Customer Reviews

The Beethoven Quartet Companion

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book should have been called simply "The Beethoven Companion." While it focues on the string quartets, it deals with many facets of the composer's life, and with life in Vienna at the time. Detailed but never dull, thorough but never technical, the book describes performance practice, takes you into the minds of interpretors, and deals with such fascinating philosophical considerations as Romanticism vs. Classicism, the meaning of the so-called "last period," and audience expectations in Beethoven's time. Essays by Beethoven scholars are thought-provoking. I know a fair amount about Ludwig, but time and again I found myself learning new things, or reconsidering old wisdom. I have many books on the Quartets, and on Beethoven in general. This one ranks among the very top of the heap.

It is nowhere preconized that the core of this fine book (half its pages, in fact) is extensive notes on the pieces themselves by the late gold-standard musicologist and annotator Michael Steinberg. While there is much fascinating historical and contextual material by the editors and others, anyone who has enjoyed and learned from Steinberg's famous series the Symphony, the Concerto, and Choral Masterworks should know that this is effectively a fourth volume of his superb notes.

This book consists of a collection of essays about topics relevant to Beethoven's work on his sixteen string quartets, as well as a quartet-by-quartet analysis, much like you would see in program notes (only more thorough). The essay writers approach the quartets from several different angles: some write as musical performers while others as professional musicologists, but all are of excellent quality and give you insight into a particular aspect of Beethoven and his music.

Another great characteristic of this book is its accessibility. Even though it would help to know how to read music, that is more or less the extent of the technical knowledge you need to enjoy this book. Because Beethoven's string quartets form a central part of his musical output, understanding these pieces is crucial to understanding his musical career (similarly for his piano sonatas and symphonies), and this book provides an excellent starting point for learning about the string quartets in-depth. After reading the enclosed essays, you'll want to listen to his quartets again (or anew!), with this book as your guide.

I really can't figure out how many stars to give this book, because I think it depends on your musical expertise. For strong amateurs and professionals, it's apparently a 5-star book. It was way too advanced for me: I tried to read a few pages and just gave up.

This book is a lot tougher than the usual liner notes which come with classical music.

Arrived in a timely manner, wrapped protectively. Comprehensive and detailed; even
the notes are complete with sections of the music provided.

The five essays taken from five different performance and cultural perspectives along with a technical analysis and glossary provide intellectual insight to the pleasure of the entire quartet series.

Force to buy, the Dec. 2010 order Ludwig van Beethoven Complete String Quartetshas not arrived yet. Request refund.