Description
About the Author
THEODORE ALBRECHT, Professor Emeritus of Music at Kent State University, Ohio, is an award-winning Beethoven scholar. He has authored many important articles on the composer and is the editor of Letters to Beethoven and Other Correspondence (1996) as well as translator and editor of Beethoven's Conversation Books (Boydell Press).
Reviews
[T]hese volumes are welcome additions to the literature. They contain much of value for those interested in the last decade of Beethoven's life, particularly concerning his social circle, his daily routine, and his ideas and beliefs. One can only hope that the remaining ten volumes are published soon. -- Marten Noorduin * NOTES, THE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE MUSIC LIBRARY ASSOCIATION *
Featured in the10 must-read books for Beethoven 250, * BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE *
[A] monumental endeavor. . . . Thanks to Albrecht's Herculean task, the interdisciplinary work of scholars in German studies, linguists, historians, musicologists, anthropologists, and other Beethoven-investigating scholars should and can begin their share of work in trying to make sense of these un-premeditated fragments of premodern life in Metternich-period Vienna. -- Peter Hoeyng * JOURNAL OF AUSTRIAN STUDIES *
A very professional translation...conversations about wine, travel arrangements, the value of bank shares, the best stationery shop for quills, pretty waitresses, a malfunctioning stove, how Karl's Greek examination went...this helps the process of de-mythologizing Beethoven the man - but not devaluing Beethoven the composer. * BRIO *
Important and fascinating...the books give a remarkable record of Beethoven's activities during the period, revealing a great deal not only about matters that preoccupied him...but also his daily routine, movements and eating habits. * THE CONSORT *
These remarkable documents provide a fascinating glimpse into Beethoven's daily life, activities, interests, concerns, and opinions during his last decade. . . . Theodore Albrecht undertook the formidable task of not only translating all 139 books (Hefte) and presenting them in 'modern conversational American English' but also of providing copious footnotes that clarify identities of writers and details of chronology and context. * THE BEETHOVEN JOURNAL *
An extraordinary in-depth portrait of the composer's last years...state-of-the-art scholarship in an enjoyably accessible manner. Five Stars, Michael Church, * BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE *
[A] noble effort which for almost 200 years many people have thought important enough to compile. The fact the hefts [books] still exist after two 20th Century wars is amazing. * AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE *
A brilliantly accessible piece of scholarship. . . . As they flash from scene to scene, with a huge cast of characters taking turns in the spotlight, these extraordinary little books read like a film script, with a laconic but massive presence at its heart. It's a goldmine for music historians, and a riveting saga for the rest of us. -- Michael Church * BBC Music Magazine *
Book Information
ISBN 9781783271504
Author Theodore Albrecht
Format Hardback
Page Count 424
Imprint The Boydell Press
Publisher Boydell & Brewer Ltd
Weight(grams) 1g