BEETHOVEN The Universal Composer

John McDonough's sometimes fruity, sometimes gruff, always friendly voice is expertly effective for this short biography, part of the Eminent Lives series. The reason McDonough come through so well is hard to pin down, but this reviewer tends toward the friendliness theory--the listener feels liked by McDonough. As for Pulitzer Prize winner Morris, he usually writes big, fat books, such as DUTCH, about Ronald Reagan, and THE RISE OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT. But he is a music aficionado, too. He calls Beethoven "universal" because he is universally recognized and his music is treasured still. Beethoven was a short, cantankerous, disheveled, loveless, driven genius. His story is an intensely human one. D.R.W. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 06]