The War on Music

In this thought-provoking audiobook, prominent conductor John Mauceri offers a comprehensive reassessment of 20th-century classical music, revealing how the three great wars—World War I, World War II, and the Cold War—shaped its evolution. He explores how aesthetic choices often concealed political ambitions, leading to the suppression of experimental music in certain countries and the migration of composers to America. Mauceri examines why few works have been added to the classical canon since 1930 and highlights the resurgence of avant-garde music in the West during the Cold War era.