For the Love of Music: Invitations to Listening

In his chapter on Sibelius and Mahler, Rothe asks how music might have progressed if these giants had composed more, noting ""such speculation might be more suited to the late hours of a cocktail party."" Rothe thus captures the flavor of this entire volume, in which he and Steinberg expound on subjects ranging from their burgeoning interest in music to George Perle's life and work to poor audience behavior. These are not analytical pieces on specific works, but broader essays, most of which originally appeared in San Francisco Symphony programs. Steinberg's essays are the stand-outs here, including his informative and inspiring ""Salute"" to conductor and impresario Theodore Thomas and his recommendations on acquainting oneself with Robert Schumann's music. Rothe is less consistent: his ""Vienna Trilogy"" begins as a colorful tourist's guide but devolves into a silly postulation of a dinner shared by Mahler, Schoenberg and Freud, and his essay about Mahler and Sibelius contrasts Sibelius's ""profound logic"" with Mahler's ""all-embracing"" grandiosity, neglecting the profound inner logic of Mahler's works. The writing is engaging and easy to read, but dates for each essay would have established helpful contexts.