What do you think? Does the description reflect reality?
"The first good reason to read this book is elementary: there are almost no other biographical texts dedicated to Beethoven in the Italian language. But this is not simply a useful, exhaustive, authoritative biography. It is an anomalous biography, such that to the reader Solomon's investigation seems at every step to hold in watermark a more general reflection on the very act of investigating, and on certain interesting variables thereof. A biography that is, in essence, an essay on the art of biography." (Alessandro Baricco, L'Indice)
I think it is a biography worth buying, if only because it contains the beautiful and passionate investigation - a true mystery masterpiece - into who the real identity of the Immortal Beloved was.
That being said, what Solomon writes should not be taken as gospel, and I am not referring only to the Immortal Beloved. Various of his psychological interpretations of Beethoven are highly debatable but, I repeat, it is worth reading and studying.
As for Baricco, his statement is probably outdated. Since 2004, there has been a Beethoven biography by an Italian: Piero Buscaroli. But that one, I would never recommend.
It is not dated. Baricco's statement is, above all, "funny": a beautiful expression "they almost don't exist" (I must remember to use it myself in the future).
Furthermore, it is false: "in the Italian language" (Solomon didn't write in Italian), there is also the Beethoven of my beloved Walter Riezler, published in Italy by Rusconi in the '70s with a preface by Buscaroli of about thirty pages that deserves reading. A different breed compared to the recent Buscaroli (I agree with Daniele's advice against it).
Coming to Solomon... Yes: I would recommend him. His way of approaching every issue, calm and thoughtful, never banal, certainly deserves the attention of anyone - expert or novice - interested in Beethovenian matters, regardless of whether they agree or not with his conclusions.
. . . Today is a decent day. There are almost no reasons to stay indoors
O
Oracolo
Member
Reply 4 by Oracolo
Posts
317
danielescarpetti wrote:
Hi Barbara!
about who the real identity of the Immortal Beloved was.
I remember this topic, where we dissected the issue
It is not dated. Baricco's statement is, above all, "funny": a beautiful expression «almost do not exist» (I must remember to use it myself in the future )
Goodness, I hadn't noticed that "almost." It had completely escaped me.
In reality, there is a biography of an Italian from 1998 that is very beautiful and detailed and is co-authored: Giorgio Vitale for the biographical part and Stefano Catucci for the works. The problem is that it was released in installments with an attached CD at newsstands by Il gruppo Fabbri.
Ah, I forgot! Then there's mine! But for now it only goes up to 1804. The only merit it has is that it costs nothing.
