Beethoven Letters Journals and Conversations [Paperback]

Michael Hamburger (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1992

Michael Hamburger's widely praised selection for the documentary record left by Beethoven himself, interspersed with comments on the composer's personality and music from the letters and journals of his contemporaries, is now republished to delight a new generation of readers. In one volume, it charts every apsect of Beethoven's life and work, from Mozart's prophetic remarks on meeting him as a young man in 1787 to Grillparzer's oration at his funeral in 1827, as well as highlighting the key feature of the social, cultural and political background to the story.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Mr. Hamburger has here put together a portrait of Beethoven that has the fascination of a documentary film.”–New Yorker --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Language Notes

Text: English, German (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (August 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500273243
• ISBN-13: 978-0500273241
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,449,601 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #53 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( B ) > Beethoven, Ludwig

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HIGHLY Recommended!, April 4, 2009

By 

The Statt Family (Andover, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beethoven Letters Journals and Conversations (Paperback)

This book is an excellent way to get to know the real Beethoven, rather than a biographer's possibly biased opinion about him, such as Solomon. The more one looks into Beethoven's life, the more interesting it becomes. He was such a controversial, often misunderstood composer. We often hear of his moodiness, temper, and idiosyncrasies yet this collection of writings and personal remembrances will help you to better understand why he was perceived that way. You sense the utter despondency he experienced as his one gift to the world (his music) became such a challenge for him as his hearing decreased. Hard to pick a favorite remembrance - Probably the friendship that developed between a French speaking messanger and German speaking Beethoven! - Jonna Lambrosa Statt

11 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lacrimoso Verismo, January 24, 2007

By 

My Uncle Stu (Atlanta) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Beethoven Letters Journals and Conversations (Paperback)

This is an important read for any Beethoven-head, classical music fan, or music history buff. I'm a fan of primary documentation in general; I would rather read letters, essays, or autobiographies than some scholarly tome. But these letters are very revealing as to Beethoven's character and state of mind. At times they are quite moving, such as Beethoven's letter to his brother where he stated that the only thing that prevented him from killing himself was the knowledge that he still had more music to give to the world. From just about anyone else that would seem like delusional grandiosity, but in Beethoven's case it was true.

It brought to mind a comment made by a patient who was opposed to psychiatric medications. He made an argument, a variation of a common one, linking mental illness as the driving force behind creativity: "If Beethoven had been given Prozac, we all would have been robbed of the Eroica." Sounds compelling, but is it true? One thing that can be learned from Beethoven's letters, in combination with other sources, is that he wrote his heaviest, darkest, most brooding works during periods of relative happiness. When he was in the deepest depths of his mood disorder, he wrote light, upbeat music, music that is brilliant in its own way, but not the music people generally picture as Beethovian. Certainly one can speculate as to links between creativity and some forms mental illness, but to equate the two is to marginalize the suffering of true mental illness. Here's what I'm saying: Mental illness is not something to exoticize. It is something to rebel against.

Who's to say that Beethoven on Prozac wouldn't have written the same music? Or wouldn't have written different but equally brilliant music? This also begs the question of whether or not a suffering artist really owes the public the products of their creativity, but that's another tangent.

You know who I'd like to medicate? Bruckner. How about Bruckner punching up his 7th symphony while on multiple stimulants? That might be interesting. Oops, off-topic again.

I recommend this book. If willing to invest the time, one could create an iPod Beethoven playlist that roughly tracks his work chronologically, and then read Beethoven's letters in short bites following along with the music.

5.0 out of 5 stars I'd give it 10 stars if I could, November 2, 2011

By 

Crysania (Syracuse, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beethoven Letters Journals and Conversations (Paperback)

I thought this book was so awesome and amazing that I'd give it more than 5 stars if only Amazon would let me. This book is a selection of Beethoven's letters -- to friends, publishers, patrons, and others, along with some descriptions written by others who met him. It begins when he is quite young and the last letters and journals are from right before (and then after) his death. It also includes the eulogy from his funeral (which was attended by some 20,000 to 30,000 people). I've always been a huge fan of Beethoven's music and thought he was an interesting person. But this book shows the humor he had, his pain and anguish over his constant stomach problems and worsening hearing, and his love for his friends. It also shows is anxiety over how Vienna didn't seem to appreciate his music, his hatred of where he lived (he talked much of going to England, where he felt people truly appreciated music -- this may have come about because of his love for Handel's music, who he held above all others), and his constant struggles with publishers to get his scores right.

I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone with an interest in Beethoven.