On this day!

[Joy]

Nov. 28th, 1811 - Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5, "Emperor," is premiered by soloist Friedrich Schneider in Leipzig's Gewandhaus. It was dedicated to Archduke Rudolph. I read that according to tradition, a grenadier who heard the concerto in Paris long after all the wars were over, jumped to his feet and called out: "It's the Emperor." Another reason for that name is probably the fact that it was dedicated to the Archduke. Whatever the reason it's a fine piece, and one of my favourites.

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Rutradelusasa]

I tought Czerny had premiered that...

[urtextmeister]

We all have certain associations with pieces.

I remember every Saturday I would come home from my piano lesson, usually an hour and a half or more of degrading criticism and I would plop on my bed and listen to this concerto. It was Claudio Arrau. This was kind of my reward for getting through the week.

I have never played the piece, but I have accompanied students on it a few times. I think it is very difficult for a young person to understand and convey the meaning of this piece.

This is a great example of how Beethoven can create meaning in the simplest elements--broken chords, scales...how far are we into the concerto before we even hear a tune? Many of the tunes in this first movement are nothing more than a simple horn call. It is the structure itself, the progression of harmonies, the perfect "working out" of thematic material, the natural proportional rightness of this piece that makes it one of the most wonderful concertos of all time.

This is why I consider Beethoven the ultimate classical composer.

[Pastorali]

December 2th, 1826
I feel sad, thinking about this date, Beethoven came back to Vienna of the visit at his brother Johann's property in Gneixendorf. Hard to believe, he gave him just that "miserable cart of devil" instead the comfortable wagon that he had too. Beethoven was in bad health and it was surely cold! "Already in the night, he had fever, drunk some litres of icecold water and wished the dawn will come soon. Weak and exhausted he reached the Schwarzspanierhaus..." (Report of Dr. Wawruch)