Theodore Albrecht is an award-winning Beethoven scholar and Professor Emeritus of Music at Kent State University, Ohio. His extraordinarily detailed and lucid new book, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony: Rehearsing and Performing its 1824 Premiere, is an ambitious exploration of an often-overlooked aspect of classical music history – the rehearsals and preparations behind Beethoven’s choral and symphonic masterpiece. 

Throughout, Albrecht draws on Beethoven’s conversation books (which are also being translated and published in English for the first time by Boydell Press, in 12 volumes), correspondence and various archival materials to reconstruct the events surrounding the symphony’s first two performances on 7 May and 23 May, 1824. In doing so, he presents an insightful glimpse into the social, logistical and artistic processes involved in bringing this monumental work to life.

The chief strength of Albrecht’s book lies in its meticulous examination of the day-to-day challenges of organising the performances. It provides a detailed look at the practical aspects, such as securing performance venues, negotiating musician payments and the laborious copying of scores and parts for over 120 performers. Albrecht paints a compelling picture of the coordination involved, helping readers understand the practical hurdles Beethoven faced on the path...