Book Description
This book, The New Hess Catalog of Beethoven's Works is far more than a mere translation of Willy Hess's groundbreaking 1957 catalog of Beethoven's works, Verzeichnis der nicht in der Gesamtausgabe veröffentlichte Werke Ludwig van Beethovens. This new, revised edition includes four new appendices, an expanded concordance and a first edition of a hitherto unpublished piano transcription of the beginning of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony by Beethoven himself! It is a systematic overhaul of all 401 entries in the previous German edition. In addition to much new information on each entry, it clarifies misunderstood entries, and corrects mistakes. This new edition adds some much needed complete bibliographic references and incorporates forty-five years of Beethoven research into a single useful volume. Since 1851 there have been nearly a dozen catalogs of Beethoven's works printed; however, this is the first ever to appear in English. The Hess catalog is a fascinating book and a considerable amount of work went into updating the catalog to the current state of Beethoven research. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An old classic updated in English for the modern age
The Hess catalog has been out of print for nearly 50 years and never before available in English.It would have been an achievement merely to translate the book into English and publish it, but editor James F. Green has not only done so in an admirable translation, but has thoroughly and painstakingly updated the work to make it immediately useful to any Beethoven scholar or music lover interested in Beethoven's less-well-known compositions.For the sticklers, Green has thoughtfully kept his own commentary clearly separated from Hess' original, so it's always clear which voice is speaking.Green's writing is highly readable and well-researched.It's an attractive and essential volume in a durable binding that belongs in every music library.It would be a bargain at twice the price. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Immersed in the Austria of Beethoven's time.
The great advantage I find in Marek's book is his effort to give the reader a feel for the era in which Beethoven lived.In the foreword of the book Marek says he sees Beethoven not as an isolatedphenomenon but "as a man who grew from the soil of his times and stood deep in the cultural, political, and social streams that swirled around him."Marek takes the time to explore these streams, as when for instance he devotes the first two chapters to review the shifts in philosophy, science, art in general and music in particular - in Europe overall, then focusing on Bonn, birthplace of the composer.He describes the streets of Bonn, the Electoral Palace and its household, the personalities of the various Electors who employed not only Beethoven but his father and grandfather before him.Later, a whole chapter is given to discuss the transition of the arts from the Classical to the Romantic period.And he paints verbal portraits of many figures acquainted with Beethoven, such as Goethe and Napoleon, Maazel and Count Rasoumovsky.

As one example, we learn early on in a quote by Kapellmeister Ignaz von Seyfried that Beethoven "was as much at home in Rasoumovsky's palace as a hen in her coop."How sad then to learn that in 1816, Rasoumovsky - shortly after being elevated from Count to Prince - gave a gala event at which a fire broke out, destroying much of his palace including its library and tapestries, and causing the roof to collapse onto his collection of sculptures.After this, Marek relates, Rasoumovsky went into a decline in which he "existed rather than lived."Now, one does not need to know this in order to appreciate the set of quartets that Beethoven had dedicated to this patron, but I for one am glad to know of it nonetheless.

All this background is in addition to, not in place of, the details of Beethoven's life, all presented in an extremely readable style without in any way "writing down" to the reader.Quoted are many of the composer's contemporaries and letters, as well as Thayer's classic "Life of Beethoven".As one example of the effort that went into this book, a team of researchers in Vienna searched - among many other things - the Vienna newspaper files dating between 1793 and 1827.

Note well -- this book is not the place to look for extensive discussion of the music itself.Ofthis Marek gives fair warning in his statement: "I would like to emphasize that this book is about the man, not about the music."You will, however, find plenty of details on the performances, the successes and failures, of Beethoven's resulting delight or rage.

So, if you like the idea of following Beethoven's life while being more or less immersed in the Austria of two centuries ago, this biography is a wonderful place to begin.

In this handsome book (my copy is of the original Funk & Wagnalls' edition) there are extensive illustrations, all save one in black-and-white.

A little on the author.George R. Marek was born in Vienna and often attended performances of the Vienna State Opera.At the age of 17, he came to the USA, where in the 1950's he headed RCA's Red Seal division, later becoming V.P. and General Manager of the Record Division.He worked with a number of top classical recording artists of the time, such as Toscanini and Artur Rubinstein. ... Read more

Book Description
It might be thought presumptuous to detail every thought, beat, and gesture in conducting the standard repertoire, for the art of interpretation must always, by its very nature, be a personal one.But from his lifelong experience in conducting the Beethoven symphonies Norman Del Mar is able to lead us in a discussion of them with passion and great insight.This is an essential guide for students of these great works and a starting-point for young conductors.Del Mar offers an analysis of the music's structure, pointing out key events in the score and offering advice on how to achieve the desired effect.He also compares variant readings in the different editions.But his book further traces the development of Beethoven's style and that of the symphony over the 24 years of their composition, from the inspired yet simple First, so evocative of Haydn and Mozart, to the supreme peak of the 'Choral', one of the greatest masterpieces of the symphonic form.Del Mar is thus able to speak to all devotees of Beethoven's symphonic output, and enhance our appreciation of these works. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A must have for any student of Beethoven Symphonies
English Conductor and teacher Norman Del Mar provides a detailed and enlightening approach to to the conducting student of Beethoven Symphonies. Modelled on Felix Weingartner's book of the same title, Del Mar providesthrough his countless experience insights and pointers to any hopeful wouldbe conductors. All the traps concerning the performance of thesesymphonies, including structure, tempi, balance, orchestration, phrasingand articulation are all discussed. Humorous anecdotes are also included.Any student of conducting, or student of Beethoven must have this book, inas much as a guide to how Beethoven Symphonies were performed in the1940's. ... Read more

Book Description
Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony is in many ways his most startlingly original. It has a programmatic content, it is in five movements, and its mood is quite different from the usual barnstorming image of the composer. Why did he want to compose such a work? Why did it take him five years to realize his vision? What was he hoping to communicate? How did he achieve it? Finally, how was the work received? David Wyn Jones addresses all these vital questions in a fascinating account of this popular work and the context in which it was written. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent book about Beethoven's piano sonatas
This is one of several fine books about what I think is the best music for solo piano ever written, Beethoven's thirty-two piano sonatas.And there is excellent advice about how to play these fine works.

Still, there are arguments about what Beethoven really intended, especially in regard to tempos.And this book concentrates on what four of Beethoven's students, Karl Czerny, Ferdinand Ries, Ignaz Moscheles, and Anton Schindler concluded about how to play these pieces.

Of course, this task is not made any easier by the fact that of these four, Schindler may have had the best opportunity to discover what Beethoven really thought about some of the sonatas.And Schindler eagerly published his views about them.But the other students were far better musicians.And of all four students, Moscheles may have been the one who had heard the most Beethoven performances of them.Meanwhile, Czerny probably was the one who had performed these sonatas most often in Beethoven's presence.

This book lists the tempos recommended for every movement of 29 of the sonatas (the two easy sonatas and the sonatina are omitted), by Czerny in 1842, Czerny in 1850 and Moscheles in 1858, as well as the more recent editions (von Bulow in 1894 and Schnabel in 1935). And we see some big differences in recommendations.

Yes, the "fastest" tempo is the very end of the Waldstein, where a whole note equals as much as 88.But there are some interesting differences between the recommendations of Moscheles or Czerny and what I learned from von Bulow's edition of the sonatas.Basically, (albeit with a few exceptions) Moscheles recommended playing them faster.In sonata 1, Bulow had the finale with a half note at 104, Moscheles at 112.Moscheles had the finale of the Pathetique a little faster too, 104 to 96 for a half note.

I thought von Bulow was making it tough on me in the Tempest, with the allegro putting a half note at 108.Moscheles made it 126.And his finale was faster too.Moscheles also wanted the finale of the Appassionata a little faster than von Bulow.And so on.

When it comes to dynamics, the intent is stressed over the actual loudness.Pianissimo is never to be inaudible or indistinct.It is to give a feeling of secrecy or mysteriousness.Fortissimo is as loud as it gets, within the limits of beauty.

There is some advice about Beethoven's frequent crescendos and subito pianos.And I always wondered how we were supposed to honor the occasional Beethoven crescendos during sustained notes.Moscheles omits them.

There's plenty more about style, accentuation, and ornamentation.And a chapter on pedaling.Here, there is a hint that Beethoven may have recommended a little more pedaling than is needed today, given the nature of the pianofortes of his day (others may disagree).But the book agrees with most everyone else that Beethoven really meant it when he put that long pedal at the end of the development of the finale of the Waldstein.

I learned quite a bit from this book, and I recommend it.



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Book Description
The Missa solemnis is a document of extraordinary richness from the last decades of Beethoven's creative life. In this compendious and accessible guide, William Drabkin considers the work as a musical expression of the most celebrated text of the Roman Catholic faith, and as an example from a tradition of Mass settings in eighteenth-and early nineteenth-century Austria.Download Description
The Missa Solemnis is a document of extraordinary richness from the last decades of Beethoven's creative life.In this accessible guide, William Drabkin considers the work as an expression of the most celebrated text of the Roman Catholic faith and as an example from a tradition of Mass settings in eighteenth and early nineteenth-century Austria.The opening chapters present various critical perspectives on the Missa Solemnis and chart the history of its composition, first performances, and publication.But, above all, the work itself is considered in detail, including the overall design, connections between the movements, the orchestration, word painting, and programmatic elements. ... Read more

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From The Inside Flap:
This volume brings together a distinguished group of contributors, each of whom writes lucidly on some aspect of Beethoven's life and work. The book as a whole offers both scholars and music lovers a broad and fresh view of this great genius, and the individual essays offer not only new facts (as in Alan Tyson's illuminating chapter on "Steps to Publication") but also new viewpoints on well-known works. 542 pages. ... Read more

Book Description
In his thorough analytical study of Beethoven's Piano Sonata in E, Op. 109, Nicholas Marston suggests a unique way of understanding this important work.The book provides an exhaustive study of its sources and an analytical approach to the structure of the sonata itself.The source study is based on a complete transcritpion of all the surviving manuscript sources for the work; the book includes a large majority of the sketches, and parts of the autograph score.The introductory chapter reivews Heinrich Schenker's work on Op. 109.In Chapter 2 Beethoven's letters, conversation books, sketchbooks and other sources are used to build up a detailed picture of the progess of his work on the sonata.The middle chapters form the core of the analytical study in which the sketches for each part of the three movements are analysed in detail, and the relevance of the sketches to the final version is explored.The final chapter extends the notion of 'sketch' beyond Op. 109 and summarizes the results of the study.No stone is left unturned: even Beethoven's previously misunderstood notation of final barlines in the autograph score is shown to be of structural significance.The book is important in several respects.The attitude adopted towards the sketches is postive , approaching them as valid compositional acts and not wrong turnings en route to a perfect final version.As an analytical study the book provides perhaps the most extended Schenkerian analysis of a Beethoven sonata yet published, and offers a rare Schenkerian analysis of a variation movement.It may equally be read as a extension or critique of Schenkerian thinking: it goes beyond Schenker both in its espousal of unconventional 'background' strucures and in its suggestion of a single structural plan for the entire three-movement work. ... Read more

Book Description
Considered by many the world's greatest composer, Ludwig van Beethoven achieved his ambitions against the difficulties of a bullying and drunken father, growing deafness and mounting ill-health. This biography tells the story of his life and work from his birth in Bonn in 1770 and his early employment as a court musician to his death in Vienna in 1827. It describes his studies with Haydn in Vienna and his work during the French Revolution and the rise of Napoleon. His most financially successful period followed the Congress of Vienna in 1815, despite several unhappy love affairs and continuous worry over his nephew, Karl. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Beethoven Bio
This biography of Beethoven is well done.However, I just ordered the
Naxos biography because it has his music compositions within the story
of his life.I ordered this because I just finished the Naxos edition
of the life of Mozart.I then realized how much more enjoyable it is
with the music included.This edition of Beethoven's life is complete.
Whereas the Naxos edition is abridged.So I felt that both were necessary
to have a complete picture of this complicated, talented composer. ... Read more