Beethoven: The Ninth Symphony (Monuments of Western Music Series) [Hardcover]

David Benjamin Levy (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 002871363X | ISBN-13: 978-0028713632 | Publication Date: May 3, 1995 | Edition: 1

This comprehensive guide to the Ninth Symphony offers insight into more than just the composition and structure of Beethoven's monumental work. It explores the controversial realm of period instruments and performance techniques, and challenges old assumptions about the sound and meaning of the music. Levy surveys and distils the latest research on the Ninth Symphony - material inaccessible to most general readers - and sets forth the elements that give this composition its pre-eminence as a symphony and the artistic choices that make it a monument of Western music. Levy begins in the present with the recent performances and interpretations on the Ninth. He then moves back in time to Beethoven's day to chart the progress that led the composer to produce, over a ten year period, the finished manuscript in 1824. The heart of the book is a clear, concise examination of the music itself. Through musical examples and analytical charts, Levy illuminates the inner workings of the Ninth for scholars and devotees alike. He shows how the Ninth cast its long shadow on the 19th century, and explains why this work continues to move and inspire audiences today.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Levy operates from many perspectives - social, cultural, historical, and theoretical... his scholarship is formidable and absolutely current." B. J. Murray, Choice --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

Yale Music Masterworks Series --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 226 pages
• Publisher: Schirmer; 1 edition (May 3, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 002871363X
• ISBN-13: 978-0028713632
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,212,157 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ode to joy, March 23, 2004

By 

George Tsouris (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beethoven: The Ninth Symphony (Revised Edition) (Paperback)

i have a completely new level of understanding regarding this tremendous work of music. i appreciate that the author not only works through the musical elements of the work, but also different music appreciation elements as well; he analyses different critical judgements given about the work. furthermore, the complete poem is translated into english (which i should have expected, but didnt). my favorite line of the book is: "Only the most cynical of listeners can walk away from a performance of the ninth symphony without sensing that all could be well with the world, if only the world wished it so" (pp. 8)

1 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars disapointed, November 14, 2010

By 

leonardo - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Beethoven: The Ninth Symphony (Revised Edition) (Paperback)

I do not like this book because it is written for those that can read music and have at least some understanding of compositional theroy. Mr. Levy's disection of the four movements are very technical, very dry, and not meant for the layman. My 2 stars then are given as a layman. The biggest problem is just over half of the books 226 pages are simply a measure by measure breakdown of each movement. To me it seems like stating the obvious, espically if one can read music. The later chapters do however provide accounts of the first performance and the symphony's legacy. If I had known of the technical aspect of the book I would have passed. I guess the insight into the composer I seek might better be found in a biography.