Ludwig van Beethoven (Biography in 3 Volumes) (ePub)

Alexander Wheelock Thayer (1817-1897) stands as an eminent figure in the realm of musicology, most notably for his exhaustive and scholarly biography of the illustrious composer Ludwig van Beethoven. Born in Massachusetts, Thayer was not just an acclaimed historian; he served as an American diplomat in Trieste, Italy, balancing his professional duties with his passionate engagement in historical research. His magnum opus, the 'Life of Ludwig van Beethoven,' originally published in three volumes between 1866 and 1879, has been widely esteemed for its meticulousness and depth of inquiry into the composer's life and character. Thayer's biographical work significantly shaped the study of Beethoven, establishing a benchmark for meticulous archival research and combining a commitment to factual accuracy with an engaging narrative style. His biography was a product of years of tireless research, including examinations of primary sources and correspondence, looking beyond the myths that commonly surrounded Beethoven's persona. It is a testimony to Thayer's dedication that subsequent biographers continued to revise and complete his work posthumously, maintaining its status as a cardinal reference for Beethoven scholarship. Thayer's literary style resonates with the investigative spirit of the 19th-century historiography, embracing the positivist belief in the capacity of rigorous historical method to uncover the 'objective' truths of Beethoven's life.