Beethoven

This book contains the most up-to-date information about the composer. The author does a marvelous report on the psychological and historical backgrounds that defined Beethoven as a human being and from this he analyzes the music and social relationships. Great book from a great author.

The title of my review encapsulates how I feel about this book. While honesty compells me to report that I have not completed reading this book, I have finished Edmund Morris's biography "Beethoven, the Universal Composer," and that book owes a lot to Solomon's book. Solomon goes into much greater detail and in fact expounds on psychological themes and possible motivations for Ludwig. He also delves deeply into the alcoholism that permeated his father's family, including Ludwig's grandmother on his father's side, and his father who often berated him and beat him. I truly feel a kinship with Ludwig as it pertains to the alcoholism in the family...truly, it did not stop Beethoven from becoming the greatest composer the world has ever known. If you truly want a detailed, focused, fascinating account of the composer and the man, attain this book. You will not be sorry. Has a greater piece of music other then Beethoven's 9th symphony, with the "Ode to Joy" chorus ever been written? I think not.

This is a great book if you want to learn about Beethoven's life. It gives you an idea of all the difficulties Beethoven had to overcome to become the great musician he is. Inspiring in itself.The book organization is very well thought, describing first a particular period of Beethoven's life and then doing an analysis of the music in that particular period, showing how both relate to each other. That gives the reader a sense of unity and establishes a link between the life and the works of this master. The contents of the book is very well researched. In fact, Solomon takes other biographies before his and goes deep into finding out the real facts. The research on the "Immortal Beloved" is great and there's a whole chapter dedicated to this mystery, which is very worth reading. And in the whole book, Solomon tries to split fact from fiction by going to the original sources and documents. That makes the book very accurate and because all evidence is shown, the reader can judge for himself.This is definitelly THE BIOGRAPHY you want to read if you really want to know about Beethoven's life.

Having used this book as a source for my Master's Thesis, I would have to say that it is nothing less than brilliant. Solomon thoroughly researched and documented the life of Beethoven and spared the rest of us the trouble. The music world owes him a great debt of gratitude.

This book came highly recommended which may have resulted in some preconceived ideas and expectaions. The book is divided into four main sections which each contain about five or six chapters. Mr. Solomon portrays the famous composer's life and times by allotting critical events and major influences individual chapters under one of the four main sections. Mr. Solomon often uses modern psychological theories to explain the dynamics that formed the young Beethoven's personality and then goes on to suggest how this may have influenced his later years. Each of the four major sections ends with a chapter entitled, "The Music," which discusses the music from each period in his life. Each chapter has its own story to tell, describing a particular event, or interactions with, one, or a group of individuals. The chapter entitled, "The Immortal Beloved," was my personal favorite because it encompassed the mystery and suspence that have long captivated Beethoven scholars concerning the identity of the only woman Beethoven loved and loved him in return. The chapter on the events surrounding his nephew Karl exposed the dark side of greatness. What I missed was the feeling of what it might have been like to sit in the audience on opening night for the premiers of Beethoven's Symphonies. Also I would have enjoyed more anaylsis of what made Beethoven's music so innovative. I did not like the arbitrary separation of his music from his life. Each section describes a part of Beethoven's chaotic life and the severe psychological problems he suffered. While the last chapter in each section reviewed the music for each period, it seems to separate the great creative genius from the troubled human being who composed it.