Sound and Fury: The Fate of Classical Music in the Age of Discord

Rather than defend excellence, many cultural institutions have capitulated to a politics that prioritizes identity over artistry, reshaping repertoire, programming, and personnel in the name of social justice. Mac Donald traces how these developments accelerated in the wake of the post-George Floyd “racial reckoning,” when cultural gatekeepers issued mea culpas and sought to “dismantle” perceived inequities in classical music.

With characteristic rigor and moral urgency, Mac Donald challeng...