Why Beethoven

'From one of our most prolific and wide-ranging writers on music, here is a connoisseur’s guide to Beethoven recordings fleshed out with vivid bits of biography and memoir. Most books recommend either recordings or works. This singular book does both.'

'With these 100 reverently irreverent venerations, Lebrecht not only burnishes further the immortal legend of Beethoven but demonstrates that language need not end where music begins. An illuminating and uplifting mosaic.'

'Norman Lebrecht, in his remarkable book, shows that Beethoven has, in his philosophical approach, as much relevance as he always had – maybe even more in these crazy times.'

'Norman Lebrecht has turned his attention to Beethoven, and in a way that no one has done before. Lebrecht has had the idea of taking 100 pieces, briefly describing their origins and character, and then critically examining, and recommending, recordings of them. You want to build a Beethoven library? There can be no better starting point. You want to expand your existing collection? This book is for you. Not just the familiar works — symphonies and piano concertos — but lesser known chamber pieces, and even songs and musical quips. Not many Beethoven books tell you about the 30-second musical joke ‘Schuppanzigh ist ein Lump’. Lebrecht  does. Few chapters are more than a couple of pages long. Bite-sized Beethoven. Brilliant idea.'

‘An incredibly fascinating personal search for the “core” of Beethoven's personality, his legacies and relevance of his figure nowadays. Lots of details and facts were new to me, many of the chapters provoked me to think even further, beyond the music and philosophy of this titan.’

‘The greatest artists repay a lifetime of study. Now Norman Lebrecht has given us a lambent summing up of his adventures with Beethoven, deeply personal yet grounded in music that we know and love, inspiring readers to offer their own answers to the question “Why Beethoven?”’

‘The inimitable Norman Lebrecht here turns his glaring spotlight not so much onto the composer as onto responses to him over the intervening centuries. This is a Beethoven book for our pixelated, attention-deficient era… one heck of an enjoyable read.’

‘Any oldies who are a little hard of hearing will be moved by Norman Lebrecht’s new book.’

'Entertaining and informative... an ideal guide to the master’s wondrous achievements.'

‘This glorious study of Beethoven… a deep dive into the politics and cafe society of Beethoven’s day, and his effect on contemporary composers.’

'Why Beethoven is a provocatively illuminating, occasionally scandalous survey of the recordings that shaped Beethoven's life. It makes for an exhilarating narrative that in its wake also raises several divisive cultural issues.'