When Beethoven knelt and kissed a hand

two lions facing each other

It is well known that the relationship between Haydn and Beethoven was not an easy one. The blame falls almost entirely on Beethoven, but at the end he just made it right. Haydn and Beethoven first met in 1790 in Bonn, when the old Master was on his way to London with Johann Peter Solomon, who arranged Haydn’s visit to …

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Beethoven the Demanding

reading books, study

Listening and enjoying Beethoven’s music is not always an easy task. He demands attention, attention to every small detail. More than that, he demands dedication and an open heart. In this article we will see that his music is not for background noise during driving home or for elevators in expensive hotels. In order to capture its fullness and deepness …

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A little joke in Beethoven’s Eroica

We all tend to imagine Beethoven as a tragic hero, struggle against fate, his face always clouded, writing pieces like the Fifth Symphony or the Appassionata. Well, this is certainly not the truth! He loved to laugh, joke around, kidding his friends. Moreover, his music is full of joy and joking, just listen to the final movement of the Eight …

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Beethoven Symphony No. 1 (part 4.)

Classical hall

After movement one, two and three, this is our last article on Beethoven’s First Symphony. Continuing with the last movement, which was written in the spirit of Haydn’s symphonic finale. Joyful, playful, energetic! Let’s hear it! The introduction of the 4th movement is in adagio. It is characterized by Antony Hopkins as a music, where hesitant beginners are clutching unfamiliar …

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The piano

old piano

The piano is a magnificent instrument, capable to channel the divine to our ears and hearts. It is a complicated instrument, as well. It takes two years to dry the wood used for the body, a full year and close to 12 thousand parts to build one. The piano, as we know it, was invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori, around 1700. …

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Compositions from Beethoven’s Bonn period

old record player

This article is about Beethoven’s early years in Bonn, his home city before Vienna. We will discover what compositions he made, if these were special in any way or quite the opposite. Let us find the answers to these questions! For almost two hundred years Vienna was the capital of music and all wannabes moved there to learn, shine and …

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