The "Classic FM" Friendly Guide to Beethoven

'The Classic FM Friendly Guide to Beethoven' will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about this famous composer, who is consistently in the top five in the Classic FM 'Hall of Fame' (a yearly poll of the nation's musical taste: 145,000 listeners took part in 2005).

Why was his childhood unhappy? How did his deafness affect him? Who were the women in his life? Who was 'The Immortal Beloved'? What was 'The Heiligenstadt Testament'? While giving all the facts about 'The Man' and 'The Music', 'The Classic FM Friendly Guide to Beethoven' includes lively and light-hearted features, quotes and anecdotes.

There are sections about Beethoven's 'Top 20' hits (with reference to the CD) and about his music in films, and even a Beethoven Mood Chart for when you need to raise or lower your blood pressure.

Classic FM, the world's largest classical music station (9.5 million listeners per month), have teamed up with popular TV journalist and acclaimed Beethoven expert John Suchet and publishers Hodder Arnold to publish this book, which takes its title from a new 'Friendly Guides' on-air feature.