Beethoven: The Legend of the Middle Ages

10 يناير 2023

Beethoven is the last of the classical musicians and the vanguard of the romantics. Beethoven lived a difficult, harsh life, and despite his deafness, he refused to have his name in the last lines, rather, he strived for his name to be at the forefront of the first line and in bold to innovate and leave us works that are still immortal to this day and have stood for more than 250 years. Yes, it is the miraculous "Beethoven", Beethoven of strong and indomitable determination.

Beethoven, with his art, reached the largest palaces, and was honored by the greatest kings and heads of state. He is considered one of the geniuses who passed through history, and history cannot forget this phenomenon that affected many peoples and generations with its art.

Beethoven's genesis:

His full name is Ludwig van Beethoven, and he is a German composer born in Bonn in 1770 AD. His mother is Maria Magdalena van Beethoven, and his father is the famous singer Johann van Beethoven. His father was violent and influenced him in a way that accompanied him throughout his life, except that his grandfather was the most famous musician in Bonn, and was the inspiration for Beethoven.

Beethoven began learning to play the piano at the hands of his father, who did not hesitate to hit him at any mistake he made, as he was very hard on him, and he trained in the basement for long hours, studied the violin, and took many lessons that increased his talent. This made his father seek public recognition of his son's talent, so he hastened to organize his first concert when he was eight years old.

He left school at the age of ten, as it was said that he had a difficulty reading, and he wanted to devote himself to learning music at the hands of Christian Gottlob Neve, who taught him the origins of music.

He published his first musical work at the age of 12 (Woo6), which is musical variations of one of the tunes of the classical musician Dressler, and then published his first three sonatas called (Kurfurs).

With the deterioration of his father's health as a result of his addiction to alcohol, Beethoven decided to support the family, and asked the diocese to appoint him as an organist, and the response came with approval and he received an annual salary of 150 Florenza.

Vienna was the capital of culture and music; therefore, the diocese decided to send Beethoven to Vienna in order to develop his abilities, and he was actually sent there, but he did not spend a few weeks there and had to return to Bonn after hearing of his mother's illness.

In 1790 AD, Beethoven had the honor of composing a piece of music for Roman Emperor Joseph II upon his death in memory of him. It was called "Cantata", but it was not played for unknown reasons.

Beethoven lived alone and did not marry due to his shyness and unfortunate physical appearance, as it was said, but he entered into a failed love affair with Antonie Brentano, as she was a married woman.

Beethoven was bad-tempered, volatile, and greedy. His nature alienated him from his friends, students, and even those who supported him.

Beethoven's deafness and isolation:

When the Cologne province was invaded by the French revolutionary forces, Beethoven decided to go to Vienna to study music with his friends Johann, Haydn, Antonio Salieri, and Albrechtsberger, so his fame began to expand, and in 1795 AD, he presented his first piano concerto in a public concert, and then a series (Opus1) for the piano, which made him a lot of money.

In 1801, the First Symphony was performed at the Imperial Theater in Vienna, and he became famous as the most prominent musician in Europe. Then he published the Six String Quartets, which enjoyed great success and then the ballet (The Creatures of Prometheus). One of his greatest works is the Third Symphony.

After these achievements, Beethoven began to isolate and stay away from meetings and parties to hide his illness from people. He began to suffer from deafness, and he sent a letter to his friend Franz Wegeler, the content of which was: "I must admit that I live a very miserable life, I refrained from attending social events for the past two years because it is impossible for me to tell people that I am deaf, and if I were working in any other field, I would have faced my illness and disability and endured it, but it is a big stumbling block in the field of music.”

However, he jumped over his tragedy and continued heroically composing music between 1803 AD until 1812 AD, during which he composed six symphonies, six string sonatas, seven piano sonatas, five string quartets, a single opera called Fidelio, and seventy-two hymns. Therefore, this period was known as the heroic period of Beethoven, and perhaps the most famous of these pieces of music is the moonlight sonata, and the violin sonata (kreutzer).

Beethoven continued to compose music in the last years of his life. In 1824 AD, he released his most prominent work, the Ninth Symphony, which is considered one of his most important works because it included the human voice, the choir, in the finale of it, as the choir sang a section of the Ode to Joy, a poem by Schiller, which became a slogan for the European Union in 1985 AD. Although he was deaf, he accomplished an achievement beyond description, in addition to the string quartet No. 14 and the piece (missa solemnis).

It is worth mentioning that in the year 1800 AD, his sense of hearing began to weaken, but he did not completely lose hearing until 1819 AD.

Beethoven's house:

Ludwig van Beethoven's house has been converted into a monument, museum, and cultural institution that serve many goals. It was founded in 1889 AD by the Beethoven House Group in Bonn. It is a monument that immortalizes his life and work, and the first thing that can be seen is a garden surrounding Beethoven’s Museum, in the middle of which is a large statue of him, and you can see on the balconies the climbing plants that cover the walls of the museum.

In the historic basement, you can experience the musical opera in a hall that simulates the three-dimensional sound environment, and when you go up to the upper floors, you can see many musical manuscripts that have remained, embodying the art for which this place has gained its fame.

In addition to the music hall and many musical instruments and paintings, you can see tools that belonged to Beethoven after he lost his hearing.

List of Beethoven compositions:

1. Symphonies:

722 works written over a period of forty-five years.
First Symphony in D major.
Second Symphony in C major.
Symphony III in E flat major (Eroica).
Fourth Symphony in C minor.
Fifth Symphony in C minor.
The Sixth Symphony in F major (Pastoral).
Seventh Symphony in A major.
Eighth Symphony in F major.
The Ninth "Choral" Symphony in D

2. Concerto:

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in C major.
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in B flat
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in C minor.
Triple Concerto for Piano, Violin, Cello and Orchestra in C major.
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 4 in G
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in C major.
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 5 "The Emperor" in E flat

3. Editorials:

“Creatures of Prometheus”.
Leonor's second overture in the C major.
Leonor's third overture in the C major.
“Corelean”
“Egmont” overture.
“The Wreck of Athena” overture.
“Wellington victory” overture.
“Fidelo” overture.
“House consecrated” overture.

Beethoven's quotes:

1. Beethoven's sayings about music and art:

Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy. Music is the electrical soil in which the spirit lives, thinks, and invents.
Do not only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets, for it and knowledge can raise men to the divine.
To play without passion is inexcusable.
I would rather write 10000 notes than a single letter of the alphabet.
Music should strike fire from the heart of man, and bring tears from the eyes of woman.
Music is like a dream. One that I cannot hear.
Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.
The guitar is a miniature orchestra in itself.
A great poet is the most precious jewel of a nation.
Music comes to me more readily than words.
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.

2. Beethoven's sayings about life:

It seemed unthinkable for me to leave the world forever before I had produced all that I felt called upon to produce.
Beethoven addressing the kings: "Prince, what you are, you are by accident of birth; what I am, I am of myself. There are and there will be thousands of princes. There is only one Beethoven".
There is nothing more beautiful than distributing happiness to many people.
Nothing is more intolerable than to have to admit to yourself your own errors.
Never break the silence if it is not to improve it.
Beethoven on his deathbed: "Applaud my friends the comedy is over".
Never forget the days I spent with you. Continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours.
Only the pure of heart can make a good soup.
Genius is composed of 2% talent and 98% persevering application.
Recommend virtue to your children; it alone, not money, can make them happy.

3. Beethoven's love quotes:

Love demands all, and has a right to all.
Never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.
I love a tree more than a man.
A loving heart embraces the world, while a spiteful heart eats its owner.

4. Sayings about Beethoven:

“Beethoven tells you what it is like to be Beethoven and Mozart tells you what it is like to be human. Bach tells you what it is like to be the universe” (Douglas Adams).
“Watch out for that boy. One day he will give the world something to talk about” (Mozart).

Beethoven's death and burial:

Beethoven died in 1827 AD at the age of 56, and the cause of his death was cirrhosis.

He was popular and had a special place in hearts that appeared at his funeral, which was attended by more than 20,000 citizens, led by prominent personalities, including Franz Schubert, who was keen to carry the casket himself, and Beethoven was buried in Vienna in the central graves.

In conclusion:

In this article, we have talked about the man who made music take a second turn and rise to the tops. This artist who became deaf and despite that he used to hear music and notes with his mind and play them with his memory and imagination. This talented person who immortalized great works that remain until today, is Beethoven.