Carr biography - not so great, is it?

[barryguerrero]

I'm about 1/3rd through the Carr biography on Mahler. After the jens Malte Fischer, it just seems so lightweight and too colloquial in its language. I guess it's fine for anyone who doesn't want to read something voluminous. Your thoughts (?).

[ChrisH]

It's actually a really good intro for people who are not familiar with classical music, or Mahler himself. Carr's book is not written for people who read this forum, it's written for normal people. My Mothers husband only reads biographies, I lent him my copy of the Carr book and he thoroughly enjoyed it. He is someone who doesn't understand anything about music, nor listen to it. That's who this book is aimed at, or someone wanting to dip their toes into Mahler.

[barryguerrero]

I finally finished Carr and I would recommend it to absolutely nobody. He dismisses Adorno on the one hand, then turns around and says the exact same thing. Anybody who thinks the finale to M7 and all of M8 are a mistake, should not be writing biographies on Mahler. I'm not cowering online here - I would very gladly tell that to Jonathan Carr's face. I can forgive the almost too informal and 'breezy' style of his bio., but not his ridiculous comments on the music itself. Sorry.

[Destinie]

Resources for research for excellent content to the great success of it.

[barryguerrero]

?

[ValenRay]

So he took too many liberties with his comments you think? That's fair, I suppose. I'm still going to give the book a shot, I'm just not going to run out and buy it like I was planning as soon as I get some free time.

[barryguerrero]

I over-reacted. I just get annoyed when people present themselves as experts, then trash the finale of Mahler 7 and all of M8. What's the point if you don't like those works! They often times dismiss Adorno on the one hand, then say pretty much the same thing with the other.