New-York tribune., 1922-01-01
A Life Of Beethoven,
from German and Other Sources
The Worlds Greatest Musical Genius Revealed
IN New Volume as Man
and Composer

2"E LIFE OF LUDWIG VAN BET
fEoVEN. BY Alexander wheelock
Fhayer. Ecited BY Henry Edward
kreheiei Published BY Tho Beethoven
Association OF New York three vols
.sENH BE season's most distnguishod
contribution to musical let
ters is THE Life Of Ludwig
van Beethoven" BY Alexander
Nheelock Thayer, edited. revised and
amended from the original English
manuscript and the German editions
@ Herman De'ters and Hugo Riemann.
concluded. and all the documents new
ly translated by Henry Edward Kreh~
b'el, lately published by the Bee
thoven Association Of New York.
beautifully printed and bound with
dignity bchtting the subject, the
work S N three volumes. There are
several portraits. An elaborate genera!
'ndex and an Index to compositions add
20 the value Of the work
Known AfYectionately among friends
and colleagues as "The Dean" Of mus
oal criticism IN New York, MIR. Krehbiel
hes been chrcnicler Of matters musi-
on since 1874 and the musical critic
this journal since 1880. This vol
lme is the orovning achievement Of Z.
Ing career Of honorable and d!stin,
Alished service, not merely as q write
oa dairy events in the musical life of
n great city, but as the author OF
many instructive and valuable musi
eli topics The prestige Of the writer
rss ssponsiDle for The present pubioa-
h,.on is therefore akin to the great
ress Of the musical Titan whose life'
. story is set forth In spirit O.
,everenco and con amore The book,
which is fascinating reading alike for
the student Of musical history and the
Jayman, represents infinite care end
intensive industry. The style, especial
ly chat in which the concluding chap
ters, left unfinished by Thayers col
laborator. DR. Deiters. arc written, rep
,esents Mr.. Kreh6iel at his best.
The book Is dedicated by Mr.. Kreh-
biel "ro the memory Of Alexander
Wheelock Thayer and DR.. Herman
Deiters; also in grateful appreciation
TO the Beethoven Association and with
large measure of gratitude and afec-
tion to his friend and colleague, Rich
ard Aldrich'
The biography is ths result of pa
tient collecting and sitting Of mass
OF Beethovenians, the fruits Of the la
bors Of German editors, close perusal
Of the original manuscript of Thayer
and volumiuous matter accumulated BY
him, supplemented by knowledge ac-
cumulated since the publication Of the
first German edition. placed at the
service Of Nj. Krehbiel by German re-
visers Of the second edition The true
story Of Beethoven's life Is told here
for the first time without the foolish
romantic ssntimentality with which
many other writer's have embellished
their biograO hical chronicles. Many Of
The details are new TO English and
American readers. Some are new to
the world. for this volume 10 not
translation OF the German work, but an
adaptation of the original manuscript
The following postscript to the pref
ace explains the present publication Of
She volume;
"Ths breaking out. In August, 1914,
of the war between Austria and Serbia,
which eventually involved nearly all
the civilized nations Of the world. led
the publishors who had originally
undertaken to print this work as
brought to conclusion by tho Amer
ican editor. Indefinitely to postpone
its publication. In the spring Of 1920