Beethoven's Skull

Dark, Strange, and Fascinating Tales from the World of Classical Music and Beyond

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Music, Music Styles, Classical & Opera, Classical, Humour & Comedy, General Humour
Cover of the book Beethoven's Skull by Tim Rayborn, Skyhorse Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Tim Rayborn ISBN: 9781510712720
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing Publication: November 15, 2016
Imprint: Skyhorse Publishing Language: English
Author: Tim Rayborn
ISBN: 9781510712720
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Publication: November 15, 2016
Imprint: Skyhorse Publishing
Language: English

“If you think classical music is boring and stuffy, [Beethoven’s Skull] will make you change your tune” (USA Today).
 
This unusual history of Western classical music focuses on strange happenings and shocking tabloid-style stories of revenge, murder, curious accidents, and strange fates, proving that pop stars don’t have a monopoly on wild behavior. Highlights include tales of:
 

  • A cursed song that kills those who hear it
  • A composer who lovingly cradles the head of Beethoven’s corpse when his remains are exhumed half a century after his death
  • A fifteenth-century German poet who sings of the real-life Dracula
  • A dream of the devil that inspires a virtuoso violin piece

 
Unlike many music books that begin their histories with the seventeenth or eighteenth centuries, Beethoven’s Skull looks back to the world of ancient Greece and Rome, progressing through the Middle Ages and all the way into modern times. It also looks at myths and legends, superstitions, and musical mysteries, detailing the ways that musicians and their peers have been rather horrible to one another over the centuries.
 
“[A] rollicking, if grisly, stroll through the history of music . . . Impeccably researched . . . Sure to keep readers engrossed.” —Library Journal

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

“If you think classical music is boring and stuffy, [Beethoven’s Skull] will make you change your tune” (USA Today).
 
This unusual history of Western classical music focuses on strange happenings and shocking tabloid-style stories of revenge, murder, curious accidents, and strange fates, proving that pop stars don’t have a monopoly on wild behavior. Highlights include tales of:
 

 
Unlike many music books that begin their histories with the seventeenth or eighteenth centuries, Beethoven’s Skull looks back to the world of ancient Greece and Rome, progressing through the Middle Ages and all the way into modern times. It also looks at myths and legends, superstitions, and musical mysteries, detailing the ways that musicians and their peers have been rather horrible to one another over the centuries.
 
“[A] rollicking, if grisly, stroll through the history of music . . . Impeccably researched . . . Sure to keep readers engrossed.” —Library Journal

More books from Skyhorse Publishing

Cover of the book Financial Serial Killers by Tim Rayborn
Cover of the book In the Shadow of the Towers by Tim Rayborn
Cover of the book Charles Darwin by Tim Rayborn
Cover of the book Destiny Betrayed by Tim Rayborn
Cover of the book A Rival from the Grave by Tim Rayborn
Cover of the book Swimming with Crocodiles by Tim Rayborn
Cover of the book I Lie for Money by Tim Rayborn
Cover of the book The Bill of Rights Primer by Tim Rayborn
Cover of the book After the Fire by Tim Rayborn
Cover of the book Malpractice by Tim Rayborn
Cover of the book Last Word by Tim Rayborn
Cover of the book My Warren Buffett Bible by Tim Rayborn
Cover of the book The Kingdom of Zydeco by Tim Rayborn
Cover of the book The Big Book of Senior Moments by Tim Rayborn
Cover of the book The Powers by Tim Rayborn
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy