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A Celebration of Beauty, an Invitation to the Great Composers
This extraordinary volume presents Dietrich von Hildebrand in a mode unlike any of his other published works-neither philosophy nor theology, neither biography nor personal appreciation, these essays achieve something rarer: to capture the true spirit of the music itself.
Hildebrand approaches the great composers with loving openness-the only stance, he argues, through which beauty fully reveals itself. He shows us Mozart's radiant happiness, Beethoven's victorious joy, and Schubert's mysterious power, not through analysis but through reverent attention. The result is a book of profound insight and joyful discovery, speaking with equal power to new listeners and seasoned musicians alike.
The Music, Not the Man
Hildebrand dismantles a stubborn misconception: that understanding a composer's life unlocks their work's meaning. If Mozart's sublime music were merely self-expression, he observes, Mozart himself would have to be a saint-which he decidedly was not. The transcendent power of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis cannot be explained by his mental state, nor can Schubert's luminous C Major Quintet be reduced to his failing health. These masterpieces possess their own inner reality, speaking truths that transcend their creators' circumstances.
The First Complete Translation, with Essential New Material
Beyond the core essays on Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert, this new English edition includes treasures never before gathered in one volume: selections from Hildebrand's unfinished writings on Wagner's operas (which Hildebrand believed were profoundly misunderstood), and his illuminating discussion of Bach and sacred music from his Aesthetics. Each addition deepens our understanding of how music carries meaning beyond biography or technique.
Masterfully translated by John Henry Crosby, founder of the Hildebrand Project, with a foreword by renowned conductor Manfred Honeck.
For lovers of beauty seeking a deeper encounter with these immortal works of music, for first-time listeners and lifelong musicians alike-this book speaks to anyone who believes beauty still has secrets to reveal.
