Book excerpt: This is the first full-length, published study of Beethoven’s songs. All the composer’s songs with piano are included, with full German texts and translations, together with comprehensive notes on the poetry and the music. The inclusion of unfinished songs gives a fascinating insight into Beethoven’s compositional methods. An introductory essay considers reasons for the relative neglect of the songs, the significance of Beethoven’s choice of texts, his crucial role in the development of German art-song and specific aspects such as choice of key. Throughout the book, poetic and musical texts are discussed in their historical context, and in the overall context of Beethoven’s life and music. It is anticipated that this book, like its predecessor The Schubert Song Companion, will encourage the performance and study of an important but comparatively neglected aspect of the work of the world’s most celebrated composer.