ht Schubert a radical yet labeled him weak even purposely weak. Then she examines how Schubert's music parallels some of the themes of contemporary gay writers: dichotomies between active and passive roles, reinforcement of ego boundaries, and avoidance of pleasure that threatens to destabilize the autonomous self. Schubert was refusing the heroic narrative with the identity it demanded. Today, gay writers construct an alternative masculine identity (not available in Schubert's day) that embraces excess, pleasure, play, porous identities offering a free exchange with self and "other." Schubert produced work of a masculine subjectivity that differed considerably from the current norm. Was Schubert a homosexual? Unless some radically unusual writings are unearthed, we will never know for sure. The question remains, can music be gendered?
Beethoven spanned the two eras of Classicism and Romanticism. Classicism was, on one level, a preference for balance, while Romanticism was a rage for power. Beethoven used these opposing forces to reshape the symphony as a musicoemotional form, and this was probably the single most important achievement in the development of the Romantic Symphony. Beethoven was also noted for his expansion of the piano sonata and the string quartet. Biographers often emphasize Beethoven as a wretched human being, uncouth, bad-tempered, and often unfair in his business and personal relationships. His personality brought him into constant conflict with publishers, musicians, patrons, family, and friends. His music is highly dramatic, and he was noted for his innovations and the sublimity of his musical vision (Mordden 118-119).
As noted, McClary sees the sonata as a model for experimentation resolving with "security and closure." The term "s
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