First published in 1927, J. W. N. Sullivan's “Beethoven - His Spiritual Development” explores the subject of Beethoven's spirituality, which the author believes he expressed through his greatest musical compositions. Contents include: “Art and Reality”, “Music as Isolated”, “Music as Expression”, “Beethoven’s Characteristics”, “The Morality of Power”, “The Mind of Beethoven”, “The Hero”, “The End of a Period”, “Love and Money”, “The Hammerclavier Sonata”, “God the Companion”, etc. A fascinating study of Beethoven's work not to be missed by fans of classical music. John William Navin Sullivan (1886–1937) was a popular literary journalist and science writer who wrote some of the first accounts of Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity for the laymen. Sullivan was acquainted with a number of important writers in 1920s London including T. S. Eliot, Aldous Huxley, and Aleister Crowley. Read & Co. Books is republishing this classic work now in a new edition complete with a specially-commissioned new biography of the author.

This antiquarian volume contains a comprehensive yet popular treatise on the life and work of Beethoven. Written in clear, plain language and full of interesting insights into the character of this master musician, 'Beethoven - His Spiritual Development' is a fascinating study ideal for those with no special knowledge of music. It deals primarily with human life in general, and will appeal to those with an interest in music, its cultural significance, and the contributions Beethoven has made to modern life and music. The chapters of this book include: 'Art and Reality', 'Music as Isolated', 'Music as Expression', 'Beethoven's Characteristics', 'The Morality of Power', 'The Mind of Beethoven', 'The Hero', 'The End of a Period', 'Love and Money', 'The Hammerclavier Sonata', 'God the Companion', and more. We are republishing this book with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.

From the Author's Preface: "I believe that in his greatest music Beethoven was primarily concerned to express his personal vision of life. This vision was, of course, the product of his character and his experience. Beethoven the man and Beethoven the composer are not two unconnected entities, and the known history of the man may be used to throw light upon the character of his music." Clifton Fadiman has said of this classic study: "It is the most interesting book on music that I have ever read and it is not written for musical experts; rather for people like myself who like to listen to music but can boast no special knowledge of it. It deals not only with music, on which I do not speak with authority, but with human life in general, about which you and I speak with authority every day of our lives."

Written for the general reader, this book reveals how Beethoven's great works reflect both his artistic individuality and the deepest philosophical and political currents of his age.

Mellers, a composer, musician, author, and Honorary Fellow of Downing College, Cambridge, presents his classic biography of Beethoven.

“An ideal ‘first book’ on Beethoven” from one of the world’s most eminent classical music aficionados (Booklist). Beethoven scholar and classical radio host John Suchet has had a lifelong, ardent interest in the man and his music. Here, in his first full-length biography, Suchet illuminates the composer’s difficult childhood, his struggle to maintain friendships and romances, his ungovernable temper, his obsessive efforts to control his nephew’s life, and the excruciating decline of his hearing. This absorbing narrative provides a comprehensive account of a momentous life, as it takes the reader on a journey from the composer’s birth in Bonn to his death in Vienna. Chronicling the landmark events in Beethoven’s career—from his competitive encounters with Mozart to the circumstances surrounding the creation of the well-known “Für Elise” and Moonlight Sonata—this book enhances understanding of the composer’s character, inspiring a deeper appreciation for his work. Beethoven scholarship is constantly evolving, and Suchet draws on the latest research, using rare source material (some of which has never before been published in English) to paint a complete and vivid portrait of the legendary prodigy. “A gripping and thought-provoking read.” —Howard Shelley, pianist and conductor “By exercising a genuine authority in identifying how Beethoven, the man, manifests himself in our appreciation of the music, Suchet brings an incisive freshness to an extraordinary life.” —Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, Principal of the Royal Academy of Music

This inaugural volume of Beethoven Forum presents the work of ten leading scholars who focus on an array of matters that clearly illustrate the vitality of current thought on Beethoven. Scott Burnham leads off the collection with a discussion of the reception of Beethoven's Third Symphony, the Eroica, a composition that continues to spur new interpretations. In succeeding chapters James Webster analyzes the formal sophistication of Beethoven's most influential and idiosyncratic creation, the last movement of his Ninth Symphony; Roger Kamien and William Kinderman examine piano sonatas; David Smyth and Richard Kramer investigate string quartets; Robert Freeman discusses his discovery of previously unknown cadenzas for Beethoven's piano concertos; Theodore Albrecht relates Beethoven's reading of Shakespeare to Beethoven's own life, and both to the "Tempest" Sonata; and Nicholas Marston uses Barry Cooper's recent work on Beethoven as the basis for a consideration of value of sketch studies. In an especially innovating article Julia Moore discusses the economic forces that shaped Beethoven's career. An annual series, Beethoven Forum will serve as an international venue for articles, notes, queries, critical exchanges, and reviews.