Ludwig Van Beethoven: Approaches to His Music (Clarendon Paperbacks) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0198163991 ISBN 13: 9780198163992

Publisher: Oxford University Press, U.S.A., 1994

Synopsis

Many books have been written about Beethoven. But it is rare to find one that seeks an alternative between the fragmentation found in most specialized studies and the superficial overview typical of popular biography. In this volume, Carl Dahlhaus, one of the century's leading musicologists, combines interpretations of individual works that focus on issues of composition and musical history, with excursions into the musical aesthetics of the period around 1800; an age that was not only a "classical" period in the history of the arts but also one in that aesthetics carved itself a place in the center of philosophical attention. The theme of the book is the reconstruction of Beethoven's "musical thinking" from the evidence in the works themselves and their context in the history of ideas.

About this title

Review:

The translation is eminently readable, and the clarity of the technical musical analyses will allow even a general reader interested in Beethoven to gain a deeper appreciation of the music. (Choice)

Synopsis:

Many books have been written about Beethoven but it is rare to find one which seeks an alternative to the tendency of academia, on the one hand, to fragmentation, and of popular biographical writing, on the other, to a superficial overview. In this volume, the late Carl Dahlhaus combines the interpretations of individual works with excursions into the musical aesthetics of the period around 1800, an age which was not only a 'classical' period in the history of the arts but also one in which aesthetics carved itself a place in the centre of philosophical attention. The theme of the book is the reconstruction of Beethoven's 'musical thinking' from the evidence in the works themselves and their context in the history of ideas. A table entitled 'Chronicle' places the references to biographical data in their historical context. The selective bibliography includes comments to assist readers to find their way in the labyrinth of the literature about Beethoven.

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press, U.S.A.
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 0198163991
• ISBN 13: 9780198163992
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304