Good book for those looking at Beethoven that had made a name for himself already and wanting to know about him around the time of a few of his pieces.

Intricate and sophisticated discussion of Beethovens life as practising musician. Working in Vienna at start of his career up through difficulties and his particular craft not ony as musician but as marketing his own work... the solutions necessary for a musician to succeed: early on the 'Septet' .. his decision to compose using instruments that would play, not too loud, in hall influenced his decisions as artist. These are important clues not usually investigated in stories of his life. Trenchant and illuminating history of the place and times fills out the usual themes of his life. Dense but absorbing reading.. I won't think of his music in the same way as before.

I grew up in a musical family, but I haven't read many biographies of composers. This was quite interesting and often engaging, and is told in an artful way. Nicely researched, too. Recommended for biography fans, and obviously, musicians that want another perspective on him.

Thanks very much for the review copy!!

I listened to the 'Hammerklavier' on YouTube with the music appearing in the visual. "Beethoven's impossible piece" was dedicated to his student Prince Rudolf whose health precluded him from actually playing it. In the year of its composition, Beethoven said that he had not known how to compose, but he knew now.

I was stunned by the music. I studied piano as a girl and have enjoyed playing (badly) for my own enjoyment. I had some idea of what was required to perform it. Few could actually conquer it, Laura Tunbridge writes in her new biography, Beethoven.

I have heard Beethoven in concert many times. I had never heard this piece before and would have remained ignorant if not for Tunbridge including it in her book. It is one of the nine pivotal compositions she uses to tell the story of Beethoven's life.

The composer lived through turbulent times and decades of war.
The age of reason morphed into the romantic era. Beethoven took music into the sublime and beyond, shocking people with its dissonance and loudness. Some complained that the music was too cerebral, 'elaborate musical puzzles.'

Through Beethoven's music, Tunbridge presents a complete biography. The familiar questions of the identity of 'The Immortal Beloved' and the changing dedication of the 'Eroica' are discussed, but also the development of the piano and the role of the conductor in his time, self-marketing and sheet music, Beethoven's religious life, and the long custody battle over his nephew. I found it all fascinating, and I felt I had a better grasp of this iconic composer.

I listened to the music as Tunbridge discussed the piece, added so much to my appreciation, doubling my enjoyment of this biography.

I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

This is a great introduction into the life and work of Beethoven, beautifully organized in order to nurture more than anything the reader's relationship with the composer's pieces.

Emphasizing nine compositions, this books tells the story of Beethoven's life, his connections, his relationships, his political views, his sensibilities coming back to the pieces he envisioned, how they took form, how they were received and how they were played. Doing this it offers the reader the chance to connect with each piece in order to understand better. It's great to listen to each composition before or after reading its dedicated chapter.

This is a great book for anyone who wants to learn more about the artist but also for musical professionals as there is an abundance of musical terms and analysis, details about Beethoven's innovations and about the way instruments and orchestras were shaped in his time.

The greatest achievement of this book lies in the deconstruction of Beethoven's image, beyond the cult of his personality and of his work, putting all his story into its historical and political context. Always trying to appeal to a modern reader while recognizing Beethoven's great art and impact on the musical history.

The book was incredibly hard to read because of the poor formatting of the proof. I finally gave up. The book also assumed a knowledge of Beethoven’s work and classical music that I was hoping to obtain by reading the book. So between the formatting and the specialized matierial I got nothing.

To understand and appreciate an artist’s work, it can help to understand the context in which they lived. Still more, it is useful to have an understanding of their life and experiences beyond their art. This book offers an analysis of both man and music, giving readers new insights into a man whose music and character remain relevant hundreds of years after his death.