German Music Criticism in the Late Eighteenth Century

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Focusing on late-eighteenth-century Germany, the book explores the lack of aesthetic theory to assess the rich instrumental music from composers like Haydn and Mozart. It develops a practical aesthetic theory based on an analysis of 1,300 music reviews from 1760 to 1798, highlighting interactions with contemporary literature and philosophy. The reviews reveal early interest in concepts such as genius, expressive power, and the importance of unity in music, suggesting these ideas emerged earlier than previously recognized.