Recent Beethoven and Beethoven-Related Books, Music Editions, and Facsimiles (1997-2000)

THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTIONS OF BOOKS AND SCORES RECENTLY ACQUIRED BY THE BEETHOVEN CENTER are intended to aid readers in selecting new publications that appeal to their individual interests. Part I, Books for the Reader, encompasses biographies, histories, repertory guides and other reference books, and introductory texts appropriate for the music student. Part II, Books for the Specialist, lists books with a highly analytical or philosophical focus intended for readers with substantial knowledge of music. In those cases where authors have identified their book as being for the reader or specialist, we have accepted their categorization. Part III lists critical editions and other selected scores and manuscript facsimiles. I. Books for the Reader IA. Books in English Altman, Gail S. Fatal Links: The Curious Deaths of Beethoven and the Two Napoleons. Tallahassee, Fl.: Anubian Press/Auguste-Schone Publishing, 1999. xvi, 228 pp. ISBN 1-888071-02-8. $15.95. The impetus for this book was the work of Dr. Ben Weider, who postulates that Napoleon Bonaparte was murdered by poison. After discovering that Johann Malfatti, the doctor who attempted to treat some of illnesses, was similarly employed by Francis Charles, the Duke of Riechstadt and Napoleon Bonaparte's son, Altman's suspicions were aroused. Her contention is that Malfatti not so much caused but rather hastened the deaths of both men. Her highly speculative thesis is based primarily on the evidence of opportunity that is not much strengthened by motive (other than Malfatti's attempt to curry favor with the Imperial court, who hated Beethoven). The appendices are more interesting, as they list common medicines used in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and compare symptoms of toxins and diseases. Also included are translations and commentary on the post mortem reports for both men, as well as Malfatti's heath report for the Duke. With bibliography and index. Beethoven, Ludwig van. Heiligenstadter Testament: Faksimile der Handschrift mit Ubertragung und Kommentar [Heiligenstadt Testament: Facsimile with Transcription and Commentary], edited by Sieghard Brandenburg. Veroffentlichungen des Beethoven-Hauses in Bonn; Reihe 3, Band 12. 49 pp. with facsimile. Bonn: Beethoven-Haus, 1999. 19 DM ($9). Folded inside this booklet is a full-size color facsimile of the Heiligenstadt Testament. The text and Sieghard Brandenburg's commentary are given in the original German, with translations in English, French, Italian, Spanish, and Japanese. The original document is today located at the Carl von Ossietzky State and University Library in Hamburg. The Critical Reception of Compositions by His German Contemporaries, vol. 1. Wayne M. Senner, editor, compiler, and translator; Robin Wallace and William Meredith, musicological editors. North American Beethoven Studies; 3. Lincoln, Neb.: Univ. of Nebraska Press, 1999. xviii, 260 pp. ISBN 08032-1250-X. $75. The general editor mined music and arts journals and newspapers from time for reviews of his music, and produced English translations. All three editors contributed to the commentary. Senner's introductory essay, Beethoven's Critics and the Evolution of Music and Literary Aesthetics in Eighteenth- and Early-Nineteenth-Century Germany, gives an overview of arts journalism and its philosophical underpinnings. The proceeding General section covers criticism of music that does not focus on particular works, but frequently compares his works to those of his contemporaries. The remainder of the book is organized by opus number, concluding with Opus 54, with some works lacking because they were not reviewed in the contemporary press. Each entry includes annotations to help identify the works or people mentioned in the text, or to explain otherwise obscure references. The first of four planned volumes, the book includes indexes of names, periodical titles, subjects, and works. …