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5+ stars for Opening Carnegie Hall: The Creation and First Performances of America’s Premier Concert Stage #bookreview #musichistory #carnegiehall



Title: Opening Carnegie Hall: The Creation and First Performances of America’s Premier Concert Stage

Author: Carol J. Binkowski

Genre: Nonfiction – New York/Music History

 

Book Blurb:

 

Carnegie Hall is recognized worldwide, associated with the heights of artistic achievement and with a multitude of famous performers. Yet its beginnings are not so well known. In 1887, a chance encounter on a steamship bound for Europe brought young conductor Walter Damrosch together with millionaire philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and his new wife, Louise. Their subsequent friendship led to the building of this groundbreaking concert space. This book provides the first comprehensive account of the conception and building of Carnegie Hall, which culminated in a five-day opening festival in May 1891, featuring spectacular music, a host of performers and Tchaikovsky as a special guest conductor.

 

My Review:

 

Since 1891, Carnegie Hall is the preeminent place to experience performances unlike anything you’ve ever seen or heard. Anyone who loves music and the history of music knows the magnificence of Carnegie Hall. But its inception and how it came to be are not as well known. In this book, Carol J. Binkowski takes the reader back in time to when Andrew Carnegie meets a young conductor who’ll spark a brilliant idea. It’s not a flawless undertaking so come along and discover what it took opening Carnegie Hall.

 

Carol J. Binkowski is an artist herself writing and creating this book. Her research is impeccable. She’s delved into mountains of documents, detailing what actually happened. Not only that, but her writing weaves together her research to create a book I couldn’t put down. As a music lover, it was like peeking at DaVinci while he painted his masterpieces.

 

A brilliantly written book and one I will treasure for years to come. Highly recommend.

 

My Rating: 5+ stars

 

Buy it Now:   


 

Barnes & Noble:

 

McFarland & Co., Inc.:

 

Author Biography:

 

Carol J. Binkowski is the author of Opening Carnegie Hall: The Creation and First Performances of America’s Premier Concert Stage. She was recently a guest on Episode #2 (“Carnegie Hall’s Opening Night Ticket”) of the Carnegie Hall/WQXR 2024 podcast series, “If This Hall Could Talk.” Carol’s other books include Joseph F. Lamb: A Passion for Ragtime and Musical New York. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Christian Science Monitor, and other publications.

 

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Reviewed by: Nancy

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