“One of the life-changing pleasures and privileges of living in Chicago is the opportunity to hear the extraordinary Chicago Symphony Orchestra playing with some of the world’s greatest conductors on a regular basis. A Portrait in Four Movements is an addictive treat for anyone, like me, who has had so many unforgettable experiences in Orchestra Hall. Andrew Patner’s brilliantly evocative writing, informed by a magical combination of knowledge, passion, and wit, is combined with his unerring ability to persuade the four great maestri to share many observations of great insight. Totally engrossing.”

Anthony Freud, general director, president, and CEO of the Lyric Opera of Chicago

“Andrew Patner was an extraordinarily well-informed music critic and one who wore his immense learning with genuine grace. One learned from him about music and music making rather than about the idiosyncrasies of a critic. This book includes deeply informed and informative reviews of concerts by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and interviews with four of its greatest conductors. It is thus not only a wonderful collection of Patner’s writings but also an important set of insights into the modern history of one of the world’s greatest musical institutions.”

Don Michael Randel, former president of the University of Chicago and editor of the Harvard Dictionary of Music

"An orchestra's performance is so shaped by its conductor that an astute listener will know who is conducting by how the orchestra sounds. Such a listener was Patner, critic for the Chicago Sun-Times and radio station WFMT. This volume compiles his reviews of performances by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra...along with interviews with four of the orchestra's conductors during this period. This book...will primarily appeal to music fans who pay attention to who's at the conductor's podium, but it's an intriguing read for more casual fans as well: these are people whose lives revolve around thinking deeply about music, but their personalities and quirks, from Bernard Haitink's dry wit to Riccardo Muti's scholarly approach, shine through. A charming addition for followers of orchestral music."

Library Journal

“The interviews in A Portrait in Four Movements often read like relaxed conversations over drinks, even as they are guided by Patner’s subtle hand. . . For Patner, music was lifeblood for a rich and meaningful existence, and his role was to share it. We were — and now with this book, are — the fortunate beneficiaries.”

Chicago Tribune

"This publication of Andrew Patner’s reviews is an extremely successful joint effort that does indeed present fascinating portraits of four musical greats and their indisputable influences on the history and development of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. . . . The book is also a touching homage to a journalist who was clearly much more than just a music critic to the Chicago community and the orchestra he covered so devotedly."

Music Reference Services Quarterly