Overview

In the years spanning from 1800 to 1824, Ludwig van Beethoven completed nine symphonies, now considered among the greatest masterpieces of Western music. Yet despite the fact that this time period, located in the wake of the Enlightenment and at the peak of romanticism, was one of rich intellectual exploration and social change, the influence of such threads of thought on Beethoven’s work has until now remained hidden beneath the surface of the notes. Beethoven’s Symphonies presents a fresh look at the great composer’s approach and the ideas that moved him, offering a lively account of the major themes unifying his radically diverse output. Martin Geck opens the book with an enthralling series of cultural, political, and musical motifs that run throughout the symphonies. A leading theme is Beethoven’s intense intellectual and emotional engagement with the figure of Napoleon, an engagement that survived even Beethoven’s disappointment with Napoleon’s decision to be crowned emperor in 1804. Geck also delves into the unique ways in which Beethoven approached beginnings and finales in his symphonies, as well as his innovative use of particular instruments. He then turns to the individual symphonies, tracing elements—a pitch, a chord, a musical theme—that offer a new way of thinking about each work and will make even the most devoted fans of Beethoven admire the symphonies anew. Offering refreshingly inventive readings of the work of one of history’s greatest composers, this book shapes a fascinating picture of the symphonies as a cohesive oeuvre and of Beethoven as a master symphonist.

Full Product Details

9780226453880

Table of Contents

Reviews

This aphoristic, scholarly essay . . . offers--precisely because every answer leads to new questions--rich inspiration for hearing Beethoven anew. --SWR2 Cluster, on the German edition Extremely readable and thought-provoking. --Neue Musikzeitung, on the German edition

Extremely readable and thought-provoking. --Neue Musikzeitung, on the German edition This aphoristic, scholarly essay . . . offers--precisely because every answer leads to new questions--rich inspiration for hearing Beethoven anew. --SWR2 Cluster, on the German edition

Author Information

Martin Geck is professor emeritus of musicology at the Technical University of Dortmund in Germany. His books include Richard Wagner: A Life in Music and Robert Schumann: The Life and Work of a Romantic Composer, both also published by the University of Chicago Press. Stewart Spencer is an independent scholar and the translator of more than three dozen books.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available