Emanuel Overbeeke, one of our programme makers, wrote an extraordinary book on Beethoven. It’s not the umpteenth book about Beethoven, his life, suffering and work; it’s the first one about Beethoven’s position in the Dutch culture from his era up to today. Different groups and persons in different times claimed the composer for various reasons. That’s why the reception of Beethoven was and still is a reflection of our society today. The book covers many people and topics from both inside and outside the music scene such as authors, politicians, class, good and less good Germans, the Dutch political system of pillarisation and depillarisation. In short, the book is as much about the Dutch as it’s about Beethoven. A very special and beautiful book for music lovers as well as historians. For more information visit voor de kunst.
