The premiere of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony was a triumph, but turmoil awaited the next day. This Friday I attended a concert, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. The Big Ninth! It was grandiose, not only the music itself, but the whole orchestra with a choir of more than 75 singers. I can not tell how many times I did listen to this …
Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the most celebrated composers in Western classical music, is often remembered not only for his groundbreaking compositions but also for the extraordinary personal challenge he faced: deafness. This affliction, which began to manifest in his late twenties and progressed to near-total hearing loss by his mid-forties, profoundly shaped his creative output. Rather than silencing his …
A transformation of meaning: from inspired mad people to high IQ. The short answer is yes, but it is worth spending some more time with this article and the concept of genius! The word and its meaning has a remarkable history and as it happens often with human concepts, it has undergone a significant transformation throughout history. The Greeks …
The great composer’s love of nature is well documented; Beethoven’s walks in the countryside surrounding Vienna were woven into his daily routine. The stunning forested hills filled with birdsong brought Beethoven great pleasure, and served as an important part of his creative process. Those solitary walks would, in a sense, allow his ideas to incubate, and flourish into the masterpieces …
Ferdinand Ries (1784-1838) was Beethoven’s pupil, secretary and loyal friend. He was a talented pianist and went on to compose 180 works. Like Beethoven, Ries was also born in Bonn. He journeyed to Vienna at the age of 19 to learn from the great composer. In 1838, Ries and Beethoven’s friend Franz Wegeler published a joint effort biographical text, …
What do the books on your shelf say about you? Thanks to the dedication and hard-work of the Beethoven-Haus Bonn, we know a fair amount about Beethoven’s taste in literature. Amongst the list of fine literature, non-fiction, and reference books, we can find a hidden gem: a spiritual text, containing one essay for every day of the year. This book …