Vienna's Golden Years of Music, 1850-1900

by Eduard Hanslick, Henry Pleasants

A selection of 19th-century critical writings by the influential and vocal Austrian music critic Eduard Hanslick, most translated and published for the first time in English by critic and historian Henry Pleasants.

341 pages

First published January 1, 1950

About the author

Bohemian-Austrian music critic

Reviews

[Evan]

I have a nice hardcover of this long out-of-print item in my collection and noticed that Goodreads did not have it in its database (nor did the links to Amazon) so I've added it here. This is my basic description of its contents: Translator, music critic and historian Henry Pleasants presents selected critical pieces never before (or since) published in English, originally written in the mid- to- late-19th century by Austrian music critic Eduard Hanslick. Hanslick was a classicist who admired Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann and Brahms and despised what he thought were the meandering modernisms of "programmatical" composers such as Wagner, Liszt and Bruckner. The book is composed of both negative and positive reviews to present a balanced look at Hanslick's career and critical sensibilities.
I've only so far read the introduction, and already I'm finding myself more open to Hanslick's point of view, no mean feat as the man has been demonized fairly well by posterity, which derides him in deference to the gargantuan art and enduring legacies of Wagner and Bruckner in particular. Of course, I adore their music, and always thought that Hanslick must have been a leaden, stick-in-the-mud, behind-the-times fuddy duddy philistine for opposing the "new" in music. But I find that in some ways I agree with some of his critical points, particularly that music should not have (or doesn't need) programmatical associations. I can sympathize with his view of classical structure, but I do find that dogmatic and limiting. But anyway it's fascinating to read about first impressions of works, especially the symphonies of Brahms, which were having their first hearings when these reviews were published. It's interesting to see how Hanslick's fresh reviews both hit the nail on the head and miss the mark in equal measure. There are some generalizations and ambiguity in some of his writings that would not pass critical muster today. He thought Wagner's music was made up of nothing but "superlatives," which oddly seems like a backhanded compliment if you think about it. Wagner and Hanslick detested one another, and each shows up venomously in the respective writings of each. In one of Wagner's operas (Lohengrin or Meistersinger, not sure which), Hanslick (by another name) takes the form of an idiotic critic caricature. Wagner the anti-Semite was quick to brush anyone who disagreed with him or his art as representing the "Jewish strain," or some such, in art, and painted Hanslick in the same terms even though the latter was Catholic. Anyway, I've only started reading this and have to admit that I have more sympathy for Hanslick and his views, however much I may disagree with many of them.
It's no accident that Hanslick's translator is Henry Pleasants, both men seemed self aware of their role as critical martyrs of their respective centuries. Hanslick's condemnation of the 19th century's "music of the future" is mirrored by Pleasants' own criticism of 20th century atonalism, serialism and such in his own time (see his other OOP book, The Agony of Modern Music). One kindred spirit to another...

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one except me will ever read this book, written by the most incredibly erudite, snarky German critic who ever was. Review: pointless!!

Everyone in this beguiling tome is dead. Dead, I say! Spoilers!