After Beethoven moved to Vienna, he had a quick and spectacular success as a performer. The Viennese elite soon liked this extraordinary and in many ways strange young man. But Beethoven wanted more than that! Not only did he want to be a performer, but he wanted to be one of the greatest composers! The Piano Trios, Opus 1. was …
It is a well-known fact about Beethoven that he was an emotional, erratic man. Many times he made his decisions that way. What did it take, however, for Beethoven to make an extraordinary and radical decision about his father: to exile him from Bonn! Johann van Beethoven was not a good father. As we have written in many other articles, …
Among the many myths surrounding Beethoven one of the interesting ones is about his African origin. Does Beethoven have African roots? Let us find out! Beethoven’s African ancestry. Is this a relevant question? It depends. Was Beethoven black? No! Was his skin darker in any way? Yes! Did he have African origins? Yes, as we all do! According to …
There are not many controversial figures in Beethoven’s life comparable to Anton Schindler. Probably Johanna van Beethoven, wife of his brother Karl, with whom Beethoven had legal and emotional battles over the custody of his nephew. Schindler forged history, destroyed evidence and based a career on the short relationship he had with Beethoven. Who was Anton Schindler? Anton Felix …
What is the full name of Beethoven’s Second Symphony? Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36. Beethoven later made a transcript of the symphony for piano trio under the same opus number. When was the Second Symphony composed? Beethoven composed his Second Symphony in the summer and fall of 1802, mostly in Heiligenstadt. When and where was the premiere? …
We continue our series on musical influencers in Beethoven’s life. Next in line is no less than Mozart himself! From his childhood everybody wanted him to be a Mozart! How did this expectation influence his life? There is a very popular anecdote about the young Beethoven visiting Vienna for the first time, and being introduced to the supreme Master, even …