Without his music, the man Ludwig van Beethoven would be unknown to history. I understand John Suchet's purpose in this non-specialist biography, but the scarcity of information about how and why Beethoven's music was revolutionary is frustrating. In particular, the break between the early symphonies, redolent of Haydn and Mozart, and the massive No. 3 needs a better explanation. One area where Suchet succeeds is in demonstrating how the personal situation of the composer, frequently dire, was no obstacle to his producing the most glorious music.
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