Luigi van Beethoven?

[Beethoven1]

I have noticed that Beethoven signed his name "Luigi" in some letters he wrote to others. Does anyone know why?

[v russo]

...clearly a case of 'Italian Envy'.



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v russo

[Pastorali]

Once he signed something like "Quantus Tantus Lumpus" I think he joked a bit sometimes.

[Gurn Blanston]

And of course, he also signed his name "Louis" sometimes too. I think it just suited his convenience to use a different language for different people. Perhaps it would be useful to know who the letter was to, this could be more revealing than who it was from. Beethoven, like Mozart, Haydn, and other composers of the time was necessarily at least semi-fluent in several languages.


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Regards,
Gurn
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That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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[Sorrano]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
And of course, he also signed his name "Louis" sometimes too. I think it just suited his convenience to use a different language for different people. Perhaps it would be useful to know who the letter was to, this could be more revealing than who it was from. Beethoven, like Mozart, Haydn, and other composers of the time was necessarily at least semi-fluent in several languages.

As I recall I've seen "Luigi" written on the frontspiece of one of his scores. Perhaps this is just one of those trendy things they did in the early 19th Century.

[Rod]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
And of course, he also signed his name "Louis" sometimes too. I think it just suited his convenience to use a different language for different people. Perhaps it would be useful to know who the letter was to, this could be more revealing than who it was from. Beethoven, like Mozart, Haydn, and other composers of the time was necessarily at least semi-fluent in several languages.

This is true, but I suggest the reasoning includes social and musical politics as well as convenience. I named my daughter Louise in B's honour thanks to his very habit.


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

[Joy]

Originally posted by Rod:
This is true, but I suggest the reasoning includes social and musical politics as well as convenience. I named my daughter Louise in B's honour thanks to his very habit.

Rod, I'm surprised you didn't name her 'Georgia' after George F. Handel!!



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'Truth and beauty joined'

[spaceray]

It's probably Georgia Louise Corkin,from what I understand she has not yet developed much of a taste for classical music.I could be wrong though.

[Rod]

Just noticed the above two posts refering to my good self. I can say for certain when Louise was born I knew nothing about Handel in any case. In the unfortunate event of Louise turning out to be a boy, I was considering Lewis as the name, along similar reasoning.

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

[spaceray]

So how long have you been a Handel fan?What were the first pieces of this composer that captivated you?

[Rod]

Originally posted by spaceray:
So how long have you been a Handel fan?What were the first pieces of this composer that captivated you?

Only about 5 years. The first pieces I listened to seriously were all thanks to the bookshop Borders 'listening posts' in their CD Department. They had a few Handel CDs on display that you could listen to, namely the complete Carmelite Vespers (Dixit Dominus etc), the Coronation Anthems and the Concerti Grossi op3 and op6. So this was the first music I had seriously listened too. I was very surprised at the consistent quality of these pieces. All the recordings were excellent and I subsequently bought them all...though not at Borders! I have been addicted to the Handellian way ever since.

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

[Chaszz]

Originally posted by Rod:
Only about 5 years. The first pieces I listened to seriously were all thanks to the bookshop Borders 'listening posts' in their CD Department. They had a few Handel CDs on display that you could listen to, namely the complete Carmelite Vespers (Dixit Dominus etc), the Coronation Anthems and the Concerti Grossi op3 and op6. So this was the first music I had seriously listened too. I was very surprised at the consistent quality of these pieces. All the recordings were excellent and I subsequently bought them all...though not at Borders! I have been addicted to the Handellian way ever since.

What a rotter!

- Mr. Borders

[Rod]

Originally posted by Chaszz:
What a rotter!

- Mr. Borders

I feel a little guilty about it to this very day, but Borders is not price competitive compared to the other big stores here. PS have you a Bachian assessment of the Handel Passion music I have currently at my site?

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