Beethoven’s 250th anniversary falls at the end of a long period in which he has been under constant, relentless attacks by postmodern musicology. Scholars like Editha and Richard Sterba, Maynard Solomon, Susan McClary, Lawrence Kramer and others have speculated wildly along the lines of the modern -isms, spreading falsehoods rather than pursuing new truths about Beethoven. Even his music, once hailed as a guiding light of humanity, has been under attack by modern-day feminism portraying it - Beethoven’s music - as the epitome of toxic masculinity and a tool of oppressing patriarchy! These novel visions of Beethoven have become part of mainstream scholarship, without having been ever subjected to in-depth scrutiny.

Stefan Romano’s book submits to an evidential in-depth analysis the argumentation of the most important postmodern theories concerning Beethoven and his music, and reveals the facts that completely invalidate these theories, exposing them as scholarly misconstructions. Putting to rest such demonstrably fallacious postmodern speculations that have sullied Beethoven’s image and his music for over half a century is a most appropriate way to honor him on his 250th anniversary.

I think Beethoven found a good, reliable and knowledgeable defender in Stefan Romano. (I bet he also knows where the composer misplaced his coin that inspired him The Rage over the lost penny piano capriccio Op. 129.) By making clear the major errors of several postmodernist theories about Beethoven and his music, Romano’s book helps us understand better the great composer’s personality and love his music more and more (Horia Ion Groza, writer and scientist, author of The Sign of the North: Poems and Discovering the Sacred Time of Our Life).