In this interpretation of the composer's life and works, Beethoven scholar Lewis Lockwood interweaves the composer's musical and biographical dimensions and places them in their historical and artistic contexts. Written for the lay reader, this book explores the special problems that Beethoven faced as an artist who fulfilled his destiny as Mozart's sucessor while remaining a true, rebellious original. It uncovers the artistic challenges that Beethoven set for himself and shows how they were fulfilled in his compositions. In this way, Lockwood develops a new interpretation of the composer's character that puts to rest the "heroic" model as the only basis for understanding Beethoven's career. While taking the latest scholarship fully into account, Lockwood presents the reader with a portrait of the composer that is based principally on his artistic achievements.