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Stories of Symphonic Music

Note 13 — BEETHOVEN

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It is due to the casual reader to remark here that this somewhat Pecksniffian observation of Beethoven's has given rise to more confused and dogmatic philosophizing about the functions and limitations of musical art than time or mere reason can ever hope to overcome. If the bird-songs, the thunder-storm, and the rest of the naturalistic music-making in the "Pastoral" are not to be classed as musical "depiction" (Malerei is Beethoven's word), but are really only "expression of feeling" (Ausdruck der Empfindung), then must one resign one's self to the conclusion that there is actually no such thing as programme-music at all.

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