The nine symphonies of Beethoven / Antony Hopkins.
| Author/creator | Hopkins, Antony |
| Format | Book |
| Publication Info | Brookfield, VT : Scolar Press, 1996. |
| Description | vi, 290 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm |
| Subjects |
| Contents | Preface -- Beethoven's inheritance -- Symphony no. 1 in C, op. 21 -- Interlude: a private despair -- Symphony no. 2 in D, op. 36 -- Interlude: liberté, égalité, fraternité -- Symphony no. 3 in E♭, op. 55 -- Symphony no. 4 in B♭, op. 60 -- Symphony no. 5 in C Minor, op. 67 -- Interlude: love and nature -- Symphony no. 6 in F Major, op. 68 -- Interlude: the creative daemon -- Symphony no. 7 in A Major, op. 92 -- Symphony no. 8 in F Major, op. 93 -- Symphony no. 9 in D Minor, op. 125 -- Epilogue. |
| Abstract | Beethoven's symphonies--pinnacles of music as Shakespeare's plays are pinnacles of drama--demand a fresh interpretation in every age. It is the author's achievement--based on many years' musical experience, study, broadcasting and writing--that he provides for the present generation of music-lovers a thoroughly illuminating guide to the nine symphonies. Always keeping close to the score and using numerous music examples to illustrate his movement by movement study of each symphony, he establishes intriguing relationships between symphonies usually regarded as very different in character, and traces in detail the processes by which Beethoven brought these great works into being. Concentration on the score, however, does not prevent him from ranging widely over Beethoven's tempestuous life, and a fascinating picture emerges. We learn much about his manic-depressive tendencies; his ambivalence over Napoleon, the aristocracy, and women; and his gaucheness and irascibility as his deafness increased. We are shown too how he was the first great Romantic composer, straining forward musically with the revolutionary movement of his age, even though a strongly conservative strain in his character often caused him to look back to his predecessors. This is a serious study, in its depth and thoroughness, but it is never solemn. The author finds many instance of wit and humour in the music or circumstances that attended its composition or original performance. He even speculates entertainingly on the possibility that Beethoven intended the final movement of the Ninth to be not only sung but danced as well! |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (page 286) and index. |
| Original version | Reprint. Originally published: London : Heinemann ; Seattle : University of Washington Press, 1981. |
| LCCN | 96024730 |
| ISBN | 1859282466 (cloth) |
| ISBN | 9781859282465 (cloth) |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music | Music Stacks | ML410.B42 H67 1996 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |