Customer Reviews

Music & Medicine: : Haydn, Mozart

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

 

 

Anyone with an interest in classical music will find this book fascinating, especially if you've heard stories about Beethoven's deafness, and Schubert's syphilis, stories that have been repeated so often they are taken for fact. Dr. Neumayr read copious letters and notes about the 4 composers, and came to his own conclusions about their medical histories, giving us background as to what medical practices were at the time, and what would have been standard treatments and understandings of health. Even if you're horrified by what you read (Beethoven being punctured to relieve his abdominal swelling due to fluid retention) you'll come away with renewed compassion for not just the composers, but all people who lived and died in the 18-19th centuries. You'll love the music of these masters even more when you find out what their lives were really like!

A treasure worth having for any lover of classical music. I have Vol. 2 on order, will arrive in a couple of days. Not only is the overall physical health, final illness analyzed and diagnosed from a wide variety of sources for each composer, but much new repeat new information is provided on the composers pertaining to their day to day lives, public and private musical activities, etc. A fascinating read and a very worthwhile addition to your library !