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Thayer's Life of Beethoven, Part I by
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First published January 1, 1921
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 28, 2020
I think I should have read this biography years ago. It's considered definitive, but despite its wealth of detail and depth of research into Beethoven's life and times, there are still gaps. It begins before Beethoven's birth to give background of his ancestors and family who were originally from Belgium which was a surprise to me. His grandfather was an accomplished musician and kapellmeister for the Elector in Bonn, but his father, while a good singer with steady work for most of his life, wasn't nearly as accomplished. Then along came Beethoven, the oldest of three boys, and by far the most talented musically. While Thayer doesn't really dwell on it, the point is made clearly that Beethoven's father was physically abusive towards his oldest son. There was a theory that Beethoven's deafness was a result of his father boxing his ears, but Thayer reports that he had suffered a severe bout of Typhus about 1.5-2 years before he began losing his hearing. Thayer makes the point that Typhus is known to attack the nervous system, and Beethoven's hearing loss was because of nerve damage. Beethoven's autopsy supports this theory.
Without being obvious about it, Thayer immerses the reader in the time, the places, and describes the people of the time as well as Beethoven's activities. He remained in Bonn until he was 22, and he was already making a name for himself as a virtuoso pianist. Then he moved to Vienna and managed to make quite a huge splash as a pianist and captured the attention of the music-loving nobility who would support him the rest of his life in one way or another. I have lived in Vienna myself, and there are many familiar names here, familiar places as well. It startled me at one point to realize that the Musikverein Concert Hall had not yet been built. Concerts during the early 19th century were not performed in the same way we see classical music concerts now. And the nobility often controlled the theater and concert venues where they could be performed.
I loved the descriptions of Beethoven by his friends or associates. Before he began to lose his hearing, he seemed impulsive and could be gregarious, even mischievous, and loved to laugh. His hearing was described as highly sensitive, and he was known for his improvisations at the piano. He also could charm the ladies, but no one described him as being handsome. Much to my surprise, his face had pockmarks from smallpox that he'd survived as a child. He was a short man, solid, with dark hair and "dark" skin. He was also apparently socially inept, and he'd had only the bare minimum of education since his father wanted him to focus on music to make money for the family. So, he had that in common with Mozart, who had died before Beethoven arrived in Vienna. Beethoven, however, studied with Haydn, and much to my surprise, Antonio Salieri, who was considered a master of Italian opera at the time.
Beethoven made his name in Vienna first as a piano virtuoso, but his true calling was as a composer. He composed piano sonatas, concertos, and other works for himself to play early on. Then when his hearing began to fail, he withdrew more and more from society and focused on composing rather than piano performance. His hearing loss was gradual, but he was most likely completely deaf by 1814, the year that closes this Part 1 of this two-volume biography. I think it's hard to imagine what it must have felt like for him to lose his hearing. He went to one doctor after another, seeking a cure, but nothing worked. Ironically, even at his most despairing, he was composing his gorgeous music, some of it quite happy and uplifting in character like the Sixth Symphony.
Every time Thayer mentions a piece of music, I hear it in my mind if I know it, and I know a lot of Beethoven's music. I've played and performed some of his piano sonatas, for example. I found it fascinating to read about his music education (there were no conservatories or music schools at that time), and how he purposefully broke the rules of composition established by Bach and followed by everyone until Beethoven. He admired Bach and played his Well-tempered Clavier. He admired Mozart as well as Haydn, and especially Handel. And it's clear from the descriptions of his daily life, that he lived music, lived to compose, and had little interest in much of anything else.
This was the first volume, the first 605 pages of Thayer's over 1100 page biography. I'm enjoying it as if living myself during Beethoven's time and seeing the places in Vienna he sees, knowing the palaces he visits because many still stand in Vienna. I highly recommend this biography of Beethoven to anyone interested in his life, his music, and his time. Really looking forward to the second volume!
Without being obvious about it, Thayer immerses the reader in the time, the places, and describes the people of the time as well as Beethoven's activities. He remained in Bonn until he was 22, and he was already making a name for himself as a virtuoso pianist. Then he moved to Vienna and managed to make quite a huge splash as a pianist and captured the attention of the music-loving nobility who would support him the rest of his life in one way or another. I have lived in Vienna myself, and there are many familiar names here, familiar places as well. It startled me at one point to realize that the Musikverein Concert Hall had not yet been built. Concerts during the early 19th century were not performed in the same way we see classical music concerts now. And the nobility often controlled the theater and concert venues where they could be performed.
I loved the descriptions of Beethoven by his friends or associates. Before he began to lose his hearing, he seemed impulsive and could be gregarious, even mischievous, and loved to laugh. His hearing was described as highly sensitive, and he was known for his improvisations at the piano. He also could charm the ladies, but no one described him as being handsome. Much to my surprise, his face had pockmarks from smallpox that he'd survived as a child. He was a short man, solid, with dark hair and "dark" skin. He was also apparently socially inept, and he'd had only the bare minimum of education since his father wanted him to focus on music to make money for the family. So, he had that in common with Mozart, who had died before Beethoven arrived in Vienna. Beethoven, however, studied with Haydn, and much to my surprise, Antonio Salieri, who was considered a master of Italian opera at the time.
Beethoven made his name in Vienna first as a piano virtuoso, but his true calling was as a composer. He composed piano sonatas, concertos, and other works for himself to play early on. Then when his hearing began to fail, he withdrew more and more from society and focused on composing rather than piano performance. His hearing loss was gradual, but he was most likely completely deaf by 1814, the year that closes this Part 1 of this two-volume biography. I think it's hard to imagine what it must have felt like for him to lose his hearing. He went to one doctor after another, seeking a cure, but nothing worked. Ironically, even at his most despairing, he was composing his gorgeous music, some of it quite happy and uplifting in character like the Sixth Symphony.
Every time Thayer mentions a piece of music, I hear it in my mind if I know it, and I know a lot of Beethoven's music. I've played and performed some of his piano sonatas, for example. I found it fascinating to read about his music education (there were no conservatories or music schools at that time), and how he purposefully broke the rules of composition established by Bach and followed by everyone until Beethoven. He admired Bach and played his Well-tempered Clavier. He admired Mozart as well as Haydn, and especially Handel. And it's clear from the descriptions of his daily life, that he lived music, lived to compose, and had little interest in much of anything else.
This was the first volume, the first 605 pages of Thayer's over 1100 page biography. I'm enjoying it as if living myself during Beethoven's time and seeing the places in Vienna he sees, knowing the palaces he visits because many still stand in Vienna. I highly recommend this biography of Beethoven to anyone interested in his life, his music, and his time. Really looking forward to the second volume!
June 19, 2011
It took a few days to accustom myself to reading a 19th century work of non-fiction. It's more lyrical in it's rhythm or meter than a contemporary work. It's flowing now however, and incredibly detailed. At nearly 1100 pages, it dwarfs Maynard Solomon's biography of LVB!
Just completed both volumes. A very clear picture of LVB indeed! No hint of Maynard Solomon's "Phyco-babble". It's rather refreshing to read a 19th century non-fiction author. Beethoven's struggle created some of the most iconic monuments in the history western civilization. Of course, at this point in time, his art moves people living on all parts of the globe!
Now it's time to return to Alan Tyson's three books of Beethoven studies.....then Scnabel's bio and Brendel's essays on the Piano Sonatas.
I will moving backwards from there to Haydn, Mozart, and back to my second reading of Spitta's bio on JS Bach.......only then will I return to my on going study of Arnold Schoenberg....my hero!!
Just completed both volumes. A very clear picture of LVB indeed! No hint of Maynard Solomon's "Phyco-babble". It's rather refreshing to read a 19th century non-fiction author. Beethoven's struggle created some of the most iconic monuments in the history western civilization. Of course, at this point in time, his art moves people living on all parts of the globe!
Now it's time to return to Alan Tyson's three books of Beethoven studies.....then Scnabel's bio and Brendel's essays on the Piano Sonatas.
I will moving backwards from there to Haydn, Mozart, and back to my second reading of Spitta's bio on JS Bach.......only then will I return to my on going study of Arnold Schoenberg....my hero!!
August 22, 2014
This is for the person who wants more than just the facts of Beethoven's life. It details how we know what we know, goes over countless letters and receipts and firsthand accounts. It's a tedious read in this sense but also reveals a few treasures on occasion--glimpses of Beethoven not as a mythical figure or even as the iconic composer, but as a man who dealt with the mundane and personal stuff in life as much as anyone.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews