Norman Reppingen wrote:

>>What you say reminds me about why Beethovens 9th is said to illustrate a
>>rape:
>
>I would be curious which person writes such a screaming bullshit.  He
>obviously knows nothing about Beethoven.

It's a woman and I give thanks every day that I don't remember her name.
She is, unfortunately considered worthy of recognition in some circles
and I have been told she was awarded a MacArthur "Genius" grant.

Walter Meyer

 [Susan McClary's "Feminine Endings" is the book in question.  You can
 read more about it at:

    http://www.gslis.utexas.edu/~jeffs/mcclary.html
    http://www.birdland.com.au/_usrarts/00000008.htm

 The first is a fairly objective article by Jeff Schwartz that
 discusses McClary's ideas somewhat positively.  The second is an
 article from a jazz newsletter by Gene Lees discussing McClary and the
 politicization of the MacArthur Foundation grants.  There were a number
 of good critical essays on the web, but I don't seemt o be able to find
 them at the moment.  Perhaps either the topic has ceased to generate
 interest, or, optimisticly, people have come to the conclusion that
 the empress has no brains.  Here's the most famous quote from the book
 concerning Beethoven's Symphony #9:

    "The point of recapitulation in the first movement of the Ninth is
    one of the most horrifying moments in music....which finally explodes
    in the throttling, murderous rage of a rapist..."

 -Dave]