# Of 8th and 9ths



## tempo (Nov 8, 2012)

Despite being often overlooked/less famous, Beethoven's 8th Symphony seems curiously well-loved among serious classical music buffs.

Meanwhile, many such buffs are ambivalent about the far more famous and celebrated 9th.

Why is this?


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## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

tempo said:


> Despite being often overlooked/less famous, Beethoven's 8th Symphony seems curiously well-loved among serious classical music buffs.
> 
> Meanwhile, many such buffs are ambivalent about the far more famous and celebrated 9th.
> 
> Why is this?


Because Beethoven himself liked the eighth, and no one wants to disagree with the maestro? 

As I grow older, I care less and less for any of Beethoven's symphonies except the first two, but I suspect I am very much in the minority there.


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## tempo (Nov 8, 2012)

I like the 8th - I like it a lot - but it does surprise me that people could seriously rate it higher than works like the 3rd, 6th, or 9th.

It seems to be quite ''fashionable'' to dislike Beethoven's most famous works, and even Beethoven in general.


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## Ramako (Apr 28, 2012)

tempo said:


> Despite being often overlooked/less famous, Beethoven's 8th Symphony seems curiously well-loved among serious classical music buffs.
> 
> Meanwhile, many such buffs are ambivalent about the far more famous and celebrated 9th.
> 
> Why is this?


http://www.talkclassical.com/516-best-beethoven-symphonies-2.html


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## tempo (Nov 8, 2012)

I'll be honest, I think the 9th truly is the greatest symphony ever written.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

I can do without either, certainly the 9th (the 6th makes my top 10 though).


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

As it is among the shortest of his symphonies, I have more copies of the 8th used as CD filler. I probably like it less for this reason alone, though it is a fairly upbeat piece. I am certainly not ashamed for liking Beethoven and the 9th in particular. I enjoy a lot of really obscure stuff too, so I have nothing to prove to anyone about my tastes.


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## tempo (Nov 8, 2012)

The 6th seems to be the populist choice, with ''connoisseurs'' often favouring the 3rd and 8th.

For me, it's the 9th every time.


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## ahammel (Oct 10, 2012)

tempo said:


> Despite being often overlooked/less famous, Beethoven's 8th Symphony seems curiously well-loved among serious classical music buffs.
> 
> Meanwhile, many such buffs are ambivalent about the far more famous and celebrated 9th.
> 
> Why is this?


In which I am a "serious classical music buff" 

The 8th is my favourite of Beethoven's symphonies because, for me, it is the strongest from start to finish, and it best showcases the qualities that I like in Ludwig (strength of structure, inventiveness, humor) without those I could do without (angstiness, over-fondness of sfortzando markings).

By contrast, the finale of the 3rd sounds out of place to me. The finale of the 9th is a catchy enough tune, but I find it doesn't excite me the way it did ten years ago.

As for people who seem not to like Beethoven _at all_, I suspect that they're either cultivating a Gouldian reputation for eccentricity or they simply _seem_ like they don't like him next to LvB's hard core of fans, some of whom seem to worship him as a minor diety.


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

I don't like the 9th, but then I'm not a huge fan of Beethoven's orchestral music in general.


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## starry (Jun 2, 2009)

ahammel said:


> The 8th is my favourite of Beethoven's symphonies because, for me, it is the strongest from start to finish


I don't like the last movement as much as the rest.


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## ahammel (Oct 10, 2012)

starry said:


> I don't like the last movement as much as the rest.


Fair enough. It's the funniest of the four, though.

Learn to write finales, Ludwig!


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## Selby (Nov 17, 2012)

Crudblud said:


> I don't like the 9th, but then I'm not a huge fan of Beethoven's orchestral music in general.


I am on this boat. With the exception of his Mass in C and Missa Solemnis I don't enjoy Beethoven's orchestral music much. The violin concerto will get a very occassional listen.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

ahammel said:


> Learn to write finales, Ludwig!


I'd be happy just with codas or big finishes that don't pound it into me with a sledge hammer. I think we get the idea already it's ending. Beethoven used The Big Finish nearly two centuries before rock bands did it. Others did too, but Beethoven took it to extremes to my ears. Maybe he wanted to wake people up so they would applaud.


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## starry (Jun 2, 2009)

The 6th is maybe my favourite finale in a symphony by him. I like the 1st too, the 7th is maybe next for me.


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

tempo said:


> The 6th seems to be the populist choice, with ''connoisseurs'' often favouring the 3rd and 8th.


TC's own list would seem to contradict this view.

http://www.talkclassical.com/12443-tc-150-most-recommended.html


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

tempo said:


> Despite being often overlooked/less famous, Beethoven's 8th Symphony seems curiously well-loved among serious classical music buffs.
> 
> Meanwhile, many such buffs are ambivalent about the far more famous and celebrated 9th.
> 
> Why is this?


Because the 9th is bigger,longer and more complicated.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Weston said:


> I'd be happy just with codas or big finishes that don't pound it into me with a sledge hammer. I think we get the idea already it's ending. Beethoven used The Big Finish nearly two centuries before rock bands did it. Others did too, but Beethoven took it to extremes to my ears. Maybe he wanted to wake people up so they would applaud.


The more pounding and hammering the better !!


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## Guest (May 5, 2013)

tempo said:


> Despite being often overlooked/less famous, Beethoven's 8th Symphony seems curiously well-loved among serious classical music buffs.
> 
> Meanwhile, many such buffs are ambivalent about the far more famous and celebrated 9th.
> 
> Why is this?


Could it be that the 8th has no famous movement, so is easy to overlook if you're non-serious and likely only to listen to parts of symphonies?


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

moody said:


> The more pounding and hammering the better !!


Hear hear! I repeat -- the closing of Beethoven's 5th is too short!


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