Beethoven Symphonies Revisited: Performance, Expression and Impact

Beethoven Symphonies Revisited is a guide that explores the movements of Beethoven's symphonies, discussing their unique features, stylistic advancements, and musical innovations. It provides detailed descriptive analyses of all nine symphonies, focusing on performance practice of the time, wind instruments, counterpoint, and instrumentation. The book offers new evaluations for each symphony and is valuable for conductors, music students, concert goers, and music lovers alike.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 20 January 2021
Publisher: Sussex Academic Press

Beethoven Symphonies Revisited is a comprehensive guide that captivates readers of all backgrounds, whether they are music students, concertgoers, or enthusiasts of classical music. It takes a fresh and engaging approach to exploring the movements of Beethoven's symphonies, reigniting the excitement and novelty that must have been felt during their initial performances. The book delves into stylistic discussions, focusing on the unique characteristics of each symphony while placing them within the context of Beethoven's musical development and the circumstances of his time. It explores Beethoven's musical innovations and evaluates his significant contribution to the genre. Thirty author-annotated musical pages provide detailed explanations and exemplify essential building blocks such as key, tonality, metre, rhythm, and instrumentation. The authors' primary objective is to bring together significant research findings while offering comprehensive descriptive analyses of all nine symphonies. This approach emphasizes the symphonies in the context of performance practice during Beethoven's era, including the importance of wind instruments, kettle drums, counterpoint, and the influence of his strict training in species counterpoint. New evaluations are offered for the Second, Eighth, and Ninth symphonies, providing fresh perspectives on these renowned works. Beethoven Symphonies Revisited offers a multi-faceted approach that is invaluable to conductors, music students, concertgoers, and music lovers alike. It provides insights into the musical intricacies developed and enhanced by Beethoven's symphonic journey, enriching their appreciation of these timeless masterpieces. The book is accompanied by 30 annotated musical score pages, featuring 99 examples linked to text explanations, autographed manuscripts, performance venues, and instruments of the period.

Weight: 522g
Dimension: 162 x 240 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781789760804