Selected Recent Beethoven and Beethoven-Related Publications (2007-2009)

The following descriptions of books and scores recendy acquired by the Beethoven Center are intended to aid readers in selecting new publications that appeal to their individual interests. Pan I, Books for the General Reader, encompasses biographies, histories, repertory guides and other reference books, and introductory texts appropriare for the music student. Also included are works of fiction, poetry, and children's books. 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 general reader or specialist, I have accepted their categorization. To obtain books and simultaneously benefit the American Beethoven Society, please order them online through tGive.com. A percentage of sales of books and other merchandise purchased through iGive participating dealers (including Barnes & Noble) will benefit the ABS. For those publications not available through Barnes & Noble, please contact your local bookseller. To order Beethoven-Haus publications directly, visit die website of their distributor, Carus Verlag . Owing to the large number of books in this issue, my list of recent music editions will be postponed until the Winter 2009 issue. I. Books for the General Reader IA. Books in English (or parallel texts in English and other languages) HISTORY, CRITICISM, PERFORMANCE PRACTICES, LISTENING AND TRAVEL GUIDES Bashford, Christina. The Pursuit of High Culture: John Ella and Chamber Musk in Victorian London. Musk in Britain, 1 600- 1 900. Wooldbridge, Suffolk; Rochester, NY: Boydell Press, 2007. xiv, 410 pp. ISBN 978-1 -84383-298-0 (hardback): $95. John Ella (1802-1888) was an English musician, criric, and concert organizer who in 1845 founded The Musical Union, a society for the promotion of chamber music performances in London. An enthusiastic patron of high art, he viewed Beethoven's works as the pinnacle of musical achievement and worked to develop their appreciation by the general public. As a youth in Leicester, he was likely influenced by William Gardiner (1770-1853), one of the firsr champions of Beethoven's music in England. Later he became a violinist in the London opera band and other orchestras, participating in the first performance of Beethoven's Ninth there in 1825. This engaging biography, pieced together from Ella's diaries and other primary sources, describes this working musician's many successes and frustrations until he achieved the ambition for which he is now chiefly remembered: the Musical Union subscription concert series. The book is as much a biography of this organization as of Ella himself. It describes in detail the series' venues, authences, programs, and financial matters. The appendices include sample programs, an analysis of the repertory that shows Beethoven's predominance, lists of performers, authence statistics, and supplementary notes on Ella's family. With select bibliography and index. Bozarth, George S. Johannes Brahms & George Henschel: An Enduring Friendship. Sterling Heights, Ml: Harmonie Park Press, 2008. xx, 334 pp. + 1 CD. ISBN s8999s?4s9 (paperback). $44. George Henschel (1850-1934), one of the greatest singers of his era, also gained considerable success and fame as a conductor and composer. He was also a friend and collaborator with Brahms and fostered the performance of Brahms's vocal and orchestral works in the United States and Great Britain. This history of their relationship reproduces Henschel's published reminiscences and articles from journals, supplemented by previously unpublished correspondence. The introductory chapters, illustrated with photographs, drawings, and facsimiles of music manuscripts, provide a detailed biographical picture of Henschel's life and career. Although the discussions of Beethoven s music are sporadic, the book is included here for the references to contemporaries who were significant figures in Beethoven reception, such as Ignaz Moscheles (Henschel's fortepiano teacher), Gustav Nottebohm, and Sir George Grove. …