Quotes

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by Joy:

“Many assert that every minor piece must end in the minor. Nego! On the contrary I find that in the soft scales the major third at the close has a glorious and uncommonly quieting effect. Joy follows sorrow, sunshine-rain. It affects me as if I were looking up to the silvery glistering of the evening star.”
From Archduke Rudolph’s book of instruction.

And in spite of his gloomy and eccentric personality he was an optimist!

[Joy]

Joy

Originally posted by Sorrano:

And in spite of his gloomy and eccentric personality he was an optimist!

So true!

[Joy]

“My dear boy, the startling effects which many credit to the natural genius of the composer, are often achieved with the greatest ease by the use and resolution of the diminished seventh chord.”
Winter 1816: Reported by Karl Frederich Hirsch, a pupil of B’s. He was a grandson of Albrechtsberger who had given lessons to B.

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by Joy:
“My dear boy, the startling effects which many credit to the natural genius of the composer, are often achieved with the greatest ease by the use and resolution of the diminished seventh chord.”
Winter 1816: Reported by Karl Frederich Hirsch, a pupil of B’s. He was a grandson of Albrechtsberger who had given lessons to B.

But the key to the genius is when and how to use that diminished 7th chord and it's resolution.

[Joy]

“In order to become a capable composer one must have already learned harmony and counterpoint at the age of from seven to eleven years, so that when the fancy and emotions awake one shall know what to do according to the rules.”
Reported by Schindler as having been put into the mouth of B by a newspaper of Vienna. Schindler says: “When B came to Vienna he knew no counterpoint, and little harmony.”

[Peter]

Originally posted by Sorrano:

But the key to the genius is when and how to use that diminished 7th chord and it's resolution.

Indeed, I think Beethoven complained that Weber was nothing but a string of diminshed 7ths!

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'Man know thyself'

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by Peter:
Indeed, I think Beethoven complained that Weber was nothing but a string of diminshed 7ths!

I often get the feeling that Weber attempted to imitate Beethoven. What do you think of that?

[Rod]

Originally posted by Sorrano:
I often get the feeling that Weber attempted to imitate Beethoven. What do you think of that?

Have you got any works in mind regarding this? From what I've heard of W I would say I don't get that impression. But it would be ironic in any case!

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Andrea]

"K.M.Weber began to learn too late; art did not have a chance to develop naturally in him, and his single and obvious striving is to appear brilliant."
-A remark reported by Seyfried.

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by Rod:
Have you got any works in mind regarding this? From what I've heard of W I would say I don't get that impression. But it would be ironic in any case!

The piano concerti and symphonies remind me much of Beethoven's first two in nature. The overtures often sound like Weber was trying to write in Beethoven's style. The orchestration and harmonic progressions are the main elements that I hear in this way. When I've heard a Weber work without knowing who the composer is I note that it sounds like a Beethoven style work to me (yet not reaching near the same level as Beethoven) and thus my opinion is formed.

[This message has been edited by Sorrano (edited March 19, 2003).]

[Joy]

“I love straightforwardness and uprightness, and believe that the artist ought not to be belittled; for alas! brilliant as fame is externally, it is always the privilege of the artist to be Jupiter’s guest on Olympus all the time. Unfortunately vulgar humanity drags him down only too often and too rudely from the pure upper ether.”
June 5, 1822: to C.F. P., music publisher.

[lysander]

Beethoven's own Mother was known to have quoted;
"Without suffering this is no struggle, without struggle no victory, without victory no crown"

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This sounds like a motto for Beethoven's own life and work.

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[lysander]

"It was not a fortuitous meeting of chordal atoms that made the world. If order and beauty are reflected in the constitution of the universe, then there is a God."

[Andrea]

"Heaven rules over the destiny of men and monsters (literally, human and inhuman beings), and so it will guide me, too, to the better things of life."
-Sept. 11, 1811, to the poet Elsie von der Recke.

[Joy]

Originally posted by lysander:

"It was not a fortuitous meeting of chordal atoms that made the world. If order and beauty are reflected in the constitution of the universe, then there is a God."

I like this one! Nice!

Joy