Product Description

This is one title in a series of short, illustrated biographies. They tell the stories of those who have shaped our present and our past, from Beethoven to Dietrich, from Einstein to Churchill and suitable for students and the general reader. Ludvig van Beethoven is a legendary figure in world culture, but who is the man behind that legend? Geck offers a vivid portrait of a difficult but fascinating man with a tangled and still controversial love life. He explores Beethoven's place in Vienna's music scene and in Western musical history, with particular emphasis on the development of the piano sonatas, the symphonies and the late string quartets. This is an authoritative, yet accessible biography of a self-styled cultural hero, presented warts and all.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2737794 in Books
• Published on: 2003-02-06
• Original language: German
• Binding: Hardcover
• 178 pages

Customer Reviews

a great supplement for more serious musicology, but a poor attempt by itself
This book was designed to be a brief introduction to Germany's greatest composer, written by noted musicologist Martin Geck. The book itself is pocket-sized and illustrated very well throughout, also providing supplementary texts and quotes from various contempories. Originally written in German, the text has lost nothing in translation by Anthea Bell, who has delivered a clear and concise text. Overall, the style and format of the book cannot be questioned.

But, sadly, I found the content itself to be lacking in several aspects. Firstly, I think it is a grave mistake to call this book a biography, or even a biographical introduction, as very little information is given. The author begins by outlining the maestro's family history and context of his birth, but after that the book would best be described as a description and series of comments on Beethoven's style. The last two sections of the book, "The late works" and "Beethoven's later influence", are truly wonderful pieces of musicological writing; and it would almost be worth buying a copy just to read these. Only in these two concluding sections does this distinguished author display his true knowledge of German music; although, as with the rest of the book, the writing instills very little passion in the reader.

However, I did not feel these two chapters made-up for the preceding three which have fallen way below the mark: "Early years", "Years of fame", and "Years of isolation". The content is but a brief overview of Beethoven's life and how his contempories viewed him. There are only a few references to the actual music, and these are centered on the symphonies, a few cantatas, and the Missa Solemnis. Hardly (if any) mention is made of the famous piano sonatas, string quartets, or other chamber music.

Rather than being labelled a short biography or a brief introduction to the great composer, this book would be better advertised as a supplement to a more serious work of musicology. After reading this, I now feel the need to find a biography on Beethoven - not from the author whetting my appetite (which he certainly did not), but out of necessity to fill the many gaps left in my knowledge from reading this generally disappointing book.