Sinfonia Eroica: The First Great Romantic Symphony by James Hamilton-Paterson (review)

On first picking up the small volume, Hamilton-Paterson's text on the third of Beethoven's nine symphonies, the reader is seduced by the quality of the production. The binding is solid, with a nicely produced dust jacket, lending a coffee-table feel to a book that promises to 'reconstruct this great moment in Western culture, the shock of the music and the symphony's long after life'. The writing is indeed as indulgent as the cover suggests it will be, with a very literate and well-researched body of text. Part history book, part biography, one assumes that this is aimed at the 'mainstream' portion of the musical literature-buying public; there is an element of the specific which resides wrapped warmly in the general to ease its digestion. That is not, however, to dismiss the text. The author has separated his discourse into sensible portions, introducing the Symphony's background, conception, and ideal, also examining both the composer and the potential inspiration, Napoleon Bonaparte. Tackling Beethoven's disenchantment, Hamilton-Paterson delves beyond the usual explanation of the Emperor seizing power and thus earning the composer's disappointment and instead examines the wider issues of commerce-driven composition, Beethoven's famously tempestuous relationship with his publishers, and the centuries of myth that have built up around the work.

The subject matter, the so-called 'First Great Romantic Symphony', is certainly worthy of study and the author has taken the time to compose an elegant piece, which, to the listener at home, is an ideal accompaniment to it. The writing is intelligent and interesting, with phrases appealing to eye and ear, as if asking to be read aloud.

One feels as if there is a 'but' coming. The problem is that this 'but' does not relate to the text, but rather the physical volume. Whilst the small format size (19 cm x 19 cm) is almost 'cute', and the quality of the paper is sumptuous—as you would expect of this style of book, priced at £16.99—there are issues with the production. The quality of the print itself is poor, with much of the text seemingly shadowed. An orange aura surrounds it, as if bleeding, and musical examples have been enlarged to the point of pixilation on the page. A stunning selection of images is reproduced, but lose their lustre and impact because of the low colour saturation, possibly due to the absorbent nature of the aforementioned 'sumptuous' paper.

Despite these limitations, the book is rather charming and ideal for an afternoon read, with Beethoven's masterpiece swirling and thundering around you. Whilst the more hardcore musicologist may not feel satisfied, certainly any fan of classical music who seeks to improve their contextual knowledge and understanding will benefit, and enjoy, this book.