"A passionate, deeply felt and altogether personal account of
coming to Beethoven in middle age, after a lifetime's immersion in
other musical forms. They understand Beethoven's eternal wildness:
As well as we may think we know this composer, he constantly
surprises and reinvigorates us." -- Tim Page, Pulitzer
Prize-winning writer on classical music, Professor of Music and
Journalism at the University of Southern California
Finally, a Beethoven for our time. In "Journeys With Beethoven,"
Kerry Candaele and Greg Mitchell offer a unique and dynamic
exploration of the composer's musical, cultural and political
influence, around the world and in America, today. It's a new kind
of adventure story--and expanded in this new 2013 edition.
The two longtime rock 'n rollers-Candaele is a writer, musician
and filmmaker, Mitchell a journalist and author of twelve previous
books-discovered a shared passion for Beethoven later in life, and
in this book they probe this deep obsession. Candaele illuminates
trips for his new "Following the Ninth" documentary set in Chile,
China, Germany, Japan and London (with Billy Bragg), while
Mitchell, who is co-producer of the film, travels to famous U.S.
venues, screens dozens of films related to Beethoven. He also
interviews a leading pianist, Jeremy Denk, and trombonist Joseph
Alessi, and others.
Five years ago, Candaele set out on a world journey to film the
global impact-in freedom struggles, and in inspiring people in
their daily lives-of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. He ended up
traveling to twelve countries and four continents. His film has
drawn raves from The New York Times, Bill Moyers and "All Things
Considered," among others.
In China he discovered why a student leader played the Ninth
over a loudspeaker as the troops moved in to Tiananmen Square. In
England, the folk/punk singer, Billy Bragg, talked about writing a
new libretto for the Ninth in English. Candaele was there when his
version was performed before the Queen. In Japan, the Ninth is
performed hundreds of times each December, sometimes with 5000 or
10,000 singers in the chorus, intent on transmitting a message of
solidarity between all people. And in a new chapter for this
edition, he tells the story of how a young East German woman--and
famed conductor Leonard Bernstein--marked the falling of the Berlin
Wall, aided by Beethoven. As "Journeys With Beethoven" reveals, the
Ninth turns worlds inside out and upside down.
In Part II of the book, Greg Mitchell-who as senior editor at
the legendary Crawdaddy magazine helped create the first major
article about Bruce Springsteen-describes his own journey to
Beethoven and his pursuit of all things Ludwig during the past
several years via CDs, films, books, lectures, and what he calls
the "new LvB delivery systems" music downloads, YouTube videos,
blogs, Web forums, Twitter feeds.
He also takes us to some of the dozens of recent concerts he's
attended throughout the northeast United States and in London. He
poses questions to experts such as Beethoven biographer Edmund
Morris and author Tim Page, besides his very revealing interviews
with Denk and Alessi. We learn how Beethoven changed the lives of
famous writers and musicians, from William F. Buckley to Leonard
Bernstein. Mitchell (who writes the popular new blog, Roll Over,
Beethoven) even provides a guide to Beethoven films, from the
silent era to "A Clockwork Orange" and "Immortal Beloved."
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