Exeter alumnus wins prestigious book award

Exeter alumnus Paul Reid (German 1970) has won an award for his book that is a definitive guide to Beethoven’s songs.

Paul, who was at Exeter from 1967 to 1970, was recently awarded the C. B. Oldman Prize from the International Association of Music Libraries for his book entitled The Beethoven Song Companion.

The author graduated with a First Class degree in German from the University of Exeter, followed by a year at Mainz University on an exchange scholarship.

He says: ‘Music was always my main interest and hobby, and while at Exeter, I was principal flute in the university orchestra and chamber orchestra, under the late David Cawthra.’
 
Although tempted by further research, he decided to go into school teaching and taught German and French for 32 years in secondary schools. At the same time, his interest in music continued apace and he became quite knowledgeable about German song and Schubert in particular. He joined the Schubert Institute (UK) when it was started in 1991 and became Editor of the society's journal and finally Chairman.

He wrote numerous articles, programme notes and CD liner notes, as well as giving talks, but when he was offered early retirement five years ago, Paul leapt at the chance, as it enabled him finally to write a full-length book.
 
Paul says: ‘Schubert songs have been written about quite exhaustively, but I realised that there was no published study of Beethoven's songs in English and set about producing a definitive guide. The result was The Beethoven Song Companion (Manchester University Press 2007), a guide to all Beethoven's songs with piano, including choral settings, sketches and fragments.’

‘The Companion includes full texts in German and in my English translation, critical notes on text and music, and full details of editions, locations of autographs and so on. The book has been well received and I was recently awarded the C. B. Oldman Prize from the International Association of Music Libraries.’
 
Undaunted by the existing literature, he is now working on a book of essays on Schubert and the essence of Romantic song. Meanwhile the Beethoven Song Companion is due to appear in paperback this autumn, making it more accessible to students of music, singers and accompanists.