Beethoven’s Kiss: Pianism, Perversion, and the Mastery of Desire

by Kevin Kopelson

In Beethoven's Kiss Kevin Kopelson, takes you on a journey through a unique literary style which is both scholarly and meditative. It interweaves the issues of gender, sexuality and erotic romanticism and presents them against the backdrop of romantic pianism. Exploring quasi-sexual myths of the nineteenth century, Beethoven's Kiss takes a long look at the origin and consequences of those myths.

212 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1996

Reviews

[richi valitutto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hits the liminal sweet spot between Maggie Nelson and Wayne Koestenbaum, perfectly aimed at my classically-trained-pianist phantasmic, nerdy mind (and heart). Although not without a number of sometimes obfuscating forays into critical/literary theory—not to mention quite a few pretentiously deployed, under-explained / -developed allusions and references—Kopelson’s book is a diverting yet thought-provoking read for anyone interested in professional and amateur cults of pianists and pianism, queer musicology, and post-structural critiques of both.

[Thomas Feng · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’m so endeared of this book, the spirit of it is so earnest and lively, and the writing about music is neither too dry and stilted nor too purple-prose-ish. i guess there were moments i glossed over (eg every long invocation of Barthes), and the chapter on music lessons (“the maiden piano teacher”) felt scattered and less resonant to me. but altogether i’ve not read a music book like this and, as one who doesn’t like much to read about music, i was really charmed. i think it’ll be useful later when i start writing my diss (etc.)