Absolutely on Music: Conversations (小澤征爾さんと、音楽について話をする, Ozawa seiji-san to, ongaku ni tsuite hanashi o suru, lit.

"[10] WOSU said "Whether you are a musician with a master's degree in theory, a blossoming author or a layman in both subjects, this book is understandable, fresh and deeply rewarding.

"[11] The Arts Desk found some of the conversations inconsistent in quality and understanding but noted "At best, though, these servants of sister muses maintain an easy rapport.

"[12] The Christian Science Monitor wrote that "Murakami is not an expert musician – he doesn’t study scores or analyze harmonic shifts and patterns based on any formal training.

[14] The Irish Times concluded: "Sporadically useful for providing a deepening understanding of music, this book’s real value is in how it documents a friendship enlivened by a profound and rapturous passion.

"[15] In 2013, Universal Music Japan released a three-disc set compiling the works of classical music that Murakami and Ozawa discuss, such as takes on Brahms by Glenn Gould, suites from Leonard Bernstein's career, and Ozawa's conducted performances with the Saito Kinen Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and others.