Musical Meaning in Beethoven: Markedness, Correlation and Interpretation.

Musical Meaning in Beethoven: Markedness, Correlation and Interpretation, by Robert S. Hatten. Indiana University Press (601 N. Morton St., Bloomington, IN 47404), 2004. 341 pp. $24.95.

Robert S. Hatten's Musical Meaning in Beethoven is rich in content for those who are familiar with Beethoven's varied works and enjoy an analysis of them. To fully appreciate the in-depth, detailed interpretation of the works presented, the reader must be able to take music theory to its fullest and apply it to the meaning behind the notes, which is what Hatten has done. Hatten is well-versed in analytical tools and applies music theory to Beethoven quite well. It is clear the author is examining Beethoven's compositions to discover how and why certain melodies or harmonic structures create expressions perceived by the listener. Throughout the book Hatten looks for meaning in terms of contrast and discourse and compares works he classifies into either "formal" or "expressive" compositions.

The book seems to be directed at academicians, researchers, musicians and conductors who would be performing a particular Beethoven work and seeking to understand the expressive elements in greater detail. Because the language is extremely academic, it is best used as a research tool rather than a cover-to-cover read.

It seems Hatten's intent is to help musicians become more aware of the incredible amount of expression in Beethoven's compositions. He uses analytical techniques to explain his reasoning and, although it takes time to fully absorb the information, it certainly provides food for thought.

When reading the book, it is helpful to hear the music being discussed and apply Hatten's comments to not only the theoretical analysis, but also to what one hears. To apply the information presented, one must take the time to read Hatten's words, apply the information to the score--some of which is provided in the book--and then listen more than once to the passages, or better yet, the entire work being discussed. Since this process takes time, reading the book becomes quite tedious. However, if one chooses to study one composition at a time, rather than read the book in its entirety, it certainly raises awareness about the relationship of compositional techniques and expressive elements.

Although the information is quite valuable and provocative, the academic writing style makes the reading more of a challenge than an opportunity for Hatten to truly communicate with his readers. Reviewed by Barbara Liebhaber, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.