Amongst all the figures in the history of Western art forms, Beethoven is one of the most radical and influential. Not only did he produce some of the most celebrated and recognizable music of all time, but his influence dramatically accelerated the development of musical composition. He was instrumental in raising the status of the composer from that of a court servant to one of an independent artist.
Much has been written on Beethoven, including many substantial biographies. The most notable of these is a monumental work by Alexander Wheelock Thayer. But there are also many shorter and more accessible works, like this entertaining text by novelist, art historian, and music critic, Romain Rolland. A passionate devotee of music, Rolland also wrote a number of substantial essays about other musicians, including biographical sketches of Handel, Wagner, and Berlioz.
The book also contains the famous Heiligenstadt Testament, selected letters, and recorded thoughts of the great composer.
Romain Rolland (1866-1944), premio Nobel per la letteratura nel 1915, ha dedicato l'opera e la vita alla diffusione di un credo umanitario di pace e di fraternità. Compose numerose biografie esemplari, tra cui questa di Michelangelo, nel 1905. La vita dell'eroe della Sistina (come lo chiama l'autore) viene percorsa più volte analizzando vari aspetti della sua vita: la lotta, la sua ossessione artistica, gli amori idealizzati, e infine, l’amore per Dio e il desiderio della liberazione dalla vita. Cornice musicale: l'Eroica di Ludwig van Beethoven.