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A review by panthor
Beethoven: The Universal Composer by Edmund Morris
4.0
I didn't have any particular expectations when starting this book, other than learning a bit more about Beethoven than what I could find on Wikipedia.
The author, Edmund Morris, obviously knows a lot about Beethoven's music. I found myself having to stop during the book and listen to the music for the particular passages he mentions. I also learned more about the breadth of Beethoven's compositions, from the familiar symphonies and piano sonatas to the less familiar works such as the funeral mass for Holy Roman Emperor Joseph and his only opera Fidelio.
He also focused on some interesting aspects of Beethoven's character, such as the tyrannical treatment by his father as a boy, his frequent ailments, his well-known deafness, his use of prostitutes, and his relationship with his nephew Karl.
However the most interesting aspect of this book to me was the way Beethoven's life was put into a historical context, such as his relationship with Haydn and his supposed meeting with Mozart, the effect of the Napoleonic wars on the Austrian currency (and thus Beethoven's finances), and the influence of Beethoven on his peers and upcoming composers.
This book would be great as a multimedia experience; in fact I believe there used to be a Beethoven multimedia CD-ROM back in the old days. It is time for an upgrade, maybe for the iPad.
The author, Edmund Morris, obviously knows a lot about Beethoven's music. I found myself having to stop during the book and listen to the music for the particular passages he mentions. I also learned more about the breadth of Beethoven's compositions, from the familiar symphonies and piano sonatas to the less familiar works such as the funeral mass for Holy Roman Emperor Joseph and his only opera Fidelio.
He also focused on some interesting aspects of Beethoven's character, such as the tyrannical treatment by his father as a boy, his frequent ailments, his well-known deafness, his use of prostitutes, and his relationship with his nephew Karl.
However the most interesting aspect of this book to me was the way Beethoven's life was put into a historical context, such as his relationship with Haydn and his supposed meeting with Mozart, the effect of the Napoleonic wars on the Austrian currency (and thus Beethoven's finances), and the influence of Beethoven on his peers and upcoming composers.
This book would be great as a multimedia experience; in fact I believe there used to be a Beethoven multimedia CD-ROM back in the old days. It is time for an upgrade, maybe for the iPad.