Books about music

[Roehre]

Well noted, Ardcarp.

Beethoven: The Music and the Life by Lewis Lockwood. The most up-to-date biography on Beethoven, but very dense musicologically. i.e. more Music than Life, and that Music is expounded in all its musicological minutiae, staves'n'all. Unlike Christoph Wolff's Bach: The Learned Musician, whose musical musings never seemed (that) inscrutable to a layman such as me, (and, in any case, as a book it is more historically-minded (Life)), Lockwood's book was a slog to get through for the uninitiated such as me. If you can fathom the significance of 'an Augmented Fifth being used in the Lydian Mode', this will appeal, but look elsewhere for more of the life.

Being from 2003 Lockwood's Biography is the most up-to-date-English biography, but though it shows the author's musicological background I'm afraid I cannot find many "staves and all" in this very valuable volume.
[The most recent important Beethoven-biography is Küster's Beethoven (in German, 1994, 2nd revised version 2010), Suchet's is really meant for "beginners"]

This doesn't mean however that the standard Beethoven biography (Thayer/Forbes, The Life of Beethoven, Princeton 1964/1967, no pictures), though now half a century old, has lost its importance. [many reprints in hard and paperbacks, in 2 or just in 1 [then bulky] volume, and there is even a responsibly shortened but nicely illustrated version by the Folio Company),

The less voluminous, but intriguing biography by Maynard Solomon (Beethoven, 1976, a range of publishers, hard or paperback, some pictures) is worth considering, especially for the discussion re The Immortal Beloved. A very readible biography, without any musicological bits whatsoever, is Marek, Beethoven. Biography of a Genius (New York/London 1969, some nice pictures)
If you read German, I'd prefer the Marek in the German version (München, 1970), as the translator uses the original German quotes in the text which Marek's original only gives as paraphrases.

***

For brilliantly illustrated biographies, three come to mind, all of them not too expensive to be found on the net:
H.C.Robbins Landon. Beethoven 1970. This is a coffee table sized volume. There is a smaller sized one with the same texts, but with dramatically reduced number of illustrations (hard or paperback) published in 1975.(German and English versions, b/w and colour)
Hans Schmidt ed. Beethoven. The book which in 1969/1970 accompanied the DGG Beethoven Edition on 70 LPs and was reprinted in 1977. (German and English Versions, full colour)
Bory.Beethoven from 1960, well illustrated but many pictures in b/w, French, English, German versions.

[ardcarp]

The book I have most recently enjoyed...and I think it is one of the most fascinating...is After the Golden Age, Romantic Pianism and Modern Performance by Kenneth Hamilton. KH is a bit of a one-off, an academic (a professor in fact) a brilliant performing pianist, a terrific communicator and wit.

The book seeks to explore the development of piano playing and piano recitals in the times of Liszt, Thalberg, Rubinstein, Paderewski and others. The approach was all very different from what we do now. These days, for instance, an absolute adherence to what is notated is taken for granted. But it was not always so, and indeed improvisation before or after a 'recital' (the very word may have changed its meaning) was not unusual. There is also some comment on how the piano has developed and how the pre-1880 instrument may have shaped both writing and performance.

The book is, as one would expect, amusingly written, and also as one would expect, seeks to explode a few 'Golden Age' myths. It is not however a lightweight tome. There are quite a few 'bits of score' and quite a few dots, so it does need a bit of application to stick with it to the end.

Pub OUP 2006

[Thropplenoggin]

Being from 2003 Lockwood's Biography is the most up-to-date-English biography, but though it shows the author's musicological background I'm afraid I cannot find many "staves and all" in this very valuable volume.
[The most recent important Beethoven-biography is Küster's Beethoven (in German, 1994, 2nd revised version 2010), Suchet's is really meant for "beginners"]

This doesn't mean however that the standard Beethoven biography (Thayer/Forbes, The Life of Beethoven, Princeton 1964/1967, no pictures), though now half a century old, has lost its importance. [many reprints in hard and paperbacks, in 2 or just in 1 [then bulky] volume, and there is even a responsibly shortened but nicely illustrated version by the Folio Company),

The less voluminous, but intriguing biography by Maynard Solomon (Beethoven, 1976, a range of publishers, hard or paperback, some pictures) is worth considering, especially for the discussion re The Immortal Beloved. A very readible biography, without any musicological bits whatsoever, is Marek, Beethoven. Biography of a Genius (New York/London 1969, some nice pictures)
If you read German, I'd prefer the Marek in the German version (München, 1970), as the translator uses the original German quotes in the text which Marek's original only gives as paraphrases.

***

For brilliantly illustrated biographies, three come to mind, all of them not too expensive to be found on the net:
H.C.Robbins Landon. Beethoven 1970. This is a coffee table sized volume. There is a smaller sized one with the same texts, but with dramatically reduced number of illustrations (hard or paperback) published in 1975.(German and English versions, b/w and colour)
Hans Schmidt ed. Beethoven. The book which in 1969/1970 accompanied the DGG Beethoven Edition on 70 LPs and was reprinted in 1977. (German and English Versions, full colour)
Bory.Beethoven from 1960, well illustrated but many pictures in b/w, French, English, German versions.

Thanks for this meticulous bibliography of Beethoven biographies. I expect I shall go for the Solomon, but first I must digest his Mozart, which is presently wending its way to me. In the meantime, Raymond Chandler occupies my bedside table.

[gurnemanz]

I have to say that I didn't find it at all unreadable even though I knew pretty well nothing about Jungian psychology. It's a fascinating point of view on the Ring and the music examples were particularly enlightening.

Someone gave me Donington's Wagner's 'Ring' and its Symbols as a present about 40 years ago (the price on the back is scratched out. Mine is very well-thumbed and changed the way I thought about the Ring. It also gave me (a non-expert) a way into Jungian psychology. The crucial role of symbols and archetypes (myths and dreams) in the human psyche rang entirely true for me. I love this book which I bought around the same time.

A Mozart book I relished when I was getting to know his operas at that time was "Mozart the Dramatist" by Brigid Brophy

[MrGongGong]

This book

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Music-Society-Education-Culture/dp/0819563072

Is essential reading IMV

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

A Mozart book I relished when I was getting to know his operas at that time was "Mozart the Dramatist" by Brigid Brophy

Still the best guide to the writing and background of The Magic Flute that I know. (Some stupid - and totally unnecessary - comments about Beethoven, I seem to recollect )

[Roehre]

This book

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Music-Society-Education-Culture/dp/0819563072

Is essential reading IMV

[Roehre]

Still the best guide to the writing and background of The Magic Flute that I know. (Some stupid - and totally unnecessary - comments about Beethoven, I seem to recollect )

For (all of the) the Mozart Symphonies: Neal Zaslaw. Mozart's Symphonies , the only really readable and scientifically / musicologically 100% reliable book regarding these works.

[EdgeleyRob]

C Hubert H Parry,his life and music (Jeremy Dibble) is IMO a superb read and doesn't blind with science.

If money were no object I'd buy this too http://www.amazon.co.uk/Charles-Vill...tanford+dibble.

Does anyone know of other good books on these composers ?

[Roehre]

C Hubert H Parry,his life and music (Jeremy Dibble) is IMO a superb read and doesn't blind with science.

If money were no object I'd buy this too http://www.amazon.co.uk/Charles-Vill...tanford+dibble.

Does anyone know of other good books on these composers ?

I recall having read a critic regarding the Parry biography sometime in the early 1990s which was excellent, prompting me to read it; it really is an excellent biography. I'd almost say: biographers, take note of how this one has been researched and written.

I am afraid I don't know the Stanford biography. It escaped my attention, most likely even before it became a bit pricey.

[ardcarp]

I have a book by C. Hubert H.Parry, MA Mus Doc entitled Studies of Great Composers. It was published by Routledge, but there is no date. Mine is the 19th edition, so presumably it was quite popular. It has hand-cut pages. The composers discussed are: Palestrina, Handel, Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven,, Weber, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann and Wagner.

I am just about to re-read it after 50 years (prompted by this thread). I suspect a 100+ year view of musical history will be of more than just antiquarian interest. I do remember as a kid that 'The Lives' of great composers (heavily censored for any traces of lust, perversion, racism, etc) seemed to be an important part of the taught subject that was 'music'.

I'll report back when I've read it...if anyone's still keeping the thread going!

[Stanfordian]

C Hubert H Parry,his life and music (Jeremy Dibble) is IMO a superb read and doesn't blind with science.

If money were no object I'd buy this too http://www.amazon.co.uk/Charles-Vill...tanford+dibble.

Does anyone know of other good books on these composers ?

Hiya EdgeleyRob,

The Dibble book would not be my first choice biography on Sir CV Stanford. I have both books and the best Sir CV Stanford biography in my opionion is by Paul J. Rodmell on Ashgate Publishing Limited (2002). It has similar biographic content (they will have had access to generally the same sources, I guess) but Rodmell has a much more comprehensive works list.

Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Charles-Vill...ord%2C+rodmell

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

For (all of the) the Mozart Symphonies: Neil Zaslaw. Mozart's Symphonies , the only really readable and scientifically / musicologically 100% reliable book regarding these works.

One of those books that I frequently pick up "just to check a point", and end up being so entranced by what my eye lights on as I'm finding the page that I can spend hours reading it.

[Thropplenoggin]

For (all of the) the Mozart Symphonies: Neil Zaslaw. Mozart's Symphonies , the only really readable and scientifically / musicologically 100% reliable book regarding these works.

It's actually Neal. The other spelling won't bring it up in an Amazon search.

[Roehre]

It's actually Neal. The other spelling won't bring it up in an Amazon search.

thanks Thropples, duly amended