Friedrich_Nietzsche - Untimely_Meditations_(Cambridge_Texts_in_the_History_of_Philosophy__1997)

David Strauss, the confessor and the writerimpelled 'to kick over the traces and go off on an adventure', whichalmost suggests to us a cross-bred creature, half horse, half knighterrant. In regard to a certain 'Eroica' it is seriously stated of this centaurthat he has failed to make it clear 'whether what is going on is aconflict on the batdefield or in the depths of the human heart'. hi the'Pastoral' there is an 'excellent storm' which is, however, far too goodto interrupt a mere peasants' dance; and it is through this 'capriciouscontinual association' of the music with its 'trivial underlying occasion',as Strauss so neady and correctly calls it, that this symphonyis 'the least inspired' - an even harsher word seems to have hoveredin the mind of our classical Master but, as he tells us, he preferred toexpress himself here 'with befitting modesty'. But no, here he is foronce in the wrong, here he really is too modest. For who else is toinstruct us about the confectionary-Beethoven if not Strauss himself,the only one who seems to know him? There immediately follows,moreover, the enunciation of a firm and befittingly immodest judgment,this time on the Ninth Symphony: this work, it seems, may beloved only by those to whom 'the baroque counts as a mark of geniusand the formless as the sublime' (p. 359) . It is true that so stern acritic as Gervinus gave it a welcome, namely as a confirmation of oneof his own dogmas: he, Strauss, is however very far from seeking themerits of his Beethoven in such 'problematic productions'. 'It is apity', sighs our Master sadly, 'that our enjoyment of Beethoven andthe admiration we gladly accord him must be diminished by reservationsof this kind.' For our Master is a favourite of the muses, andthey have told him that they went only a stretch of the way withBeethoven and that he thereafter again lost sight of them. 'This is adefect' , he cries, 'but can one believe that it also appears as a merit?''He who trundles along the musical idea with toil and out of breathwill appear to be the stronger and to move what is heavier' (pp. 355-6). This is a confession, and in regard not only to Beethoven but tothe 'classic prose-writer' himself: the muses never let go of him, thecelebrated author: from the lightest play of wit - Straussian wit, thatis - to the heights of seriousness - Straussian seriousness, that is -they stay imperturbably at his side. He, the classic artist in writing,carries his burden with playful ease, while Beethoven trundles hisalong out of breath. He seems to dally with his load: there is a merit;but can one believe that it might appear as a defect? - But at the mostonly to those to whom the baroque counts as a mark of genius andthe formless as the sublime - is that not so, you dallying favourite ofthe muses?23