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]