Mozart in the Jungle

I got the book because I had been hugely enjoying the TV series based on it on Amazon Prime; I was astonished at how very different the two versions were. The series is a jazz riff on the book's theme, playing for comedy, while the book is a sober account of the development and life of a musician, une vie boheme with sex and drugs (and the ingénue is TB-free) that is more fun in the opera than in real life. It begins with a government decision to add a culture war to the Cold War by promoting (and funding) the arts. With that substantial encouragement, arts schools opened and students flocked to them to become artists for a public very much less interested in their art than the government had been. Instead of finding decent positions to practice their art with a decent return on their investment, they became freelancers in a crowded field (and becoming more crowded every decade). Classical musicians in the U.S. live a precarious existence, getting gigs wherever they can for whatever is being paid; most lack health insurance and any savings toward retirement: they are happy to make it to the end of each month without owing more money than they had at its beginning. Having been a freelance writer/editor myself for ten years, I know what that can be like: the same arts funding that generated musicians cranked out a lot of marginally employable PhDs in literature at the same time. In academia, the snobbish joke about music majors is that they are as interested in education as are jocks, and vocalists even less so. Blair Tindall confirms that in her account: seeking a real college degree and taking a cram course for admission, she could not pass a practice math exam because she had no idea of what "x" meant. Perhaps the brightest moment of the book was of her paying $500 for a personal evaluation that revealed more potential talents than just the oboe. Accepted at Stanford with a scholarship in her thirties, she emerged with a fluid and muscular prose to which many an English major may only aspire. She was surprised that real college professors never allowed their office doors to be closed while talking with students; closed doors and sexual "instruction" was the norm at her musical arts high school. Her book is a joy to read, even if it has more sobering thoughts than laughs. The television series has the laughs and excellent performances. It is worth watching as well: it is the champagne froth of this profound book.

Another example of watching something produced by Amazon.com and wondering about the original work AND liking the original work better! The video series Mozart in the Jungle is entertaining mind fluff. Just fun stuff with attractive and interesting characters and mostly engaging story arcs. Tindall's book is much more than that. She narrates her way through her years in the classical music biz in a very engaging manner, exposing her own shortcomings in the process. As a fun-to-read confessional, it would get 4 stars. But I give it the 5th star because Tindall puts her experience in perspective. It's not just a la-dah-dada-dee tale of her trials and tribulations in the oboe biz. The book also slips into researched commentary that uses her own story as a means of making larger points about the classical music business in this country. Very strongly recommended.

Great book. I bought it because I love the series, but the book is very different -- not in a bad way. Both are worth the time. If you are a fan of the show, though, I'll warn you that there are plenty of times during the book when you cannot even begin to understand how a comedy series -- well, more of a dramedy -- came from this book. There is some sensitive subject matter that may be hard to read, and is far from the light, comedic tone of the show. But, once you get past that, and separate the book from the show, this is an amazing read, especially for people with a background in classical music.

This kindlebook that is Mozart In The Jungle by Blair Tindall definitely intrigued me to consider watching the tv series that this kindlebook is apparently linked to because of the way that the author relates her story in this kindlebook. I’m intuitively aware that I am very much outside the intended audience for this kindlebook, however the author’s honesty on how she senses a multiple number of professional opportunities came her way was refreshing considering it is far from common and common knowledge that is more socially accepted for a person to do the complete opposite of admitting any scandalous ways of garnering certain lucrative opportunities. The list of lovers and female friends that she knew in her life definitely add to the spice and sizzle in this kindlebook. Additionally, she acknowledges and is truthful with how she utilized the resources of her youth and physical appearance to her advantage when she was able to, though she also paints the harsh reality of where even some of the young males were far from safe of some the factors she was dealing with when she enrolled in a private music school during her teen years. She also candidly shares how old she was when she made a major career leap just as her income was starting to rise even more in her music career, this alone was therapeutic to me because she made a major career/money leap around the same age bracket that I am currently in and I myself have been on various after tax monthly income spectrums (with knowing what it has felt like to make at least 3000 dollars a month after taxes to still being aware of how lucky I am though feeling that 1400 to 2000 dollars a month after taxes is also abundant). Additionally, as a married woman with an angelic/sweet husband, I actually felt compassion for why the author confessed to why at one point in her life she was juggling two married men knowing full well that one of her married lovers was going to stay married with his wife even with being in a long distance marriage (from the way the author described one of the long distance marriages was for economic/job reasons had little to do with her-the author- being in her married lover’s life). The author’s brave account of some of the details in her life help me intuitively understand and guess why there is a tv show related to what is described in this kindlebook that is Mozart In The Jungle by Blair Tindall.

A reasonably good read. But, once you've read this, go and watch the TV series. It's so much better than the book and the soundtrack is wonderful.

Very well written, fascinating account of New York's art scene. Shocking, funny, interesting.The Amazon series of the same name is only inspired by this book but they are not the same.

I enjoyed parts of this book but to much of it failed to grip me. I think it was the writing style rather than the content which I did find interesting. Also there was a disjoint for me as the story despite covering a long time period did not convey this. Having said that it is well worth reading for anyone with an interest in classical music.

As someone who considered becoming a professional musician, this book was a reassuring read that I made the right decision in pursuing other interests. Unflinching and honest, this really is a must read for anyone who thinks classical music is glamourous.

Fantastic book on what its like to be a classical musician, both the ups and downs. it also gives a great view on the state of the music industry and it goes from the 90 to the 2000s and the financial pressures that the industry is under. If you are interested in music this is highly recommended.

Brilliant book to dispell myths about boring classical musicians!

As a classical musician this was obviously very relevant to me. The anecdotes plus the factual sections were great. A really great read.

Excellent!

Die Autorin erklärt am Ende des Klappentexts, sie habe die meisten ihrer Engagements als Oboistin im Bett bekommen – und nicht nur im Bett, wie man feststellen darf. Im zweiten Jahr von #metoo erscheint vieles in diesem Buch erstaunlich skandalös, insbesondere, wie viele mitgemacht haben und wie normal er erschienen ist. Aber das ist wohl bei allen Skanda-len so. Diese - und andere - Vorgänge sind seit Jahrzehnten aus Literatur, Sachtiteln und Nachrichtenmagazinen bekannt, aber immer wieder wirkt es so, als sei ein neues Thema auf-gemacht worden und alle fürchterlich überrascht.Aber tatsächlich ist sexuelle Übergriffigkeit in diesem Buch eher ein Randthema. Tindall, die in jungen Jahren eine Sängerin in einem tollen Kleid auf der Bühne gesehen hat, war sich si-cher gewesen, dass so ein Kleid Zauberkräfte besitzen müsste, weswegen die Siebenjährige auch eins wollte - was ihre Eltern wohlwollend unterstützten und so begann die kleine Blair Oboe zu spielen, ging durch die Hölle der klassisch-kommerziellen Musikausbildung und Job-Realität in den USA und zwar zeitgleich mit dem Aufstieg und Fall der Bedeutung - und Finanzierung - im amerikanischen Bewusstsein. Dabei zeigt sie sich eigentlich ständig unzu-frieden und unglücklich, so dass man sich beim Lesen immer wieder fragt, was das alles soll. Am Ende wurde sie Journalistin, die noch gelegentlich in Orchestern aushilft. So weit ihre Autobiographie.Parallel dazu ist das Buch aber auch eine Abrechnung mit den Entwicklungen der Würdigung und Kommerzialisierung klassischer Musik in den USA mit endlosen - und zum Teil repititi-ven - Exkursen zu Arbeitsbedingungen, Gewerkschaftsaktivitäten, Steuermodellen, technolo-gischen Entwicklungen und Bereicherungen in den oberen Rängen des Kultursponsorings. Daneben werden - zum Teil absolut irrelevante - Bezüge auf bestimmte andere Künstler ge-nommen und so ergibt sich nie wirklich eine einheitliche Stimme oder auch nur ein angenehm zu lesender Erzählfluß. Unwichtige Anekdoten werden hervorgehoben, während wichtige und emotional potentiell packende Passagen in kurzen Absätzen abgehandelt werden. Wenn man in den Danksagungen liest, wie viele Menschen dieses Manuskript mitbearbeitet haben, dann kann man sich wirklich nur wundern.Auf Grund ihrer Konzentration auf die Musik hat Tindall erst in ihrem vierten Lebensjahr-zehnt eine - teuer bezahlte - formale schulische Ausbildung erhalten und zwar auch im journa-listischen Schreiben. Und so ist dieser Text in einem etwas uneinheitlichen und amateurhaften journalistischen Stil mit vielen Zahlen geschrieben und nicht wirklich angenehm zu lesen.Mit der von diesem Buch inspirierten gleichnamigen Fernsehserie hat das Buch den Titel, die Oboe und den Bezug auf klassische Musik und Sex gemeinsam. Und sollte von Fans dringend vermieden werden.

Many of us think of classical musicians as superior in the cultural arena. This book clearly shows a business that has been mismanaged, that is full of overpaid divas -musicians and managers- and overcrowded with musicians that find themselves stucked in a repetitive an at times unsatisfying profession

Die drei Sterne gibt es ausschließlich für die Thematik, doch die Umsetzung inklusive Schreibstil lassen schwer zu wünschen übrig. Blair Tindall schafft es, ihre aufregenden Erlebnisse in einer langweiligen Rosamunde-Pilcher-Art wiederzugeben, die einem schon nach Seite 20 einen Damenbart wachsen lässt und dich pünktlich nach den acht Uhr Nachrichten zu Bett gehen lässt. Da sehe man sich besser die Serie an, die kann man ohne Probleme bis zum Ende anschauen.

This is a fun book! I bought this after watching the Amazon TV series of the same name which was based on this. I enjoyed both but there are things on this book the series could never have expressed. The world behind classical music is brought out with such honesty and vigour that it's hard not to learn from the experiences of master writer and musician. As they say... the back alleys of classical music is painted in this recollection of Blair Tindall.

This is not a review of the book itself, as I'm not sure I'll be able to read it. The book showed up with a STRONG perfume smell on the outside covers and I'm not sure why/how. If I pick up the book, my hands still smell strong. Had to remove it from my room. So strange.

Lo compré después de ver la primera temporada de la serie con el mismo nombre creyendo que sería más parecido a ella pero nada que ver. A pesar de ello me encantó. Cuenta una historia de la música clásica poco visualizada y desde una perspectiva interna que merece mucho la pena leer. Lo recomiendo totalmente.

Sad story of a woman who becomes a prostitute at age 15 in order to play the oboe. Self-serving and incredibly tedious.