Beethoven: The Composer as Hero (Discoveries Series) [Paperback]

Philippe A. Autexier (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 1992

A biography of the great composer retraces Beethoven's extraordinary life, from his early years as a child prodigy, through his sudden deafness at age twenty-six and initial contemplation of suicide, to his creative accomplishments beyond. Original.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

Product Details

• Paperback: 143 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams; First English Translation edition (March 30, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810928329
• ISBN-13: 978-0810928329
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #885,344 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #36 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( B ) > Beethoven, Ludwig

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent, October 12, 1999

By 

Ed Callahan (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beethoven: The Composer as Hero (Discoveries Series) (Paperback)

This is a great book about a great man, Ludwig van Beethoven. Each page has many fine photographs; most in color. It is a very well-written book which will not disappoint. In addition, the quality and feel of the paper is tops. It is nice to have color portraits of people such as Beethoven's grandfather and other members of his family, as well as Antonio Salieri, Haydn, Kreutzer, Clementi, and many of his benefactors and other personal friends, not to mention street scenes, scenes of Beethoven playing the piano as a mesmerized audience looks on, scenes of Fidelio, etc. No one who buys this book can be bored by it or have buyer's remorse.

The reader is transported back to the the late 18th and early 19th century. One thing I liked was finding out what Beethoven was doing at the precise time he wrote a certain work. In the book, Ferdinand Ries (a friend and composer) points out that Beethoven had been humming out loud during a walk in the woods. When he returned, he put to paper the 3rd movement of the famous Appassionata sonata.

This book gets an A plus.

5.0 out of 5 stars must-have book, January 17, 2012

By 

mary in new york city - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Beethoven: the Composer As Hero Pb (New Horizons) (Paperback)

this is another outstanding book in the series.graphically beautiful and a great read.if you are a music lover, you will definitely enjoy this handsome little book.

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Don't believe everything you read :), March 6, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Beethoven: The Composer as Hero (Discoveries Series) (Paperback)

Just scanning the synopsis of this book is quite distressful. I am hoping that the book does not say something as completely wrong as "his sudden deafness at age 26." That is completely false. I am not sure about this book, but I would highly recommend Maynard Solomon's "Beethoven" It is a careful and thoughtful analysis of the man and the musician.