REVIEW: BEETHOVEN: The Universal Composer

Beethoven by Edmund Morris

Much as I had looked forward to reading BEETHOVEN: THE UNIVERSAL COMPOSER, I found it a little heavier than what I’m used to. There were parts that I loved – like the author’s beautiful, flowing descriptions of Beethoven’s works. Mr. Morris really seems to have a passion for music! I could almost hear the songs as he described them!

And, I found it interesting to see how difficult it must be to write such complicated music! I’ve dabbled in composition, myself, but nothing so extravagant, and I’ve never known the degree of effort that must go into something like the works of Beethoven.

Otherwise, though, I had a hard time continuing with this book. I often found myself wishing I knew more about the musical terms the author referred to – what they meant, what they sounded like, etc.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has studied music, but not to the casual reader who’s just looking for a good book.

Rated: C (average)