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Book Review
Jun. 11th, 2013 10:27 pmBach's Cycle, Mozart's Arrow: An Essay on the Origins of Musical Modernity
by Karol Berger
This sophisticated book makes the argument that during the eighteenth century music's perception and expression of time moved form the cyclical and eternal to the linear and finite, and that this shift signaled the advent of musical modernity. Berger further argues that this musical shift was also part of a larger cultural shift in the way educated Europeans conceived of time, which was part of the change from a pre-modern Christian worldview to a modern, secular one. Berger uses pieces by Monteverdi, Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven to illustrate his points.
Despite the extremely scholarly and intellectual nature of this book's content, it was a pleasure to read. Berger's prose was always clear and elegant, and his arguments were persuasive. Best of all, his insights into the pieces he discusses were wonderful and thought-provoking - the kind of analyses that will make you listen to and play the music differently. I was particularly enchanted by his discussions of imaginative and contemplative digressions in Beethoven's piano sonatas. I also loved his discussions of how Bach evokes timelessness. And the discussions of narrative and character motion and stasis in Mozart's operas was fascinating. Placing all of this in the context of the religious, philosophical, political, and literary trends of the 18th century was masterful and tied everything together beautifully.
by Karol Berger
This sophisticated book makes the argument that during the eighteenth century music's perception and expression of time moved form the cyclical and eternal to the linear and finite, and that this shift signaled the advent of musical modernity. Berger further argues that this musical shift was also part of a larger cultural shift in the way educated Europeans conceived of time, which was part of the change from a pre-modern Christian worldview to a modern, secular one. Berger uses pieces by Monteverdi, Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven to illustrate his points.
Despite the extremely scholarly and intellectual nature of this book's content, it was a pleasure to read. Berger's prose was always clear and elegant, and his arguments were persuasive. Best of all, his insights into the pieces he discusses were wonderful and thought-provoking - the kind of analyses that will make you listen to and play the music differently. I was particularly enchanted by his discussions of imaginative and contemplative digressions in Beethoven's piano sonatas. I also loved his discussions of how Bach evokes timelessness. And the discussions of narrative and character motion and stasis in Mozart's operas was fascinating. Placing all of this in the context of the religious, philosophical, political, and literary trends of the 18th century was masterful and tied everything together beautifully.
