Julian Johnson

Johnson offers an entirely fresh and highly engaging perspective on how classical music developed from plainsong to the present day. He wears his learning lightly, relating each stage of his... — Classic FM MagazineMore…

There is much to admire and provoke in this book ... it warrants serious engagement ... Read it and discuss the issues it raises as widely as possible because it offers the opportunity for serious... — Popular MusicMore…

Julian Johnson's engrossing new study ... encourages a re-examination of the inner qualities of the music itself — Musical TimesMore…

You will often cheer out loud! I did...more profound than can be communicated in a book review. I read this twice. Like all my favorite books, I will read it again and again. Nothing is more... — American Record GuideMore…

Julian Johnson's engrossing new study ... encourages a re-examination of the inner qualities of the music itself — Musical TimesMore…

Johnson's rich and provocative study ... serves not only as a welcome antidote but also as an open invitation to a renewed engagement with this all-too-familiar music in terms of what Johnson... — Music and LettersMore…

Including many musical examples and a wealth of references to literature on modernity and music, this refreshing exploration of "modern music" goes backward and forward, and surrounds music... — ChoiceMore…