Tag: Beethoven

  • Swafford’s ‘Beethoven: Anguish and Tragedy’

    Thoughtful Christmas gift of Jan Swafford’s recent Beethoven biography made an interesting read; still in progress but it is a brisk read. A module on Beethoven was part of my first year of undergraduate studies (taught by David Wyn-Jones, author of The Life of Beethoven) and I recall his warning that anything about the composer […]

  • The art of suffering

    It is a real testament to Amy Winehouse’s impact that reportedly 20 million tweets were sent about her untimely death. Her personal struggles undoubtedly colour one’s appreciation of her music and it seems fitting that she will be subsequently canonised as a great artist. It scares me a little that artistic endeavour might depend on […]