Is the Curse of the Ninth real? Like the 27 Club, the curse of the ninth affects musicians. In this case, classical composers who dare to write beyond a ninth symphony challenge fate and do not always win. They say the curse started with Beethoven. But is it real?  Listen and vote!

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What is the Curse of the 9th? What is history of the symphony? Who were the composers that helped to create the form? What made it popular, and who were the most popular composers? Were Beethoven and Mahler victims of the curse? Was Mozart? Is the curse real?

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Pat explores the history of the symphony and the composers who developed and perfected it, including Joseph Hyden and Ludwig van Beethoven. He also looks at Gustav Mahler, the man who first voiced concern about the curse. 

Pat and Rebecca debate if the curse is real. While there are several composers who feared the curse, not all of them succumbed to it. It also seems to be limited to the Classical and Romantic periods of music. Why? Is it real?

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Sources for this Week’s Episode
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse_of_the_ninth and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_Mahler and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_van_Beethoven and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._10 and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Haydn
Classicfm.com: https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/curse-of-the-ninth/
YouTube – “The Curse of the Ninth” – Classical Nerd: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kte0t-EOCbM
WQXR.org: https://www.wqxr.org/story/how-curse-ninth-symphony-haunted-these-composers/
Academic Kids: https://www.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Curse_of_the_ninth
VoegelinView: https://voegelinview.com/gustav-mahler-and-the-curse-of-the-ninth-symphony/
Medici.tv: https://www.medici.tv/en/collections/the-curse-of-the-ninth/
Toronto Public Library: https://torontopubliclibrary.typepad.com/arts_culture/2019/03/curse-or-superstition-that-is-the-question.html
Interlude: https://interlude.hk/the-curse-of-the-ninth/
NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/05/arts/music/05iht-Beating-the-Curse-of-the-Ninth.html
US News: https://travel.usnews.com/Milwaukee_WI/Things_To_Do/Pabst_Mansion_62131/

Music for this episode was performed by Michael Rivers
Intro: “III. Allegro moderato from Gargoyles” by Lowell Liebermann
Outro: “Dream Images (Love-Death Music)” by George Crumb
Bumper: “Ghost Waltz” by Lowell Liebermann

“Pat Facts” and “Ghost Story” themes by Mondo
“Time for a Debate” theme by Gail Gallagher gailgallaghermusic.com