Customer Reviews

Symphonies Nos. 8 and 9 in Full Score (Dover Music Scores)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Like the other two books in Dover's Beethoven Symphonies set, the score to the Eighth and Ninth are wonderful. The print is large and very readable. The best part is the low price. This is a must for the starving (music) student, teachers, listeners, and professionals alike. I highly reccommend it.

As has been mentioned by other reviewers, this item is cheap, more-or-less convenient to look at size-wise, and durable. If you're casually following the score to Beethoven's last two symphonies, particularly the 8th where there are fewer editorial issues, then it'll do OK. But know that there are plenty of annoyances and errors here, especially in the 9th Symphony. The second bassoon doubling of the basses during the second orchestral pass of the finale's main theme is missing. Instruments aren't identified on every score page, measure numbers are omitted, and archaic soprano clefs (instead of treble clefs) are used for the choral and solo soprano parts. Of course the instrument names, etc., appear in German only, since this is a cheap reprint of a Public Domain 19th Century German edition.

Still, if you can't afford big bucks for something like the recent Del Mar "urtext" edition, this edition will do...

These scores (as well as those of the other symphonies) are worth having. Serious students of music can take invaluable lessons from Beethoven's knowledge of counterpoint, orchestration, dynamics, melody, harmony, notation, and form. Additionally these are great listening aids, pointing out "Nebenstimmen" ("secondary voices") that might not be noticed at first listen. This way one can learn to enjoy Beethoven (and other music) as many melodies intertwining into a larger fabric.

These Dover score editions are best known for their low prices. For the Beethoven symphonies, these are pretty much just reproductions of the 1865 Litolff edition, which contains numerous mistakes that were corrected in later, better editions. The 9x12 format is good for the full score format, making it easy to view all the orchestral parts at the same time. The note heads are big enough to be clearly legible.

Knowing the deficiency of the source edition, my major complaint is there are no measure numbers so it's a big inconvenience for anyone wishing to study specific points in the score.

BTW, all these are available for free download as PDF on [...]. But for me, having these in a book format beats having to print out page after page of PDF which gets messy.

If Beethoven's Ninth symphony is acknowledged as one of the supreme achievements of the musical arts and had an almost immeasurable impact on the 19th century, his eight symphony is far too lightly regarded. You can examine these two works in this very nice edition of the works. As you listen to the eight you will notice all the subtle rhythmic devices Beethoven provides to work his magic. You will also find the Ninth a wonderful adventure. How are those mountains of sound built in the first movement out of nothing? How are the voices set in the last? What about those crashing tympani in the second?

I appreciate the Dover edition of these works because the large format makes for easier reading and provides room for making notes while you are studying. For example, you might want to make something special or unique to one recording so that when you listen to another you can compare the two.

And if you don't read music very well, these symphonies are a good place to start. You can listen to the music and what the shapes go by. And eventually you will get used to the link between the sound and what you see. These scores are not as dense as, say Mahler or Strauss or works with huge orchestras. So, the classics make a great way to get into the pool, so to speak. Honestly, even if you can't read the notes, you will notice things after a few listenings that you had not heard before because you see the `shape' in the score.

The Dover editions are also very durable and will last for many years of use. These editions are nice and clear and easy on the eyes because the contrast between the dark ink and light paper is very good, but not blinding.

Recommended. Expand your horizons!

This accessible and comprehensive edition of Beethoven's late symphonies is trusted by professional and student conductors as well as orchestral players interested in seeing the ways in which their parts fit into the whole.

Easy-to-read, clear printing with helpful (never overwhelming) notes on discrepancies within the music, choral text for the Ninth Symphony.

Like all Dover scores, these are in general excellent and very good value. However, the Ninth Symphony's vocal parts are notated using tenor, alto and soprano clefs (this is a reproduction of an edition published some time in the nineteenth century), so if like me you're not fluent at reading these somewhat antiquated clefs you're going to have problems with the last movement of the Ninth.

In response to the reviewer above, I find the comment absurd. These clefs are neither 'antiquated' nor are they 'obsolete'.

These are the standard musical clefs in use today whenever the musical notes are extended far above the standard 5 bar staff. To save the musicians eyes, and nerves, rather than have the notes printed with an unending series of bar marks underneath them so that they no longer become readable, the composer uses the shorthand method of moving the notations downward in an easily learned symbol of clefs that make reading music easy and fun for the player, but have no effect on which notes are to be played.

I say keep up with the clefs. It makes life easier. For the above reviewer -- go back to class and study up on musical clef signs. I much perfer them over the alternative.

Beethoven's 8th symphony is one of his most underrated works. In this symphony by looking at the score, we see a mature master at work. It is a very good reproduction of the original score. How about his ninth!?! Considered by many to be his best symphony, the score to his Ode to Joy masterpiece is amazing. Any student, amature or professional will greatley benfit from this score. Even the novice who knows basic music will love this score. His ninth is unparralled, so why not buy it?