A major new biography published for the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, offering a fresh, human portrayal
The iconic image of Beethoven is of him as a lone genius: hair wild, fists clenched, and brow furrowed. Beethoven may well have shaped the music of the future, but he was also a product of his time, influenced by the people, politics, and culture around him. Oxford scholar Laura Tunbridge offers an alternative history of Beethoven’s career, placing his music in contexts that shed light on why particular pieces are valued more than others, and what this tells us about his larger-than-life reputation. Each chapter focuses on a period of his life, a piece of music, and a revealing theme, from family to friends, from heroism to liberty. We discover, along the way, Beethoven’s unusual marketing strategies, his ambitious concert programming, and how specific performers and instruments influenced his works. This book offers new ways to understand Beethoven and why his music continues to be valued today.
“A concise, subtly revealing survey, [that] complements [Beethoven’s] protean image by emphasizing the many-sidedness of the composer’s spirit.”—Alex Ross, New Yorker
“Illuminating . . . Tunbridge’s pithy A Life in Nine Pieces is different and welcome: a biography presented through the focus of nine different compositions, each casting light on aspects of Beethoven’s life, character and, given equal and readily comprehensible attention, the music.”—Fiona Maddocks, The Guardian
“Focusing on nine pivotal works, this study, equal parts musicological and biographical, complicates the simplistic portrait of Beethoven as an isolated, single-minded genius.”—New Yorker
“Rewarding . . . a lot of information is packed into her musical portraits.”—Richard Fairman, Financial Times
“Over the years, scores of Beethoven biographies have been written, some of which have fostered a number of myths about him. Tunbridge’s impeccably researched, elegantly written volume sets the record straight. . . . Music students and aficionados alike will appreciate this engaging and accessible portrait of the composer.”—Library Journal
“One could hardly expect something new and distinctive, no matter the vastness of the output, on such a venerable subject, yet here it is! . . . Tunbridge's writing is vivid, so evocative of time and place as to be almost cinematic. She utilizes source material both familiar and unfamiliar to draw some conclusions not heard before, and these are convincing. . . . The present volume, ingenious and somehow inevitable (rather like a Beethoven piece), is for everyone who cares about Beethoven's music. . . . . Essential. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers.”—B. J. Murray, Choice
“Elegantly-inquiring . . . Tunbridge’s writing has a richness which makes this book much more than an extended program note.”—Julian Glover, Evening Standard
