MUS- M 402 1st EditionLecture 9Outline of Last Lecture I. Redefining the Classical AestheticII. Beethoven’s Style of CompositionOutline of Current Lecture I. Beethoven’s “Narratives” II. The Beethovenian StyleCurrent LectureI. Beethoven’s “Narratives” a. Throughout the course of time, musicologists and fans of Beethoven’s music havebeen very eager to attach stories and narratives to Beethoven’s works. i. Beethoven’s “Heroic” Compositional Style later in life lends itself to this extremely well. ii. With the possible exception of a few of Beethoven’s works, however, a large part of Beethoven’s repertoire was not actually composed with a particular narrative in mind. 1. All stories or narratives are interpretations that have been superimposed onto the true music he wrote. iii. Absolute music- music means itself. 1. Beethoven believed in absolute music. He believed that music is simply a function of its own internal form and the arrangements of notes on a page. II. The Beethovenian Stylea. Beethovenian- the compositional technique and style in which Beethoven takes existing, widely-understood aspects of form and style and monumentalizes them.i. Gives them an identity.ii. Puts them in conflict with one another.iii. Heightens contrast and tension between them.iv. Conspicuously resolves that tension.b. Adam Smith, in talking about Beethovenian instrumental music, was quoted saying that it “presents an object so agreeable, so great, so various, and so interesting that alone, and without suggesting anything otherwise, it can occupy, as if it were to full up completely the whole capacity of the mind…”c. Teleological genesis- the music has a goal and is pulling towards it. i. Beethoven also uses this compositional technique very often in his later works. 1. Ex. The opening ambiguity of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D
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