Re: Peter Ostwald's book.

["Anne M. Marble" <amarble@sff.net>]

> I am new member and i wanted to ask a question: To those
> who have read "Ecstasy and tragedy of a genius" by Peter
> Ostwald, what do you think about that book?

It had lots of interesting details, as does the Friederich
book.

On the other hand, when I come back later and read certain
passages, I wind up getting annoyed at Ostwald for the
text "between the lines." (In the play Glenn, GG talked
about the unheard music, maybe this was the unsaid text?)

For example, Ostwald describes an incident where someone
had dinner with GG in Austria. The other guy decided to
try the local delicacy -- fried brains. Ostwald made it
seem odd that GG quickly left the dinner table after this
meal was brought out. First, I know a lot of people who
would react the same. Second, he knew GG may have had an
eating disorder.

Also, Ostwald is quite dismissive of many of GG's later
non-musical efforts, such as his radio documentaries.
Instead of recognizing that these were very important to GG,
Ostwald's attitude seems to be, "Oh, why didn't he put all
that time into playing the piano?"

Uhm, because he didn't wanna? ;->