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Music as Philosophy: Adorno and Beethoven's Late Style (Musical Meaning and Interpretation)

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Author Michael Spitzer develops Adorno's terminology into an extraordinarily supple conceptual vocabulary for describing, analyzing, and interpreting Beethoven's profoundly ambiguous late works. Spitzer draws on seminal works by musicologists Charles Rosen, Mark Evan Bonds, and Karl Dahlhaus - largely following in their footsteps, but at turns respectfully disagreeing with them.

Using the famous line of Schleiermacher - "there can be no concept of a style" - as an epigram, Spitzer proceeds to discuss several sorts of styles:
Style 1: Convention; in Beethoven's case, the high classical style inherited from Haydn, Mozart, et al.
Style 2: The Individual - the idiomatic, idiosyncratic inflexions developed by an individual composer.
Style 3: Nature - an appeal not to a Neo-Pythagorean recidivism, but to rules of the psychological Gestalt.

Finally we come to "late" style: which is not so much a style in itself, but a meta-style; in Beethoven, the late style is exemplified by the interaction of many different styles, particularly the Baroque; the Gallant; High Classical; and Beethoven's own Heroic style. This late style is significantly related to the "Wechsel der Toene" aesthetics articulated by Holderlin for his own late style, and is treated as the embodiment of concepts inexpressible in mere language.

Spitzer applies his terminology in extremely close and detailed readings of Beethoven's late works; I as a pianist was most interested in his work on Opp. 109, 110, and 111, which I found to be helpful not only as a conceptual guide but as an analysis that directly informs interpretation.

Before reading this book:
While I would recommend some familiarity with Hegelian dialectics and basic philosophical terminology, a background in Adorno is not necessary to the study of this book; Spitzer clearly articulates the terminology and concepts he is taking over from Adorno. An extensive background in music theory, however, is absolutely necessary - familiarity with classical sonata forms, ability to analyze counterpoint, harmony, phrase length, etc. Familiarity with Beethoven's life is also a "must."

Along with this book:
While this book includes extensive musical examples, I would suggest perusing it along with a complete score of the sonatas Opp. 109, 110, and 111; the Missa Solemnis; and recordings of the late string quartets (Opp. 127, 130, 131, 135) and, of course, the Ninth Symphony.