Life of Beethoven by Ignaz Moscheles 1841

[Hofrat]

On eBay I found an auction for a 2-volume set of "Life of Beethoven" by Ignaz Moscheles (1841 published in England). Anyone know anything about this biography?

[Preston]

Hofrat, sorry to interrupt your post but I can't help but wonder who your avatar picture is of?

Best Regards,
Preston

[Hofrat]

It is a charcoal drawing of the Swedish composer Joachim Eggert.

[gardibolt]

A quick Google search implies that this may be a translation of Schindler's biography by Moscheles--he did one at about this period. But I can't say I have any independent knowledge of it.

[Hofrat]

Thank you Gardibolt for the clarification.

[Michael]

According to the "Beethoven Compendium", Schindler's biography was translated into English by Ignaz Moscheles in 1841, so that would appear to be the book referred to.

[Hofrat]

Thanks to one and all for the clarifications. I will not be bidding for the book on eBay.

[gardibolt]

OK, since you're not bidding I've placed one myself.

[Hofrat]

Good luck, Gardibolt. By the way, Moscheles' great-grandson lives in London. I have had a nice correspondense with him about his great-grandfather.

[Preston]

Good luck, Gardibolt. By the way, Moscheles' great-grandson lives in London. I have had a nice correspondense with him about his great-grandfather.

Hofrat, did Moscheles' great-grandson have some interesting things to say?

[Hofrat]

I had received a copy of Joachim Eggert's sextets for editing towards possible publication. Eggert has a nice concise handwriting, but the dedication was scribbled very badly. It seemed to me that he dedicated one of the sextets to Moscheles. I wrote to the great-grandson, who himself is an expert on Moscheles, about this. We came to the conclusion that the name in the dedication was not Moscheles.

[Quijote]

If you are interested in early Beethoven biography, I can recommend Gerhard von Breuning, Memories of Beethoven (original title in German was 'from the house of the black-robed Spaniards), Cambridge University Press 1992 ./ Canto edition 1995.

I found it fascinating.

[gardibolt]

I was the winning bidder (at the minimum). Poor Moscheles, they couldn't even spell his first name right....

[Hofrat]

Gardibolt, that is outstanding. I am happy to have directed your attention to the item.

[DavidO]

If you are interested in early Beethoven biography, I can recommend Gerhard von Breuning, Memories of Beethoven (original title in German was 'from the house of the black-robed Spaniards), Cambridge University Press 1992 ./ Canto edition 1995.

I found it fascinating.

Philip, I'm reading that right now -- I mean literally right now. (I set it down to reply to you.) I have the Canto edition you mention, the translation by Maynard Solomon. What I'm wondering is whether Solomon's translation is reliable. A few of you on this forum have criticized Solomon's English translations of Beethoven letters, &c., so I'd like to know what you guys think of his work translating the von Breuning book.