The Mysteries of Beethoven’s Hair

The Mysteries of Beethoven’s Hair. By Russell Martin and Lydia Nibley. Charlesbridge Publishing, 2009. 128 pages. Tr. $15.95 IBSN 978-1570917141

Summary: Younger readers will not be disappointed with this story, which follows the journey of a locket of Beethoven’s hair as it is first snipped by pianist Ferdinand Hillier at Beethoven’s death in 1827.  The ownership of the locket then passes to Hiller’s son, somehow arriving at the port city of Gilleleje, Denmark, during the Holocaust. Dr. Fremming, a Danish doctor assisting Jewish refugees receives the locket from a captured Jewish prisoner. Later his adopted Jewish daughter, Michele Wassard Larsen, auctions the locket, which is purchased by two American Beethoven aficionados – Dr. Che Guevara and Ira Brilliant. Through the locket of hair, Beethoven’s story comes vividly to life. Readers learn about Beethoven’s character, compositional style, early childhood years, education, and life in Vienna, romantic attachments, friendships, familial mores, philosophy, and health problems. Beethoven’s biography alternates with research in cutting-edge science, as scientists analyze the sample of hair to discern reasons that might explain why Beethoven suffered chronic health problems, especially deafness and stomach ailments.

Standard(s): Ontario, Canada’s cross-curriculum and integrated learning: “students are provided with opportunities to learn and use related content and/or skills in two or more subjects. . . . . they build subject-specific vocabulary, read stories for inspiration for their art works, and respond to and analyze art works using language.” C3.1 analyze some of the social, political, and economic factors that affect the creation of music; C3.2 compare and contrast music from the past and present

Suggested Age Range: 10-14 years

Annotation: In 2001, Russell Martin garnered international acclaim for Beethoven’s Hair: An Extraordinary Historical Odyssey and a Scientific Mystery Solved. The tie-in documentary, directed by Larry Weinstein was released in 2006 to rave reviews. In 2009, widespread interest in Beethoven’s Hair encouraged Martin to publish the same research on Beethoven with Lydia Nibley for tweens. The biography is a curious mixture of the history of Beethoven, classical music, medicine, Europe, and the Holocaust, along with modern scientific research. Studying relics like hair can aid biographers in fleshing out more information about the subject of interest, and these studies do add a more rounded view of Beethoven.

Subjects/Themes: Beethoven, Ludwig van (1770-1827) – Biography; Holocaust;  Beethoven, Ludwig van (1770-1827) - Relics; Science

Awards: AJL Sydney Taylor Notable Books for Young Readers

            An NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12 
(2010)

            CCBC Choices

Reviews: Booklist (June 1, 2009)

School Library Journal (March 1, 2009)

            The Horn Book (May 1, 2009)

High Interest Annotation: A locket of Beethoven’s hair is followed from his death in 1827 to the present day, uncovering mysteries of Beethoven’s life through cutting-edge research.