Composer's World: Beethoven
Wendy Thompson
Hardcover
(Faber & Faber, Oct. 1, 1990)
Ludwig van Beethoven was born in 1770. Just over two decades later, the whole of Europe watched, horrifed, as first the King, then the Queen of France went to the guillotine. The Age of Revolution had arrived. Beethoven's music reflects the violence, passion, struggle and upheaval, as well as the quest for personal and spiritual fulfilment, of those times. By placing Beethoven within his historical and social context this new biography recreates the life of this passionate, controversial genius in words, pictures and music. The relaxed, conversational writing style will appeal to readers from ten upwards. The book includes extracts from some of Beethoven's most famous works (such as the 3rd, 5th and 9th symphonies, the "Emperor" piano concerto and the "Moonlight" sonata), in simple keyboard arrangements.