Be prepared for a horrible audio experience. The music is espcially bad and a travesty to the genius of Beethoveen. However, the text does contain some interesting facts.

This is true biography in the language of the subject: music. To paraphrase the above quotation: “The Proper Study of Music Is Music.”
There are biographies of composers which describe their lives ad infinitum and give endless details ad nauseum. They are better than nothing, but this biographer knows his subject better: Beethoven's life is described in words and music.
Here is the highest accolade: the biographer's motive is pure.

Audio is of course a natural format for a musical biography, and this delivers a competent short biography of the great man (turns out, not as stone deaf as the popular image). But this won't grab you like a novel the way a really good biography should, which is a shame considering he was such an interesting and iconic character. It's a bit dull - somehow I never quite connected with the subject at an emotional or psychological level; but you get the facts - often quite sad -without any sensationalist speculation or idle dallying. The splendid thing is the musical excerpts - I could have done with many more, and more musical analysis. Perhaps they were tacked on as an afterthought for the audio edition.
For drivetime, only recommended if you a strong pre-existing interest in Ludwig van.

This reminded me of Karl Haas' <I>Adventures in Good Music</I> on NPR. It focuses on Beethoven's character and what was happening in his life when different pieces were composed. It's very accessible to someone unfamiliar with musical terms. Much of the information comes from letters by Beethoven and others, read by various actors.

This is really a wonderfull portrait of one of the greatest composers ever. I always tought of Beethoven's music as being a bit too strong because I only knew the symphony's works, but it was totally fascinating.
A+++ !