Synopses & Reviews
Review
"A key problem with the Ninth, Cook notes, is that we've heard it so often that we no longer truly hear it. This book is an antidote; by examining the difficulties the work has caused auditors right from its premiere, Cook undermines our facile familiarity." Bernard D. Sherman, Fanfare
Synopsis
Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is acknowledged as one of the supreme masterpieces of the Western tradition. More than any other musical work it has become an international symbol of unity and affirmation. Yet early critics rejected it as cryptic and eccentric, the product of a deaf and ageing composer.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 129-130) and index.
Table of Contents
1. Sketches and myths; 2. First impressions; 3. Performance and tradition; 4. The Romantic Ninth; 5. The twentieth-century Ninth; Conclusion: beyond interpretation?; Appendices.