New book

[heidi]

I just received a new Beethoven book yesterday. "The Beethoven Song Companion" by Paul Reid. Paul Reid is the chairman for the Schubert Institute in the UK who also wrote The Schubert Song Companion. I have a friend in the UK who is also a member of the SIUK and is friends with the author who managed to get a copy for me and even had it signed by Mr. Reid. I know the book is not due out for a few more months (Feb.2008) but I thought I would give you a heads up that it is coming. I haven't had a chance to read any of it yet but can give you a review when I do.

Heidi

[Michael]

I just received a new Beethoven book yesterday. "The Beethoven Song Companion" by Paul Reid. Paul Reid is the chairman for the Schubert Institute in the UK who also wrote The Schubert Song Companion. I have a friend in the UK who is also a member of the SIUK and is friends with the author who managed to get a copy for me and even had it signed by Mr. Reid. I know the book is not due out for a few more months (Feb.2008) but I thought I would give you a heads up that it is coming. I haven't had a chance to read any of it yet but can give you a review when I do.

Heidi

This sounds very interesting. Apart from the folksong arrangements, Beethoven's Lieder must be the most neglected area of his output. He wrote almost a hundred songs but only a handful are performed today. I would be curious to know if this book contains English translations for each song because quite a few CD compilations have only the German/Italian words in their booklets.
I bought the fine Hermann Prey complete set about fifteen years ago and got to know all the songs by melody alone without having the slightest idea what the words meant. It was not until the DGG complete edition came out, with English translations, that I was able to say: "Oh, so that's what this song is all about".

[heidi]

Sorry, but I have only glanced through the book so far (busy mom). But it does have English translations. Here is what is written on the back.

"This is the first full-lenght, published study of Beethoven's songs. All the composer's songs with piano are included, with full German texts and translations, together with comprehensive notes on poetry and music. The inclusion of unfinished songs gives a fascinating insight into Beethoven's compositional methods.

An introductory essay considers reasons for the relative neglect of the songs, the significance of Beethoven's choice of texts, his crucial role in the development of the German art-song and specific aspects such as choice of key. Throughout the book, poetic and musical texts are discussed in their historical context, and in the overall context of Beethoven's life and music.

This book will be of interest and value to singers and their accompanists, as well as to enthusiasts. The details on locations of autographs and the genesis of key works will also be an aid to further academic research.

It is anticipated that this book, like its predecessor 'The Schubert Song Companion', will encourage the performance and study of an important but comparatively neglected aspect of the work of the world's most celebrated composer."



I hope that helps. Do a Google search on 'Paul Reid-Beethoven' and you will get more info.


Heidi

[Michael]

Thanks, Heidi. Even "complete" CD editions do not include all the verses of certain songs, especially if the tune is the same all the way through. In fact, the selection of verses seems to vary wildly from one edition to another. Maybe this book will give definitive texts, if it is possible to do so today.

[Fidelio]

Is not Barry Cooper also a contributer?

[heidi]

Is not Barry Cooper also a contributer?

Yes. He wrote the forward to the book.

[jak]

I'd be interested in reading it, if it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

Am I missing something in calling these "songs" ... I don't think I've ever heard a song by LVB

[gardibolt]

Amazon has it at $90. Reid has done a superb job on this book (and I say that not just because Willem and I are significant contributors on the lesser-known songs and unfinished song sketches). It pretty much has everything you could possibly want to know about the songs short of the full scores of everything (and for the unpublished items, he sometimes does so). The texts are definitive and as far as I can see complete, with both the German and a side-by-side English translation.

The only mild annoyance is that the songs are discussed in alphabetical order, alphabetized by the complete title, including the article, so I have to try to remember, is it Der Arme Componist or Die Arme Componist? [Der.]

One invaluable service Reid has done is tracking down the elusive sources for many of texts of the songs; a surprising number of them came from only a few sources that were contributed to by many poets (e.g., Voss's Musenalmanach).

[Quijote]

I just received a new Beethoven book yesterday. "The Beethoven Song Companion" by Paul Reid. Paul Reid is the chairman for the Schubert Institute in the UK who also wrote The Schubert Song Companion. I have a friend in the UK who is also a member of the SIUK and is friends with the author who managed to get a copy for me and even had it signed by Mr. Reid. I know the book is not due out for a few more months (Feb.2008) but I thought I would give you a heads up that it is coming. I haven't had a chance to read any of it yet but can give you a review when I do.

Heidi

Message for Heidi, Michael, Fidelio, Jak and Gardibolt : if you admire the music of Schubert may I also recommend a book to you :

Lawrence KRAMER, Franz Schubert, Sexuality, Subjectivity, Song, Cambridge Studies in Music Theory and Analysis, Cambridge University Press, 1998.

[PDG]

Now don't go and spoil it, Philip; I was just starting to warm to you...

[Quijote]

Don't shoot the messenger, PDG !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fidelio]

The Beethoven Book is on my Santa Wish List!

[PDG]

The Schubert book is on my death wish list!

[Fidelio]

It does sound rather heavy going.....and Schubert.....

[Quijote]

The Schubert book is on my death wish list!

Ah, PDG, what an open mind you have !!! Oh well. In the meantime, something more up your street, perhaps : the latest offering from Kinderman, as follows :

The String Quartets of Beethoven (Ed. William Kinderman), University of Illinois Press, 2006.

It's a bit pricy, I admit, but does have a great collection of essays from leading Beethoven scholars and showcases the latest research and thinking on the quartets (including Kinderman, Lockwood, Caplin and Kerman et al; though the Kerman is his latest updating from his 60s essay, "Opus 131 and the Uncanny").

I am currently doing battle with one chapter from this book (Malcolm Miller, Peak Experience : High Register and Structure in the "Razumovsky" Quartets, Op. 59). As the title indicates, the main thrust of the essay is B's innovative treatment of register as a structural and expressive resource, and not just for sonorous or colouristic effect. I said 'doing battle' because it requires me to dig out my books on Schenkerian analysis and do some serious revision. No 'gender' here, then !!!