The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven

What it is

This three-volume biography, published in 1921, was written by Alexander Wheelock Thayer and later edited, revised and completed by Henry Edward Krehbiel, drawing on the German editions of Hermann Deiters and Hugo Riemann.

Why it matters

Thayer's biography is considered one of the most thorough and document-based accounts of Beethoven's life. Because it gathers and translates many original documents, it has shaped how later generations understand Beethoven, even though it was written decades after his death.

Look closer

• Why might it take several editors across different countries to complete one biography?
• What is the difference between reading a composer's own letters and reading a biography about him?
• Why do the editors stress the