當大指揮家小澤征爾和諾貝爾文學獎得主大江健三郎 相互碰撞時，會擦出什麼樣的火花？
為什麼藝術可以成就人生？什麼又是「新日本人」主張？
請聽他們的深刻對談。

同樣生於1935年，今年七十歲，這一對交往了四十年的老朋友，在各自的創作領域中雄據一方，他們決定在這次深入的對談中，走進對方的心靈世界，與現實世界相互關照，將自己的觀察仔細比對，提出對生活在21世紀的日本年輕人深切的期許。

他們娓娓暢談過去的青春年代、家族使命、教育態度，以及對於民主主義、音樂及文學的看法及夢想。同時，將宏大的世界觀與國際視野，傳達給習慣於鎖國思考的日本社會，期待21世紀的新日本年輕人，能夠更融入國際社會。

大師們的觀點，深刻、真誠、充滿智慧。他們教導年輕人打開心房，省思該以什麼樣的態度努力生活，開創比他們的時代更豐富的未來文明。

小說家向音樂大師討教
「這麼說來，我從來沒有好好談過這些事。」
對於貝多芬和馬勒的新詮釋、卡內基廳的戲劇性復活音樂會、分別與卡拉揚和伯恩斯坦共度的歲月，以及，為年輕世代所做的薪火傳承。
面對一心追求「心聲」的小說家，指揮家坦率地就音樂侃侃而談。
在東京、在世界各地、不同場所，
一起聽音樂，愉快地共度一段時光。
和舉世無雙的指揮家、輝煌的心靈深刻接觸
小說家謹記整理，留住珍貴的談話
好的音樂究竟是什麼？《和小澤征爾先生談音樂》一書，為村上春樹與小澤征爾圍繞著音樂這個主題之間的對談。他們談到了貝多芬第三號鋼琴協奏曲、歌劇、馬勒的音樂、小澤征爾的恩師齋藤秀雄，與卡拉揚、伯恩斯坦的過往回憶等。
本書是作為小澤征爾頭號粉絲的作家村上春樹，從二○一○年十一月開始到隔年七月，對小澤征爾所做的訪談文章；從日本東京、神奈川村上春樹的家中，到夏威夷、瑞士、日內瓦往巴黎的列車中，都有兩位名家對談音樂的軌跡。村上春樹就按著對談時的錄音，以及當時的記憶，動筆將兩人的談話化為文字。
但這既不是報導文學，也不是人物論，而是村上只想以「一個音樂愛好者，和小澤征爾這一位音樂家，盡可能直率、坦白地談出彼此對音樂的內心話。」另外，也寫到如今是頂尖指揮家也曾只能睡在電影院、在歌劇院指揮還被喝倒采的過往、唱片錄音的幕後花絮、法國號換氣的真相，以及，好的音樂和好的文章之間究竟有什麼共通的地方。
讀畢本書，看見一流指揮家那閃耀輝煌的心靈之時，彷彿也經歷了一場洗禮，享受了「美好的音樂」。

A deeply personal, intimate conversation about music and writing between the internationally acclaimed, best-selling author and his close friend, the former conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Haruki Murakami’s passion for music runs deep. Before turning his hand to writing, he ran a jazz club in Tokyo, and from The Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood” to Franz Liszt’s “Years of Pilgrimage,” the aesthetic and emotional power of music permeates every one of his much-loved books. Now, in Absolutely on Music, Murakami fulfills a personal dream, sitting down with his friend, acclaimed conductor Seiji Ozawa, to talk, over a period of two years, about their shared interest. Transcribed from lengthy conversations about the nature of music and writing, here they discuss everything from Brahms to Beethoven, from Leonard Bernstein to Glenn Gould, from record collecting to pop-up orchestras, and much more. Ultimately this book gives readers an unprecedented glimpse into the minds of the two maestros.
It is essential reading for book and music lovers everywhere.

In these writings, available here in English for the first time, the distinguished Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu reflects on his contemporaries, including John Cage, Olivier Messiaen, and Merce Cunningham; on nature, which has profoundly influenced his composition; on film and painting; on relationships between East and West; on traditional Japanese music; and on his own compositions.

A deeply personal, intimate conversation about music and writing between the internationally acclaimed, best-selling author and his close friend, the former conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Haruki Murakami's passion for music runs deep. Before turning his hand to writing, he ran a jazz club in Tokyo, and from The Beatles' Norwegian Wood to Franz Liszt's Years of Pilgrimage, the aesthetic and emotional power of music permeates every one of his much-loved books. Now, in Absolutely on Music, Murakami fulfills a personal dream, sitting down with his friend, acclaimed conductor Seiji Ozawa, to talk, over a period of two years, about their shared interest. Transcribed from lengthy conversations about the nature of music and writing, here they discuss everything from Brahms to Beethoven, from Leonard Bernstein to Glenn Gould, from record collecting to pop-up orchestras, and much more. Ultimately this book gives readers an unprecedented glimpse into the minds of the two maestros. It is essential reading for book and music lovers everywhere.

An unprecedented glimpse into the minds of two maestros.
Haruki Murakami's passion for music runs deep. Before turning his hand to writing, he ran a jazz club in Tokyo, and the aesthetic and emotional power of music permeates every one of his much-loved books. Now, in Absolutely on Music, Murakami fulfills a personal dream, sitting down with his friend, acclaimed conductor Seiji Ozawa, to talk about their shared interest.
They discuss everything from Brahms to Beethoven, from Leonard Bernstein to Glenn Gould, from record collecting to pop-up orchestras, and much more.

「良き音楽」は愛と同じように、いくらたくさんあっても、多すぎるということはない―。グレン・グールド、バーンスタイン、カラヤンなど小澤征爾が巨匠たちと過ごした歳月、ベートーヴェン、ブラームス、マーラーの音楽...。マエストロと小説家はともにレコードを聴き、深い共感の中で、対話を続けた。心の響きと創造の魂に触れる、一年間にわたったロング・インタビュー。村上春樹の“特別エッセイ”『厚木からの長い道のり』を収録。