The Symphony in Beethoven's Vienna

by David Wyn Jones

An original study of the history of the symphony in Vienna during Beethoven's lifetime, this 2006 book explores the context in which the composer worked. Based on an extensive study of the wider symphonic repertoire of the period and of the characteristics of musical life that shaped the changing fortunes of the genre, from manuscript and printed dissemination to concert life, David Wyn Jones provides a multi-faceted account of the development of the symphony in one of the most crucial periods in its history. The volume offers a wide perspective on musical development in the period, and will be of interest to musicologists and cultural historians. As well as dealing with unfamiliar works by Czerny, Eberl, Krommer, Reicha, Anton Wranitzky, Paul Wranitzky and others, it charts the changing reception of the symphonies of Haydn and Mozart, and offers insights into the symphonic careers of Beethoven and Schubert.

244 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2006

Reviews

[Thomas Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

While some of this book was quite technical (e.g. actual musical scores as figures, and discussion using musical terms and keys that I didn't have the background to understand), I actually found this book very interesting. I've been fascinated by the idea of the kind of culture that created Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert in quick succession, and this book gave me some clues as to what was going on. I discovered that these geniuses didn't just waft down from a cloud somewhere, that they emerged within a social context that included music publishers, noble patrons (who had their own ups and downs), church figures (who became liberal or conservative according to the times), concert presentations (that did or did not come to fruition), and the vagaries of history (e.g. the Napoleonic Wars had both positive and negative impact on these Fab Four, such as forcing Haydn to go to London to create his marvelous later symphonies). I was surprised to hear that the symphony as a form underwent a decline in the latter part of the 1790's and early nineteenth century in Vienna due to downsizing, changing musical tastes, an upsurge in the Harmonie (wind and brass instrumental ensembles), and other factors. Beethoven comes out looking like a shrewd bargainer in terms of getting his works published and performed, but also fits the image of the musical titan who in a sense kind of fixed the symphony into iconic status after the earlier decline.