Alex Ross author photo
Image via Wikimedia Commons, lizenziert unter CC BY-SA 2.0.

Alex Ross

Alex Ross is an American music critic and author focused on classical music, opera, and cultural history. A longtime New Yorker critic, he wrote The Rest Is Noise, Listen to This, and Wagnerism. His work has won a National Book Critics Circle Award and helped broaden public engagement with classical music.

Biografie & Werdegang des Autors

Alex Ross, born in Washington, D.C., in 1968, grew up as the son of two geologists and developed musical interests early, studying piano, trying composition, and playing oboe in school orchestras. At Harvard he studied English and American literature, graduated summa cum laude in 1990, took music with the composer Peter Lieberson, and worked at campus radio station WHRB. That combination of literary training, active listening, and historical curiosity became the basis of his later criticism. ((https://therestisnoise.com/book-faq/?utm_source=openai))

Mehr Anzeigen

Zitate

quote
I hate “classical music”: not the thing but the name
-Listen To This
quote
In the beginning was the Tone
-Giacinto Scelsi
quote
In Nazi Germany, music became either a weapon of hate or an opiate of indifference
-World War II Music
quote
My rage at Wednesday's events gave way to tears when I tried to imagine my mother's reaction to them
-The marginal lament of a DC native
quote
The crazy news these days is that classical music is regaining popularity
-Here we are now, entertain us
quote
It was in Paris that the liquid revolution of “Tristan und Isolde” first entered the bloodstream of the world
-The Waves
quote
Desert-bright weather in the southwestern United States has long inspired architecture that opens itself to the land and the sky
-Elemental Opera at Santa Fe
quote
An opera lover from another planet might have concluded that two different companies were sharing the same space
-The Metropolitan Opera’s Split Personality

Mehr entdecken

Music History: Modern Genres to Classical

Music History: Modern Genres to Classical

LERNPLAN

Music History: Modern Genres to Classical

This learning plan provides a holistic view of music by bridging the gap between historical traditions and modern cultural revolutions. It is ideal for musicians, students, or enthusiasts who want to understand the structural and emotional DNA of the songs they love.

2 h 4 m4 Abschnitte
Russian
Art
Alternative

Russian Art Alternative

LERNPLAN

Russian Art Alternative

This learning plan is essential for art historians, cultural students, and activists interested in how creativity survives under censorship. It provides a deep dive into the resilient spirit of Russian artists who challenged totalitarianism and redefined modern aesthetics.

1 h 53 m4 Abschnitte
music theory and music stuff in general

music theory and music stuff in general

LERNPLAN

music theory and music stuff in general

This comprehensive guide bridges the gap between classical theory and modern digital production for aspiring musicians and creators. It is ideal for anyone looking to master the technical skills of audio engineering while grounding their creative work in historical context and musical language.

2 h 8 m4 Abschnitte
Books Recommended by Keith Woods
BÜCHER

Books Recommended by Keith Woods

Explore Keith Woods’ recommended books on classical philosophy, nationalism, and moral order—critiques of modern liberalism grounded in timeless political thought.

BeFreed Team

Artists music

Artists music

LERNPLAN

Artists music

This comprehensive roadmap bridges the gap between creative inspiration and professional execution in the modern music landscape. It is designed for aspiring independent artists who want to master both the technical production side and the business strategies required to sustain a career.

2 h 43 m4 Abschnitte
Explore Politics, Culture, Environment & Art

Explore Politics, Culture, Environment & Art

LERNPLAN

Explore Politics, Culture, Environment & Art

In an era of rapid environmental and political shifts, understanding the intersection of power, art, and ecology is essential for informed global citizenship. This plan is ideal for activists, students, and creative professionals looking to bridge the gap between cultural expression and systemic change.

2 h 49 m4 Abschnitte
Music, Art, Vocab

Music, Art, Vocab

LERNPLAN

Music, Art, Vocab

This learning plan is essential for aspiring artists and musicians who want to bridge the gap between technical skill and cultural literacy. It is designed for creative individuals seeking to master both the practice of art and the sophisticated vocabulary needed to navigate the professional creative world.

3 h 2 m4 Abschnitte
Neuroscience of sound and sonic identity

Neuroscience of sound and sonic identity

LERNPLAN

Neuroscience of sound and sonic identity

Understanding the intersection of brain science and acoustics is essential for designers, marketers, and therapists. This plan offers a deep dive into how sound shapes human experience, making it ideal for those looking to master the psychological power of audio.

3 h 9 m4 Abschnitte

Stimmen der Community

"Alex Ross's massive new book is worthy of its subject"

The American Scholar

"Like all of Alex Ross's writing, it bottles that strange lightning and inspires us in turn"

Rian Johnson

"Alex Ross's extraordinary gifts as a writer... make The Rest Is Noise a complete delight"

Jean Strouse

"In this epic, extraordinary book, Alex Ross contends with the infernal logic of Wagner's legacy"

Patrick Radden Keefe

"Alex Ross has assembled a vast convocation of the artists, proponents and prophets"

Tony Kushner

"Alex Ross is one of the great civilized pleasures anywhere on any subject"

The Buffalo News

"Fortunately, Alex Ross's brilliant evocation of the composer's world more than elucidates Wagner's various mysteries"

Hilton Als

"Alex Ross has produced an introduction to twentieth-century music that is also an absorbing story of personalities and events"

Louis Menand

Häufig gestellte Fragen zu dieser Seite

Von Columbia University Alumni in San Francisco entwickelt

BeFreed vereint eine globale Gemeinschaft von 1,000,000 wissbegierigen Menschen

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
platform
comments
12
likes
117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
platform
comments
96
likes
4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
platform
comments
201
thumbsUp
16

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
platform
comments
37
likes
483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
platform
comments
12
likes
117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
platform
comments
96
likes
4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
platform
comments
201
thumbsUp
16

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
platform
comments
37
likes
483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."

@Moemenn
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."

@Chloe, Solo founder, LA
platform
comments
12
likes
117

"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."

@Raaaaaachelw
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."

@Matt, YC alum
platform
comments
12
likes
108

"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."

@Erin, Investment Banking Associate , NYC
platform
comments
254
likes
17

"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."

@djmikemoore
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."

@Pitiful
platform
comments
96
likes
4.5K

"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."

@SofiaP
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"

@Jaded_Falcon
platform
comments
201
thumbsUp
16

"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."

@OojasSalunke
platform
star
star
star
star
star

"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."

@Leo, Law Student, UPenn
platform
comments
37
likes
483

"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"

@Cashflowbubu
platform
star
star
star
star
star
1.5K Ratings4.7
Starten Sie Ihre Lernreise, jetzt