Happy Birthday Dear Ludwig

[RadishRose]

Beethoven

​

At his sister's piano recital, Baby hears Moonlight Sonata for the first time, The purest reaction to Beethoven

 

[MarkinPhx]

 

[Pepper]

You're such a classy dame @RadishRose

 

[RadishRose]

 

[RadishRose]

You're such a classy dame @RadishRose

 

[Eupher]

Beethoven

​

At his sister's piano recital, Baby hears Moonlight Sonata for the first time, The purest reaction to Beethoven

I got tears, babe. No other way to put it. Unabashed, God-allowed tears. What a beautiful child.

I have lots to say about this post, so please bear with me.

I am a musician and have been one in either a professional or semi-professional manner, aw, hell, I've even been a musical whore playing for free, for 50+ years. It takes a lot to move me.

But one thing that struck me about the usual gig, especially in playing America's National March, Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever". It's not an easy march to play, but I've played it (and many others) so many times it's what I call a "head chart." It's memorized.

But in recognizing the complacency that can sometimes appear in crusty ol' codgers like me, I heard one conductor say -- and he was spot-on -- that playing that march for many can become old hat. But he said, "Keep in mind, please, that there are those in the audience who are hearing that piece for the first time. And there are those who are hearing it for the last time."

That gets me to sitting on the edge of my chair. Or standing up, as the case might be.

 

[Eupher]

I've studied about dear ol' Ludwig a bit -- not to any sort of thesis or dissertation level at all, just on my own.

In a word, Ludwig was an asshole -- especially when he lived in Vienna. He was filthy dirty, unorganized, irascible, nasty, and a PITA for those who knew him. Many have written that that quality came about because of his increasing deafness. As I am hearing impaired as well (I can't listen to a Netflix program without CC augmentation) and you can completely forget about me going to a movie -- I don't understand 75% of the dialogue), I can fully understand Ludwig's general level of pisstivity since he had none of those technological tools at his beck and call.

His composing was as unorganized as his non-hearing was. He carried his notebooks to various Vienna coffee shops where he'd hang out for hours, writing, scribbling, canceling, re-writing, always searching for what he heard in his head but could not readily hear live. Frustrated, angry, he lashed out at those who respected him, then he'd collect his notebooks and lope off to his apartment.

And to know that he composed music such as this that would reach out and touch a toddler to that extent almost 200 years after his death. That, my friends, is a legacy.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Happy Birthday, Beethoven!
Enjoy your special day!!!