Big Books of 2026
Absolutely on Music: Conversations with Seiji Ozawa

Questions About Absolutely on Music: Conversations with Seiji Ozawa

by Haruki Murakami

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Absolutely on Music, please sign up.

Answered Questions (2)

I'm curious why there are two birds on the book cover and what type of birds they are. ? Thanks!
Massimo Laneve Good day, I've got English translation - by Jay Rubin - of this book and there are the nice two birds on the paper cover. Actually they are three, one…moreGood day, I've got English translation - by Jay Rubin - of this book and there are the nice two birds on the paper cover. Actually they are three, one of the two on the front cover is also replicated on the back suggesting this somehow represents Murakami, the blue one representing Ozawa. This interpretation is also confirmed by their placement on the paper explicitly referring to authors' names in the front cover, position that shows clearly the conversational nature of the book focused absolutely on music.
I'm not an ornithologist nor a specialist so cannot say which birds they are.
I only know those illustration are taken from some of John James Audubon's work that was a great ornithologist and painter - more references here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ja...

If you get some details on the two birds, please share, it's kind on intriguing for me as well.(less)
flag
Hi! I'm an amateur classical music listener (if that's even a term) and although I generally understand their conversations, it's all very new to me to read about classical music, moreover so intimately. I'm sorry if I sound ignorant, but I'd really love some general opinions towards this book from a classical music expert because I feel like I'd get a better understanding towards classical music if I knew. Thank you?
Eric Wang Hi Tiffany, although I'm not a professional musician, I am someone who has played and studied classical music for most of my life in many orchestral a…moreHi Tiffany, although I'm not a professional musician, I am someone who has played and studied classical music for most of my life in many orchestral and chamber settings. Hopefully you find my take helpful!

I personally really liked this book, even if at times the conversation seems to go off track since it was put together through interviews rather than written as an in-depth dive into the specifics of classical music. The things that really allowed me to appreciate the conversations were (1) the fact that I had listened to all the pieces they talked about and (2) the fact that I also play a musical instrument in orchestral and chamber settings, so have myself experienced the same struggles with the technical and interpretative aspects of playing classical music, albeit to a much lower standard than Ozawa has. Although I don't think any particularly revolutionary idea was introduced, somethign Murakami and Ozawa are both really good at is articulating the techniques behind creating good music so that anyone can understand it; this is especially helpful for a musician who tries to do many of the same things using only their intuition.

Often times, I wished Ozawa would go into even more depth about the music, like when he's talking about how Mahler departs from the traditional German tradition of symphony writing. Since Murakami isn't a musician himself but just a really experienced listener, I felt Ozawa couldn't talk about specific musical theory concepts which in my view would have enhanced the conversation.

I think this is a book worth rereading, especially as you gain more familiarity with the music they talk about; for myself, I'm not a big opera listener, so their conversation about opera generally fell quite flat for me. However, I loved their discussion of symphonic and chamber works since those are the ones with which I am most well acquainted. Listening to the music they talk about before you dive into their conversation would be ideal, so you can recall how things are supposed to sound. Equally, paying attention to the phrases and types of sound which are being created as you listen to each work, as Murakami does so well, will enhance your appreciation for what's going on in the discussion.

Finally, I would also recommend going online and watching some interpretive lectures or masterclasses; my favourites are from Leonard Bernstein and Benjamin Zander, who unpack the process of interpretation behind many works, symphonic and chamber. I hope this answer helped!(less)
flag

Unanswered Questions (1)

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more