In this article we discover who was Jérôme Bonaparte, why did he invite Beethoven to his court and how the composer used this offer as bargaining chip for advancing his positions in Vienna. Who was Jérôme Bonaparte? The youngest brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, Jérôme Bonaparte (15 November 1784 – 24 June 1860) was born in Ajaccio, Corsica, as Girolamo Buonaparte. He was the eighth – surviving – child of …
After their mother had passed away and their father sunk into alcoholism, Beethoven – a young man himself – had to fulfill the role of a guardian of his two younger brothers. This responsibility meant both financial support and spiritual, moral guidance, as well. As the siblings grew older and financially independent, Beethoven still held on to this role and …
In Vienna Beethoven was surrounded by musical talents. Some impressed him, some did not. Among those who did, one man stands out: Dragonetti! This man opened his eyes to what double bass is capable of. His impact lasted for a lifetime. A short biography of Domenico Dragonetti Domenico Dragonetti (Domenico Carlo Maria Dragonetti; 7 April 1763 – 16 April …
At the time of Beethoven Vienna was full of talented musicians. Some of them extraordinary, but very few were favorably compared to him – especially with the piano. There was one exception… Who was Joseph Woelfl? Joseph Johann Baptist Woelfl (surname sometimes written as Wölfl or Wölffl) was a pianist and composer from Austria (24 December 1773 – 21 …
Songs was not main or very important genre for Beethoven, but among them Adelaide is the most favored. The poet, Friedrich von Matthisson Friedrich von Matthisson (01.23.1761, Hohendodeleben, near Magdeburg – 03.12.1831, Wörlitz, Anhalt-Dessau) was a German poet. As a profession he graduated in philology at the University of Halle, later in 1812 he entered the service of the king …
In the summer of 1796 Beethoven visited Berlin. He stayed there for two months in June and July. The current Prussian king Frederick William II was a music enthusiast (played cello) and supporter of musicians. The Prussian court boasted some fine players, among them most worthy to mention were the cello virtuosos Duport brothers, Jean-Louis and Jean Pierre and pianist Friedrich …