Alexander Wheelock Thayer

The Life of Ludwig Van Beethoven

In 1863-64, the author penned what remains today the most extensive biography of Antonio Salieri in the English language. In a lively style, abounding with wit and commentary on current events, the author presents a thorough account of Salieri's life, dealing objectively with such controversial issues as his supposed "boycott" of Mozart's Marriage of Figaro, his obstruction of Mozart's desired appointment at court, his alleged poisoning of Mozart, and the delusions which Salieri suffered during his mental and physical decline in old age. Viewed against the backdrop of long-time Hapsburg patronage of Italian opera in Vienna, Salieri emerges as an industrious composer of musical comedy and drama to suit the imperial taste. For the first time he becomes a recognizable human being, a loving husband and father, a light-hearted friend, as well as a generous teacher. At the same time, however, Salieri remained politically astute, even cunning, in furthering his own career. Thayer's compelling narrative includes liberal quotes from associates who knew Salieri well, in addition to many personal reminiscences by the composer himself. This new, updated and enlarged edition also contains several appendices which Thayer was forced to omit from the original, including Salieri's essays on his teacher Gluck and on methods of string playing, as well as observations on the aged Salieri's behavior by his two male nurses.

Rival of Mozart

Salieri

Henry Edward Krehbiel

Hugo Riemann

Hermann Deiters

Volume III

The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven

Beethoven Association

The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven, Volume I of III

Thayer

Ludwig van Beethovens Leben

Ludwig van Beethoven's leben

The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven is the first scholarly biography of Ludwig van Beethoven, covering Beethoven's life to 1816. Thayer became aware of many discrepancies in the already existing biographies of Beethoven, so in 1849 he sailed for Europe to undertake his own researches, learning German and collecting information. Still after many updates Thayer's biography of Beethoven is regarded as a standard work of reference on the composer.

Complete Edition

The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven (Vol. 1-3)

Ludwig Van Beethoven's Leben

Signor Masoni and other papers. - Berlin, Schneider 1862

The 1921 three-volume English edition of a landmark biography of one of the world's greatest composers.

The Life of Ludwig Van Beethoven:

Volume II

"Tenth paperback printing, for the first time in two volumes, 1991"--Title page verso.

Thayer's Life of Beethoven

One of the compensations for the horrors of the French Revolution was the sweeping away of many of the petty sovereignties into which Germany was divided, thereby rendering in our day a union of the German People and the rise of a German Nation possible. The first to fall were the numerous ecclesiastical-civil members of the old, loose confederation, some of which had played no ignoble nor unimportant part in the advance of civilization; but their day was past. The people of these states had in divers respects enjoyed a better lot than those who were subjects of hereditary rulers, and the old German saying: "It is good to dwell under the crook," had a basis of fact. At the least, they were not sold as mercenary troops; their blood was not shed on foreign fields to support their prince's ostentatious splendor, to enable mistresses and ill-begotten children to live in luxury and riot. But the antiquated ideas to which the ecclesiastical rulers held with bigoted tenacity had become a barrier to progress, the exceptions being too few to render their farther existence desirable. These members of the empire, greatly differing in extent, population, wealth and political influence, were ruled with few or no exceptions by men who owed their positions to election by chapters or other church corporations, whose numbers were so limited as to give full play to every sort of intrigue; but they could not assume their functions until their titles were confirmed by the Pope as head of the church, and by the Emperor as head of the confederation. Thus the subject had no voice in the matter, and it hardly need be said that his welfare and prosperity were never included among the motives and considerations on which the elections turned.

Alexander Wheelock Thayer

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