The Great Instrumental Works Book

Griffiths seems to be at his strongest when elucidating the technical intricacies and aural pleasures to be found in the works of these great composers, which lands this survey of post-war music somewhere in the "academically pleasurable" category. It would be safe to assume that those looking to pick up a book on Boulez, Stockhausen and co. would be somewhat musically literate, and therefore the assumed knowledge is not too much to ask in this case, though the force of Griffiths' writing is enough to keep any enthusiast of the avant-garde engaged.

More than enough to whet my appetite for new sounds, and illuminate much of the Darmstadt years and intermingling of composers (thanks the more narrative driven first third), though I would love to see some more attention payed to some of the composers mentioned later in the book, who read less like historical figures and instead subjects of brief liner notes for a record. Also, where is Per Nørgård?