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The Ninth: Beethoven and the World in 1824 |  | Author: Harvey Sachs
Publisher: Random House
Category: Book
List Price: $26.00
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Seller: pbshop
Rating:  17 reviews
Sales Rank: 13030
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 240
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.1
ISBN: 140006077X
Dewey Decimal Number: 784.2184
EAN: 9781400060771
ASIN: 140006077X
Publication Date: June 15, 2010
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
“All men become brothers . . .
Be embraced, ye millions!”
The Ninth Symphony, a symbol of freedom and joy, was Beethoven’s mightiest attempt to help humanity find its way from darkness to light, from chaos to peace. Yet the work was born in a repressive era, with terrified Bourbons, Hapsburgs, and Romanovs using every means at their disposal to squelch populist rumblings in the wake of the French Revolution and Napoleon’s wars. Ironically, the premiere of this hymn to universal brotherhood took place in Vienna, the capital of a nation that Metternich was turning into the first modern police state.
The Ninth’s unveiling, on May 7, 1824, was the most significant artistic event of the year, and the work remains one of the most precedent-shattering and influential compositions in the history of music—a reference point and inspiration that resonates even today. But in The Ninth, eminent music historian Harvey Sachs demonstrates that Beethoven was not alone in his discontent with the state of the world. Lord Byron died in 1824 during an attempt to free Greece from the domination of the Ottoman empire; Delacroix painted a masterpiece in support of that same cause; Pushkin, suffering at the hands of an autocratic czar, began to draft his anti-authoritarian play Boris Godunov; and Stendhal and Heine wrote works that mocked conventional ways of thinking.
The Ninth Symphony was so unorthodox that it amazed and confused listeners at its premiere—described by Sachs in vibrant detail—yet it became a standard for subsequent generations of creative artists, and its composer came to embody the Romantic cult of genius. In this unconventional, provocative new book, Beethoven’s masterwork becomes a prism through which we may view the politics, aesthetics, and overall climate of the era.
Part biography, part history, part memoir, The Ninth brilliantly explores the intricacies of Beethoven’s last symphony—how it brought forth the power of the individual while celebrating the collective spirit of humanity.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 17
 The Ninth: An Epic Tale of an Epic Piece September 3, 2010
Alex Veeneman (Chicago, USA)
Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is one of the best pieces of classical music. Harvey Sachs has been able to tell that story brilliantly and how the world was impacted by that one piece. I truly recommend it for any classical music fan or someone eager to learn more about Beethoven.
Bravo Mr. Sachs!
 Just a potboiler August 28, 2010
E. L. Schrems (Norman, OK United States)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
My Kindle says I'm about 45% of the way through this book and I'm quitting. Tons and tons of filler and padding having only the loosest connection to Beethoven, his Ninth, Germany/Austria, or music. A huge disappointment.
 Only for certain tastes in music journalism August 22, 2010
Rick Asher (Shoreline, WA, US)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Sachs is a skilled writer and his passion for the Ninth Symphony is indisputable. The sections of the book that describe the first performance of the symphony and give cultural/historical perspectives on the era were interesting. For my taste, the sections in which Sachs rhapsodically shared his interpretations of the meaning and musical intentions of Beethoven's masterpiece were mostly sophomoric, though I suspect that others may find them useful.
stinks August 20, 2010
jhdflyer
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
A really tough read. Very esoteric material, not for the general reader. I got half way through the book and still little or nothing about the 9th, so I dumped the book. Probably good if one was doing a research paper on the early 1800's.
Fascinating look at the Western World and Romanticism August 19, 2010
Susan Haugland (North Shore, Chicago area)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I learned so much that I didn't know about the world in which Beethoven lived. It's a fascinating read - highly recommend.
Susan L. Haugland
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 17
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