Beethoven In Love; Opus 139: Concerto Quasi Una Fantasia (The Secret Lives of Great Composers) - Softcover

A daring, compelling, and impeccably researched historical novel that offers dramatic new insight into the life of the greatest composer the world has ever known. Its fresh perspective and deeply felt understanding of Beethoven's motivations, passions, and challenges speak eloquently to us today, connecting us to our own successes, failures, and dreams, and ultimately to the true consequence of our lives. At the moment of his death on a snowy afternoon in March, 1827, Ludwig van Beethoven pleads with Providence to grant him a final wish—one day, just a single day of pure joy. But first he must confront the many failings in his life, so the great composer and exceedingly complex man begins an odyssey into the netherworld of his past life. As he struggles to confront its ugliness, we encounter the women who loved and inspired him. In their own voices, we discover their Beethoven—a lover with whom they savor the profound beauty and passion of his creations. And it’s in the arms of his beloveds that he comes to terms with the meaning of his life and experiences the moment of true joy he has always sought. Wonderfully inventive, rich with historical depth, broad humor, intricate wordplay, and the author's great gift for telling a sweeping and compelling tale, this is a novel to savor, become lost in, and deeply enjoy. Howard Jay Smith is an award-winning writer from Santa Barbara, California. BEETHOVEN IN LOVE; OPUS 139 is his third book. A former Bread Loaf Scholar & Washington, D.C. Commission for the Arts Fellow, he taught for many years in the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program and has lectured nationally. His articles and photographs have appeared in the Washington Post, the Beethoven Journal, Horizon, the Journal of the Writers Guild of America, the Ojai Quarterly, and numerous trade publications. While an executive at ABC Television, Embassy TV, and Academy Home Entertainment, he worked on numerous film, television, radio, and commercial projects. He serves on the board of directors of the Santa Barbara Symphony and is a member of the American Beethoven Society. He is currently working on a new novel about Mozart & Lorenzo Da Ponte. "MEETING MOZART IN VENICE, VIENNA & PRAGUE; FROM THE SECRET DIARIES OF LORENZO DA PONTE."