Beethoven and the Construction of Genius

Beethoven and the Construction of Genius PDF Author: Tia DeNora
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520920155
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 254

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Book Description
In this provocative account Tia DeNora reconceptualizes the notion of genius by placing the life and career of Ludwig van Beethoven in its social context. She explores the changing musical world of late eighteenth-century Vienna and follows the activities of the small circle of aristocratic patrons who paved the way for the composer's success. DeNora reconstructs the development of Beethoven's reputation as she recreates Vienna's robust musical scene through contemporary accounts, letters, magazines, and myths—a colorful picture of changing times. She explores the ways Beethoven was seen by his contemporaries and the image crafted by his supporters. Comparing Beethoven to contemporary rivals now largely forgotten, DeNora reveals a figure musically innovative and complex, as well as a keen self-promoter who adroitly managed his own celebrity. DeNora contends that the recognition Beethoven received was as much a social achievement as it was the result of his personal gifts. In contemplating the political and social implications of culture, DeNora casts many aspects of Beethoven's biography in a new and different light, enriching our understanding of his success as a performer and composer.

Beethoven and the Construction of Genius

Beethoven and the Construction of Genius PDF Author: Tia DeNora
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520920155
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 254

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Book Description
In this provocative account Tia DeNora reconceptualizes the notion of genius by placing the life and career of Ludwig van Beethoven in its social context. She explores the changing musical world of late eighteenth-century Vienna and follows the activities of the small circle of aristocratic patrons who paved the way for the composer's success. DeNora reconstructs the development of Beethoven's reputation as she recreates Vienna's robust musical scene through contemporary accounts, letters, magazines, and myths—a colorful picture of changing times. She explores the ways Beethoven was seen by his contemporaries and the image crafted by his supporters. Comparing Beethoven to contemporary rivals now largely forgotten, DeNora reveals a figure musically innovative and complex, as well as a keen self-promoter who adroitly managed his own celebrity. DeNora contends that the recognition Beethoven received was as much a social achievement as it was the result of his personal gifts. In contemplating the political and social implications of culture, DeNora casts many aspects of Beethoven's biography in a new and different light, enriching our understanding of his success as a performer and composer.

Beethoven, the Man and the Artist

Beethoven, the Man and the Artist PDF Author: Ludwig van Beethoven
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 126

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Book Description


The Symphony in Beethoven's Vienna

The Symphony in Beethoven's Vienna PDF Author: David Wyn Jones
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 0521862612
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 9

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Book Description
The status of Beethoven's symphonies is ingrained in Western culture, but very little is known about the environment in which the composer wrote them. David Wyn Jones explores the symphonies of other composers of the time together with the patterns of musical life in Vienna that helped shape the destiny of the symphony. This original study will be of interest to Beethoven enthusiasts and those interested in exploring the reality behind the image of Vienna as a deeply supportive musical city.

The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven (Vol. 1-3)

The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven (Vol. 1-3) PDF Author: Alexander Wheelock Thayer
Publisher: Good Press
ISBN:
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 1230

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Book Description
Alexander Wheelock Thayer's 'The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven' is a monumental three-volume biography that delves deep into the personal and professional life of the legendary composer. Thayer's meticulous research and comprehensive documentation provide readers with a detailed account of Beethoven's trials and triumphs, offering insights into his revolutionary compositions and enduring legacy. Written in a scholarly but approachable style, this biography sheds light on Beethoven's complex personality and the social and cultural context in which he created his immortal music. Thayer's work is not only a biography but also a valuable historical and artistic resource for anyone interested in classical music and the life of one of its greatest composers. Alexander Wheelock Thayer, a dedicated music historian, spent years studying Beethoven's life and works, collecting extensive materials to create this definitive account. His passion for Beethoven's music and commitment to accuracy shine through in every page of this meticulously researched biography. Thayer's expertise and deep understanding of Beethoven's music and life make 'The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven' a must-read for scholars, musicians, and music lovers alike. I highly recommend 'The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven' to anyone seeking a comprehensive and engaging exploration of Beethoven's life, music, and lasting influence on classical music. Thayer's scholarly approach and detailed analysis provide a rich and rewarding reading experience for those interested in the life and works of one of the greatest composers in history.

Beethoven Forum

Beethoven Forum PDF Author: Beethoven Forum
Publisher: U of Nebraska Press
ISBN: 9780803261952
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 250

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Book Description
Collecting the best of international Beethoven studies, Beethoven Forum promotes and sustains the high level of scholarship inspired by Beethoven's extraordinary works.

After Adorno

After Adorno PDF Author: Tia DeNora
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1139440942
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 196

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Book Description
Theodor W. Adorno placed music at the centre of his critique of modernity and broached some of the most important questions about the role of music in contemporary society. One of his central arguments was that music, through the manner of its composition, affected consciousness and was a means of social management and control. His work was primarily theoretical however, and because these issues were never explored empirically his work has become sidelined in current music sociology. This book argues that music sociology can be greatly enriched by a return to Adorno's concerns, in particular his focus on music as a dynamic medium of social life. Intended as a guide to 'how to do music sociology' this book deals with critical topics too often sidelined such as aesthetic ordering, cognition, the emotions and music as a management device and reworks Adorno's focus through a series of grounded examples.

Beethoven

Beethoven PDF Author: Laura Tunbridge
Publisher: Yale University Press
ISBN: 030025797X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 289

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Book Description
A major new biography published for the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, offering a fresh, human portrayalThe iconic image of Beethoven is of him as a lone genius: hair wild, fists clenched, and brow furrowed. Beethoven may well have shaped the music of the future, but he was also a product of his time, influenced by the people, politics, and culture around him. Oxford scholar Laura Tunbridge offers an alternative history of Beethoven’s career, placing his music in contexts that shed light on why particular pieces are valued more than others, and what this tells us about his larger-than-life reputation. Each chapter focuses on a period of his life, a piece of music, and a revealing theme, from family to friends, from heroism to liberty. We discover, along the way, Beethoven’s unusual marketing strategies, his ambitious concert programming, and how specific performers and instruments influenced his works. This book offers new ways to understand Beethoven and why his music continues to be valued today.

Beethoven 1806

Beethoven 1806 PDF Author: Mark Ferraguto
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190947195
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 277

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Book Description
Between early 1806 and early 1807, Ludwig van Beethoven completed a remarkable series of instrumental works. But critics have struggled to reconcile the music of this banner year with Beethoven's "heroic style," the paradigm through which his middle-period works have typically been understood. Drawing on theories of mediation and a wealth of primary sources, Beethoven 1806 explores the specific contexts in which the music of this year was conceived, composed, and heard. As author Mark Ferraguto argues, understanding this music depends on appreciating the relationships that it both creates and reflects. Not only did Beethoven depend on patrons, performers, publishers, critics, and audiences to earn a living, but he also tailored his compositions to suit particular sensibilities, proclivities, and technologies.

The Invention of 'Folk Music' and 'Art Music'

The Invention of 'Folk Music' and 'Art Music' PDF Author: Matthew Gelbart
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1139466089
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 265

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Book Description
We tend to take for granted the labels we put to different forms of music. This study considers the origins and implications of the way in which we categorize music. Whereas earlier ways of classifying music were based on its different functions, for the past two hundred years we have been obsessed with creativity and musical origins, and classify music along these lines. Matthew Gelbart argues that folk music and art music became meaningful concepts only in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, and only in relation to each other. He examines how cultural nationalism served as the earliest impetus in classifying music by origins, and how the notions of folk music and art music followed - in conjunction with changing conceptions of nature, and changing ideas about human creativity. Through tracing the history of these musical categories, the book confronts our assumptions about different kinds of music.

Beethoven in the Age of Schiller, Goethe, and Kant

Beethoven in the Age of Schiller, Goethe, and Kant PDF Author: Hans-Joachim Hinrichsen
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1666975990
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 305

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Book Description
Beethoven wrote music for times that were changing. His musical aesthetics played an active part in the exchange of thought that shaped the revolutionary culture of his lifetime. He put aesthetic expectations to the test, and we still hear his message today. In Beethoven in the Age of Schiller, Goethe, and Kant: Music for Modern Times, Hans-Joachim Hinrichsen explores twelve themes that reflect Beethoven’s compositional development and thought. The result is a fascinating new portrait of the composer and his music, and a panorama of the world of thought, norms, and values that he navigated. Here we discover insight into Beethoven’s use of literature, his aspirations for purely instrumental music, and how he transformed contemplation into aesthetic expression. We learn not only how his contemporaries misunderstood him, but also how those in the know did get his message. Was Beethoven philosophical and poetic? Are his last compositions a critique of pure music, are they transcendental? Hinrichsen argues that we must get beyond our stereotypes of Beethoven if we want to truly understand him.