An internationally renowned and beloved music festival, Tanglewood is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and site of the Tanglewood Music Center, a prestigious academy for advanced studies in classical music.

This work explores the dynamics affecting Tanglewood within the larger context of recent trends in American musical life, including dwindling audiences for classical music and growing commercialism in the arts. Andrew L. Pincus begins his lively narrative with an account of Tanglewood's rich history, from founder Serge Koussevitzky's vision of a great music festival and academy to Seiji Ozawa's controversial tenure as BSO director.

He describes the construction of the acclaimed Seiji Ozawa Hall and the publicity glitz surrounding its gala opening in 1994 as both a turning point for Tanglewood's passage to a new era and a link to its past. Pincus traces Ozawa's demanding conducting career, fully exploring mounting criticism of his repertoire and commitment to the BSO and Tanglewood, and recalls how Leonard Bernstein and other important figures influenced Tanglewood's legacy.