Beethoven’s Kiss: Pianism, Perversion, and the Mastery of Desire

by Kevin Kopelson

A vivid (and startling) example of the "new musicology," this book is an interdisciplinary study of romantic pianism in relation to gender and sexuality. Discussing erotic anxieties of musical amateurs, sexual myths concerning child prodigies, prurient interests in virtuosos, castrating figurations of "maiden" piano teachers, and the phenomenon of Liberace, the author underscores the extent to which the piano resonates with homosexuality and mortality.

214 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1996

Reviews

[richi valitutto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hits the liminal sweet spot between Maggie Nelson and Wayne Koestenbaum, perfectly aimed at my classically-trained-pianist phantasmic, nerdy mind (and heart). Although not without a number of sometimes obfuscating forays into critical/literary theory—not to mention quite a few pretentiously deployed, under-explained / -developed allusions and references—Kopelson’s book is a diverting yet thought-provoking read for anyone interested in professional and amateur cults of pianists and pianism, queer musicology, and post-structural critiques of both.

[Thomas Feng · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’m so endeared of this book, the spirit of it is so earnest and lively, and the writing about music is neither too dry and stilted nor too purple-prose-ish. i guess there were moments i glossed over (eg every long invocation of Barthes), and the chapter on music lessons (“the maiden piano teacher”) felt scattered and less resonant to me. but altogether i’ve not read a music book like this and, as one who doesn’t like much to read about music, i was really charmed. i think it’ll be useful later when i start writing my diss (etc.)