Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 is commonly known as Sonata Pathétique. He composed this sonata at the age of 27, still in his first, classical period. It was written in 1798, published the following year. The Pathétique piano sonata made an immediate sensation all over Europe. Today, the word Pathétique (pathetic in English) …
Beethoven’s Violin Concerto Op.61 is a central work of violin literature and his only violin concerto. It was composed in his most creative and productive period of his life, in the first decade of 1800s. Even this concerto is understood to be written in just a few weeks time. The piece was commissioned by his violinist friend Franz Clement, director …
What is the curse of the ninth? The curse of the ninth is a superstition in the history of classical music. According to this, a ninth symphony for a composer will be the last, and death will come during writing or after completing this piece. There are two interpretations, according to the first, this is to ‘defend’ the fame and …
What is Freemasonry? Freemasonry has its origins in the Middle Ages, it evolved from the guilds of stonemasons and cathedral builders. Later, as these professions were less popular, they started to accept honorary members without connection to the original vocation. From the 17th century symbolism, ancient religious and chivalric brotherhood rituals were introduced. It was the first international organization whose …
They say, what Kant was to philosophy, it was Goethe to letters and Beethoven in music. Sometimes expectations are exceeding reality and not every acquaintance is for the eternity. Who was Goethe? Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was, mainly, a German poet and novelist. He was also a genius, who worked on several other …
The City Teplitz (or Teplice) is a small city in the Czech Republic. After Karlovy Vary, it is the second biggest spa town in the country. The first authentic mention of the thermal springs is from the 16th century. The city name appeared for the first time in 1154, when a Benedictine convent was founded in the area. During the …