A reference biography in English
Author: George R. MAREK
Funk & Wagnalls, NY,
1969
696 pages.
Beethoven
The 1970 edition is the best version, but abridged newer versions are also available
Author: H. C. ROBBINS LANDON
The World of Art Library
Music – Arts book Society
1975 – 216 pages.
Beethoven: Impressions by His Contemporaries
Author: Oscar SONNECK
Dover, 1967 – reprint from 1927.
Beethoven and his world
Author: Scott BURNHAM
Princeton University Press
350 pages – 2000
ISBN: 0691070725.
Beethoven: His Spiritual Development
Author: J. W. N. SULLIVAN
Mentor 1949,
or Vintage Books, 1960.
Life of Beethoven
A reference biography in English
Author: Alexander Wheelock THAYER
Revised and edited by Elliot FORBES
Princeton University Press – 1967 – 1 141 pages
Two volumes – ISBN: 0-691-02717-X and 0-691-02718-8.
Beethoven and the Construction of Genius: Musical Politics in Vienna, 1792-1803
Work about Beethoven’s first years in Vienna
Author: Tia DENORA
University of California Press
32 pages – 1996
ISBN: 0520088921.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Short biography and long presentation of works. Superbly illustrated!
Author: Joseph SCHMIDT-GORG
New York: Praeger
1970.
Beethoven
A great work by a clever scholar
Author: Romain ROLLAND
Freeport, N.Y.: Books for Libraries Press
1969.
Beethoven : The First Biography, 1827
If you want to read the very first biography, here it is
Author: Johann Aloys SCHLOSSER
Editor: Barry COOPER
Translator: Reinhard G. PAULY
Amadeus Press
1996 – 196 pages
ISBN: 1574670069.
Beethoven
Almost a reference, but questionable biography
Author: Maynard SOLOMON
Publisher: Schirmer Books
554 pages – 2001 (2nd revised edition)
ISBN: 0825672686.
Life of Beethoven
Ancient reference biography
Author: Louis NOHL
Traduction by John H. LALOR
A.C. McClurg & Company
Collection: Biographies of Musicians
1888 – 201 pages.
Beethoven, a Victorian Tribute
Based on the papers of Sir George Smart
Author: Percy M. YOUNG
Bobson Books
1976 – 125 pages
ISBN: 0-234-77672-2.
Ludwig van Beethoven – An Illustrated Biography
Magnificent illustrated biography (also exists in German)
Author: Ernst HERTTRICH
Verlag Beethoven Haus Bonn
1999? – 112 pages
ISBN: 3-88188-060-7.
Beethoven, The Composer as Hero
With numerous illustrations
Author : Philippe AUTEXIER
New Horizons
1992 – 144 pages
ISBN : 0-500-30006-2.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Biography of the composer
Author: LA MARA
Breitkopf & Härtel, Liepzig
1912
116 pages.
Ludwig van Beethoven, sein Leben in Bildern
Beethoven’s life in pictures
Author: Richard PETZOLDT
Veb Bibkiographisches Institut
Leipzig – 1952
80 pages.
Volksbücher der Musik: Ludwig van Beethoven
With 21 pictures
Author: Gustav THORMÄLIUS
Verlag Velhagen & Klasings Volksbücher Nr. 7
1912 ?
34 pages.
The Beethoven Compendium
A very good reference book
Author: Barry COOPER
Thames and Hudson
1991
ISBN: 0-500-27871-7
350 pages.
The Beethoven Encyclopedia, his life and art from A to Z
The Beethoven Companion : a comprehensive guide to Beethoven, his life and work
A chronological presentation made from extracts of other books written by various authors from Anton Schindler to Romain Rolland and many more
Authors: Thomas K. SCHERMAN and Louis BIANCOLLI
Doubleday & Company
1972 – 1,230 pages.