Noise: The Political Economy of Music (Theory and History of Literature, Vol. 16) [Paperback]

Jacques Attali (Author), Brian Massumi (Translator)

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, French (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 196 pages
• Publisher: Univ Of Minnesota Press; 1 edition (June 30, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816612870
• ISBN-13: 978-0816612871
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #144,581 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Literary {wind}, November 22, 2000

By 

Joseph L. Keohane "vdamocles" (Somerville, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Noise: The Political Economy of Music (Theory and History of Literature, Vol. 16) (Paperback)

Sometimes lazy people like to use phrases like "literary{wind} " to justify their inability to understand difficult topics, or to cover for their own, lacking, vocabularies. The foregoing review did just that. The fact is, sometimes precise thought demands precise language.

Anyway, this book provides valuable insight into the relationship of fringe art/music, and the future of society. Attali postulates that society is founded upon the idea that bad noise must be subverted. Therefore, all forces effecting social change, at some time, have been subverted. Given time though, they find their way into society by way of, here, music, and begin to cause change.

This is a very interesting and well conceived book. A great read for philosophy student and musician alike. It puts a new spin on the effect of music on culture, and the reciprocal relationship between art and society. Good stuff.

In closing, and in response to the previous reviewer, "college isn't taken as seriously as it once was" simply because the hallowed halls are clogged with students who readily dismiss works of sound thought because they don't like having to look up words or work for their own enlightenment.ENDs

38 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Music as commidity and predictor of social change., June 15, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Noise: The Political Economy of Music (Theory and History of Literature, Vol. 16) (Paperback)

This is an essential work for anyone interested in the sociology of music. The author follows 2 significant threads of thought in this work; the commidification of music, and music as indicator (predictor) of social change. Using sophisiticated but well written theories and examples Attali demonstrates how music acts as the subconsciousness of society, validating and testing new social and political realities. Among the powerful analogies he draws is that of how modern people stockpile musical recordings, in some instances more than can possibly ever listen too, much in the same way nations stockpile weapons. In describing the evolution of the orchestra he compares the conductor to the king conducting his flanks of violins and horns with the same dictorial presence of command as one would dispatch foot soldiers and calvaries. Attali clearly has a passion for music drawing examples from Bach to improvisational jazz. In the end this is an optimistic book, illuminating indications of both social and musical evolution during the 20th century. D.L. Jonsson <Reviewer>

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Such a wonderful book, I read it twice., December 10, 2005

By 

Adie (Louisville, KY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Noise CB (Theory and history of literature) (Paperback)

A musicology professor of mine recommended I use this book in a presentation I gave on aesthetics. I compared Attali's approach to that of Benjamin and Adorno and found myself highlighting and smiling and nodding. I found this book to be so brilliant and hopeful (where Adorno was so pessimistic) that I used it again in a presentation for another graduate musicology seminar.

If you don't like to read books that use complex sentences and multi-syllabic words, you should not be in higher education in the first place. Attali makes arguments that may seem outlandish, but with more thought and consideration, prove to be intelligent, fresh, and seemingly common sense.