Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata is not only one of the most popular compositions ever, but has many interesting aspects, too! Here are nine of them, take a look! 1. What is the story behind the name, Moonlight sonata? Beethoven’s famous Moonlight Sonata was published in 1801 as op. 27./2. The Moonlight Sonata (“Mondscheinsonate” in German), this catchy name, was given by …
Concerto music is a well-known classical genre. It is the show of improvisation masters and one of the most entertaining kind of musical events. Ever wondered, what exactly a concerto is? Never been sure how to listen to a concerto? This easy guide will help you out. Here are your 8 important takeaways! 1. The concerto with musical instruments …
Here are ten interesting facts about the ancestors and family of the musician Ludwig van Beethoven. 1. The family name Beethoven originally was Biethoffen, meaning beet-garden in English. 2. The ‘van’ in the name is not to be mistaken with ‘von’, which was used only by European nobles. 3. The Beethoven family were not nobles, although Ludwig van Beethoven for …
Beethoven wrote three piano sonatas under opus no.2. This article will review the second of the three. In our in-depth analysis of Beethoven Piano Sonata no.2 not only you will read interesting facts, but also listen to key parts with the help of audio clips. Beethoven Piano Sonata 2. (op.2) was published in 1796, premiered in Vienna. The four …
We continue our ‘No man is an island’ series and in this new article we discover who Prince Lobkowitz was, what part he played in Viennese music history and in Beethoven’s life. Joseph Franz von Lobkowitz (1772-1816) was an aristocrat of Bohemia, present day Czech Republic. He was a full time music enthusiast, spending fortunes on music, most notably for …
Greek myths and legends tell many stories about the wonders of music. In fact, in ancient Greece music was part of basic education and even religious or civic gatherings. Plato, the Greek philosopher, considered music special and devotes broadened attention to the subject in his works Republic and in Laws. In this article we discover what Plato has to say …