Beethoven and the Construction of Genius: Musical Politics in Vienna, 1792-1803
Editorial Reviews
Book Description
In this provocative account Tia DeNora reconceptualizes the notion of genius by placing the life and career of Ludwig van Beethoven in its social context. She explores the changing musical world of late eighteenth- century Vienna and follows the activities of the small circle of aristocratic patrons who paved the way for the composer's success. DeNora reconstructs the development of Beethoven's reputation as she recreates Vienna's robust musical scene through contemporary accounts, letters, magazines, and mythsa colorful picture of changing times. She explores the ways Beethoven was seen by his contemporaries and the image crafted by his supporters. Comparing Beethoven to contemporary rivals now largely forgotten, DeNora reveals a figure musically innovative and complex, as well as a keen self- promoter who adroitly managed his own celebrity. DeNora contends that the recognition Beethoven received was as much a social achievement as it was the result of his personal gifts. In contemplating the political and social implications of culture, DeNora casts many aspects of Beethoven's biography in a new and different light, enriching our understanding of his success as a performer and composer.
From the Back Cover
"It was high time that someone tried to explain more fully, and on the basis of the known documents, the course of Beethoven's meteoric rise to fame in Vienna at the end of the eighteenth century. . . . I would consider this cleverly written and authoritative book to be the most important about Beethoven in twenty-five years. No one considering the subject will be able to overlook DeNora's research." (H.C. Robbins Landon, author of Beethoven: His Life, Work, and World)
Beethoven and the Construction of Genius: Musical Politics in Vienna, 1792-1803
Beethoven and the Construction of Genius: Musical Politics in Vienna, 1792-1803,Tia Denora,University of California Press,University of California Press,0520088921,1770-1827,Appreciation,Austria,Beethoven, Ludwig van,,History & Criticism - By Composer,Music,Music Of The 18th Century,Philosophy and aesthetics,Pop Arts / Pop Culture,Reference,Social Aspects Of Music,Social aspects,Vienna,Beethoven, Ludwig van
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