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The Ninth

Beethoven and the World in 1824

Beethoven and the World in 1824

Beethoven and the World in 1824

By Harvey Sachs

By Harvey Sachs

By Harvey Sachs

By Harvey Sachs

By Harvey Sachs
Read by Patrick Egan

By Harvey Sachs
Read by Patrick Egan

Best Seller
Paperback $22.00

Nov 08, 2011 | ISBN 9780812969078

Ebook $10.99

Jun 15, 2010 | ISBN 9781588369819

Audiobook Download $20.00

Jun 15, 2010 | 567 Minutes

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    The Ninth by Harvey Sachs
    Paperback $22.00
    Nov 08, 2011 | ISBN 9780812969078

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    • $22.00

      Nov 08, 2011 | ISBN 9780812969078

      Buy from Other Retailers:

    • Jun 15, 2010 | ISBN 9781588369819

      Buy from Other Retailers:

    • Jun 15, 2010 | ISBN 9780307715692

      567 Minutes

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    About The Ninth

    The premier of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in Vienna 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. Described in vibrant detail by eminent musicologist Harvey Sachs, this symbol of freedom and joy was so unorthodox that it amazed and confused listeners at its unveiling—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 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.

    About The Ninth

    The premier of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in Vienna 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. Described in vibrant detail by eminent musicologist Harvey Sachs, this symbol of freedom and joy was so unorthodox that it amazed and confused listeners at its unveiling—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 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.

    About The Ninth

    “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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    About Harvey Sachs

    Harvey Sachs is a writer and music historian and the author or coauthor of eight previous books, of which there have been more than 50 editions in 15 languages. He has written for The New Yorker and many other publications, has been… More about Harvey Sachs

    About Harvey Sachs

    Harvey Sachs is a writer and music historian and the author or coauthor of eight previous books, of which there have been more than 50 editions in 15 languages. He has written for The New Yorker and many other publications, has been… More about Harvey Sachs

    About Harvey Sachs

    Harvey Sachs is a writer and music historian and the author or coauthor of eight previous books, of which there have been more than 50 editions in 15 languages. He has written for The New Yorker and many other publications, has been… More about Harvey Sachs

    Product Details

    Category: Arts & Entertainment Biographies & Memoirs | Music | European World History

    Paperback | $22.00
    Published by Random House Trade Paperbacks
    Nov 08, 2011 | 240 Pages | 5-3/16 x 8 | ISBN 9780812969078

    Category: Music | European World History

    Ebook | $10.99
    Published by Random House
    Jun 15, 2010 | 240 Pages | ISBN 9781588369819

    Category: Music | European World History | Audiobooks

    Audiobook Download | $20.00
    Published by Random House Audio
    Jun 15, 2010 | 567 Minutes | ISBN 9780307715692

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    Praise

    “All music lovers should run, not walk, to purchase The Ninth.”—San Francisco Chronicle

    “An inspiring examination of one of music’s supreme masterpieces.”—Pittsburgh Tribune Review

    “Insightful . . . Reading this book, you feel for the composer, trying to bond with others through an astonishing symphony.”—The New York Times

    “Sachs’ enthusiasm is infectious, his knowledge impressive.”—USA Today
     
    “A revelatory ride through a creative time and four symphonic movements.”—The Dallas Morning News
     
    “Will send readers to their CD players.”—The Washington Post

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