should not apply to people who drive taxis and trucks. Isn't he clever? And this is just an example for the extent of shallowness of this book. If you are reallly interested in a deep overall view of the music business in the last century - I strongly recommend Norman Lebrecht's book: "When the music stops", or as it appears in Amarica: "Who killed classical music". It is a serious and extensive exploration into the classical music business, its history, its main players, and it always appears in context with general business and politics interesting information. From Lebrecht's book - you truely get an understanding of how the music business works, and the reason for its decline.
Rating:
Summary: Candid, cutting, and clearly honest
Review: With biting wit, and without mincing words, Morgenstern has given a truthful, insider's view of the trials and tribulations of musical life in contemporary America. Often times brutally honest in his descriptions of key players, he reveals those who have contributed positively to the American music scene, and just as candidly, names those who have been less than altruistic, honest, or ethical.
Written in a chatty style, the reader often wished to have a cup of coffee with the author, in order to have a far more detailed description of the various tales told. Definitely with a touch of Truman Capote, one has the feeling that Morgenstern never holds back on his perceptions of the "good, the bad, and the ugly". It's definitely a good read.
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