Virgil Thomson: A Reader: Selected Writings, 1924-1984

Virgil Thomson is universally recognized as one of the dominant music critics whose unique sensibility was informed by his groundbreaking work as a composer of the mid twentieth-century. Whether writing for a daily newspaper or an academic journal, Thomson brought wit and erudition to a literary form that is often staid.

Not suffering fools gladly, unwilling to kowtow to the powers that be, Thomson and his writing remain remarkably relevant and entertaining today. This essential reader includes his essays on making a living as a musician; his articles on classic composers; his relation to his contemporaries; his articles on newcomers in the music world, including John Cage and Pierre Boulez; his autobiographical writings and commentary on his own works.