“The Beethoven Compendium: A Guide to Beethoven's Life and Music”, edited by Barry Cooper

 

351 pages, Thames & Hudson, ISBN-13: 978-0500015230

I bought The Beethoven Compendium: A Guide to Beethoven’s Life and Music (edited by Barry Cooper) back in the early 90’s from a branch of Dillons Booksellers (back when there was a Dillons) when I took a trip to London, England, through Macomb Community College. This is the first book about Beethoven I ever bought, but not the first I reviewed: first was The Ninth: Beethoven and the World in 1824 by Harvey Sachs (reviewed on April 15^th, 2013), next was Beethoven: The Composer as Hero by Philippe Autexier (reviewed on March 22^nd, 2018), then there was Beethoven: The Music and the Life by Lewis Lockwood (reviewed on November 5^th, 2019) and lately Beethoven: The Universal Composer by Edmund Morris (reviewed on May 11^th, 2020), each of varying quality (as you well remember, having read them all, of course). While these represent the undoubtedly thousands of books that have been written about Beethoven, what sets the Compendium apart is that it offers chapter after exhaustive chapter of information on every aspect of, as the title states, Beethoven’s life and music. Want proof? ‘kay:

• Calendar of Beethoven’s life, works and related events
• Beethoven’s family tree
• Who’s Who of Beethoven’s contemporaries
• Historical background
• Musical background
• Beethoven as an individual
• Beethoven’s beliefs and opinions

Along with several more sections dedicated solely to his music. Every time I pick this book up I find something new and interesting to read about for, as anyone can see, the Compendium offers information on several aspects about Beethoven that many other authors have neglected. Obviously, the music is catalogued and described as well as anyone has before but, beyond that, further details of the great composer’s personality, writing style, health difficulties, as well as his known views on a variety of topics, provide endless hours of fascinating reading. The structure of the Compendium also affords one the opportunity to go directly to an area of interest without having to wade through myriad pages, another way in which I was impressed by the thoroughness of the book. Listings of people who Beethoven knew or interacted with, those who influenced him (as well as those whom he influenced), pictures and descriptions of his handwriting and manuscripts, the historical perspective on the times he lived in…all are clearly described (also included are eight pages of paintings, sculptures and sketches of the maestro). The Beethoven Compendium is an indispensable reference and invaluable source of information for anyone desiring to learn more about the Greatest Composer Ever. I said it again.