Beethoven

**WINNER of Presto Books' Best Composer Biography** NINE WORKS OF BEETHOVEN, NINE WINDOWS INTO THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF A MUSICAL GENIUS. 'We are doubly blessed that Beethoven should have led such an extraordinary life. Laura has combined the two - the genius of his music and the richness of his experiences - to shine a revealing light on our greatest composer' John Humphrys _________________________ Ludwig van Beethoven: to some, simply the greatest ever composer of Western classical music. Yet his life remains shrouded in myths. In Beethoven, Oxford professor Laura Tunbridge cuts through the noise. With each chapter focusing on a period of his life, piece of music and revealing theme - from family to friends, from heroism to liberty - she provides a rich insight into the man and the music. Revealing a wealth of never-before-seen material, this tour de force is a compelling, accessible portrayal of one of the world's most creative minds and it will transform how you listen for ever. _________________________ 'Tunbridge has come up with the seemingly impossible: a new way of approaching Beethoven's life and music . . . profoundly original and hugely readable' John Suchet, author Beethoven: The Man Revealed 'This well researched and accessible book is a must read for all who seek to know more about the flesh and blood tangible Beethoven.' John Clubbe, author of Beethoven: The Relentless Revolutionary 'This book is really wonderful! ... However many books on Beethoven you own, find the space for one more. This one' Stephen Hough, pianist, composer, writer 'In a year when everyone's looking for a new take on Beethoven, Laura Tunbridge has found nine. Fresh and engaging' Norman Lebrecht, author of Genius and Anxiety 'Remarkable . . . she captures the essence of his genius and character. I'll always want to keep it in easy reach' Julia Boyd, author of Travellers in the third Reich

**WINNER of Presto Books' Best Composer Biography** NINE WORKS OF BEETHOVEN, NINE WINDOWS INTO THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF A MUSICAL GENIUS. 'We are doubly blessed that Beethoven should have led such an extraordinary life. Laura has combined the two - the genius of his music and the richness of his experiences - to shine a revealing light on our greatest composer' John Humphrys _________________________ Ludwig van Beethoven: to some, simply the greatest ever composer of Western classical music. Yet his life remains shrouded in myths. In Beethoven, Oxford professor Laura Tunbridge cuts through the noise. With each chapter focusing on a period of his life, piece of music and revealing theme - from family to friends, from heroism to liberty - she provides a rich insight into the man and the music. Revealing a wealth of never-before-seen material, this tour de force is a compelling, accessible portrayal of one of the world's most creative minds and it will transform how you listen for ever. _________________________ 'Tunbridge has come up with the seemingly impossible: a new way of approaching Beethoven's life and music . . . profoundly original and hugely readable' John Suchet, author Beethoven: The Man Revealed 'This well researched and accessible book is a must read for all who seek to know more about the flesh and blood tangible Beethoven.' John Clubbe, author of Beethoven: The Relentless Revolutionary 'This book is really wonderful! ... However many books on Beethoven you own, find the space for one more. This one' Stephen Hough, pianist, composer, writer 'In a year when everyone's looking for a new take on Beethoven, Laura Tunbridge has found nine. Fresh and engaging' Norman Lebrecht, author of Genius and Anxiety 'Remarkable . . . she captures the essence of his genius and character. I'll always want to keep it in easy reach' Julia Boyd, author of Travellers in the third Reich

Som komponist rager Ludwig van Beethoven op over stort set alle andre i musikhistorien, og flere af hans værker har opnået nærmest mytologisk status, fx Skæbnesymfonien, Måneskinssonaten og Den Niende. Som menneske fascinerer han ikke mindst på grund af sin karakter, herunder sit berømte temperament, og sin tragiske skæbne: Allerede som 26-årig begyndte hans problemer med hørelsen og med tiden blev hans døvhed næsten total, således at han både blev afskåret fra sin omverden og hæmmet voldsomt i udøvelsen af sin kunst. At han alligevel, selv i de sidste år, formåede at skabe store og vigtige værker, vidner om den overmenneskelige vilje, der boede i ham. I denne første større biografi på dansk fortæller Lewis Lockwood historien om dette unikke menneske. Om hans liv og virke, og om den musik, han frembragte. Og om den tid han levede i, en epoke, hvor napoleonskrigene satte sit voldsomme præg på Europa, og hvor den fremblomstrende romantik satte nye standarder for filosofien, litteraturen og, ja, musikken. Lockwood fortæller bredt, indlevet og vidende, og selv der, hvor emnet bliver mere teknisk, nemlig når musikken skal analyseres, formår han at gøre stoffet tilgængeligt, så almindelige læsere kan være med. Som en anmelder af den tyske udgave skrev i Die Welt: » Man behøver ikke kunne læse noder for at forstå Lockwoods nodeeksempler og synspunkter.«

The Sunday Times bestseller, revised and updated for the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth. As heard throughout 2020 on Classic FM You know the music... but do you know the man? Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the world's best loved and most influential composers. His life - its dramas, conflicts, loves and losses - is played out in his music. In this special edition to mark the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth - with a new section featuring his most celebrated pieces - John Suchet shows us the man behind the music. He reveals a difficult and complex character, struggling to continue his profession as musician despite increasing deafness, alienating friends with unprovoked outbursts of anger one moment, overwhelming them with excessive kindness and generosity the next, living in a city in almost constant disarray because of war with France. This is the real Beethoven, and Suchet brings him faithfully and vividly to life. This updated edition of Suchet's acclaimed biography contains new material, including a detailed guide to Beethoven's most important compositions, family tree and timeline.

The Sunday Times bestseller, revised and updated for the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth. As heard throughout 2020 on Classic FM You know the music... but do you know the man? Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the world's best loved and most influential composers. His life - its dramas, conflicts, loves and losses - is played out in his music. In this special edition to mark the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth - with a new section featuring his most celebrated pieces - John Suchet shows us the man behind the music. He reveals a difficult and complex character, struggling to continue his profession as musician despite increasing deafness, alienating friends with unprovoked outbursts of anger one moment, overwhelming them with excessive kindness and generosity the next, living in a city in almost constant disarray because of war with France. This is the real Beethoven, and Suchet brings him faithfully and vividly to life. This updated edition of Suchet's acclaimed biography contains new material, including a detailed guide to Beethoven's most important compositions, family tree and timeline.

Learn about the inspiring story of Ludwig van Beethoven, the groundbreaking pianist and composer who changed the shape of classical music. Little Ludwig grew up in the city of Bonn in Germany. His father and his grandfather were both musicians, and they hoped that Ludwig would take after them, but there's no way they could have known what Ludwig would one day achieve. He learned to play the piano before his feet could even touch the floor, and his talent only continued to grow with his hard work as he got older. He went on to compose amazing musical pieces, including symphonies for a whole orchestra, and his energy and originality blew his audiences away! But his musical skill was about to be put to the test . . . Ludwig began to lose his hearing, and eventually became deaf. He was really worried, as music was his life! But then he realized something amazing: he could still hear every instrument in his mind. Through resilience and creativity, Ludwig continued composing extraordinary pieces that changed musical history. Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most impactful musicians of all time. His inspiring story shows the power of music as a force for creativity and self-expression. This powerful book features quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical artworks and a detailed profile of the musician's life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover and paperback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the treasuries each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in boxed gift sets. Activity books and a journal provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.

Learn about the inspiring story of Ludwig van Beethoven, the groundbreaking pianist and composer who changed the shape of classical music. Little Ludwig grew up in the city of Bonn in Germany. His father and his grandfather were both musicians, and they hoped that Ludwig would take after them, but there's no way they could have known what Ludwig would one day achieve. He learned to play the piano before his feet could even touch the floor, and his talent only continued to grow with his hard work as he got older. He went on to compose amazing musical pieces, including symphonies for a whole orchestra, and his energy and originality blew his audiences away! But his musical skill was about to be put to the test . . . Ludwig began to lose his hearing, and eventually became deaf. He was really worried, as music was his life! But then he realized something amazing: he could still hear every instrument in his mind. Through resilience and creativity, Ludwig continued composing extraordinary pieces that changed musical history. Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most impactful musicians of all time. His inspiring story shows the power of music as a force for creativity and self-expression. This powerful book features quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical artworks and a detailed profile of the musician's life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover and paperback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the treasuries each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in boxed gift sets. Activity books and a journal provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.

Jan Swafford's biographies of composers Charles Ives and Johannes Brahms have established him as a revered music historian, capable of bringing his subjects vibrantly to life. His magnificent new biography of Ludwig van Beethoven peels away layers of legend to get to the living, breathing human being who composed some of the world's most iconic music. Swafford mines sources never before used in English-language biographies to reanimate the revolutionary ferment of Enlightenment-era Bonn, where Beethoven grew up and imbibed the ideas that would shape all of his future work. Swafford then tracks his subject to Vienna, capital of European music, where Beethoven built his career in the face of critical incomprehension, crippling ill health, romantic rejection, and 'fate's hammer', his ever-encroaching deafness. At the time of his death he was so widely celebrated that over ten thousand people attended his funeral. This book is a biography of Beethoven the man and musician, not the myth, and throughout, Swafford - himself a composer - offers insightful readings of Beethoven's key works. More than a decade in the making, this will be the standard Beethoven biography for years to come.

Jan Swafford's biographies of composers Charles Ives and Johannes Brahms have established him as a revered music historian, capable of bringing his subjects vibrantly to life. His magnificent new biography of Ludwig van Beethoven peels away layers of legend to get to the living, breathing human being who composed some of the world's most iconic music. Swafford mines sources never before used in English-language biographies to reanimate the revolutionary ferment of Enlightenment-era Bonn, where Beethoven grew up and imbibed the ideas that would shape all of his future work. Swafford then tracks his subject to Vienna, capital of European music, where Beethoven built his career in the face of critical incomprehension, crippling ill health, romantic rejection, and 'fate's hammer', his ever-encroaching deafness. At the time of his death he was so widely celebrated that over ten thousand people attended his funeral. This book is a biography of Beethoven the man and musician, not the myth, and throughout, Swafford - himself a composer - offers insightful readings of Beethoven's key works. More than a decade in the making, this will be the standard Beethoven biography for years to come.

I 2020 fejres 250-året for Ludwig van Beethovens fødsel. Få komponister har haft så stor betydning for musikhistorien og inspireret så mange musikere. Den anerkendte musikformidler Peter Dürrfeld giver i BEETHOVEN. DEN SYMFONISKE MESTER en indføring i Beethovens musikalske univers. Beethoven var et musikalsk vidunderbarn. Han udgav sit første værk som 12-årig, og som bare 13-årig spillede han med i hofkapellet i Bonn. Han besad en særlig viljestyrke og et heftigt temperament. Beethoven levede for sin kunst og var fuldstændig bevidst om sit unikke talent. Trods tiltagende døvhed komponerede han helt til sin død storslåede musikalske værker. Han var den sidste wienerklassiker og indvarslede romantikken. Som kunstner komponerede han for fremtiden og fornyede de musikalske genrer, han dyrkede. Det gælder i højeste grad symfonien, som han gennem sit liv komponerede ni af. Netop symfonierne er denne bogs nøgle. Gennem en forståelse af dem forstår man også manden bag. BEETHOVEN. DEN SYMFONISKE MESTER hjælper både uerfarne og mere garvede lyttere ind i Beethovens univers. Bogen er skrevet i et veloplagt og tilgængeligt sprog og består af tre dele, tre satser, om man vil. Gennem disse indvies læseren i Beethovens omskiftelige liv og virke og de begivenheder, der udspillede sig undervejs og påvirkede hans værker. PETER DÜRRFELD (f. 1942) har årtiers erfaring med at formidle klassisk musik til et dansk publikum. Siden 2011 har han været musikanmelder for Kristeligt Dagblad,og han er forfatter til en lang række bøger om klassisk musik, herunder 117 symfonier (2016), Den lille Carl Nielsen (2014) og Den lille Mozart (2005).