Tales from Schindler

[Amalie]

"It is no surprise to learn that Beethoven, according to Schindler, loved buffoonery and practical joking. He relates how the wife of pianist longed for a lock from the composers crown. So for a prank he sent her some hairs from a goat, actually not too different from his own coarse grey hair!
The admirer boasted about this far and wide, but eventually the truth came out and her husband, very much aggrieved, wrote to the great man accusing him of having insulted the Lady. Beethoven, feeling rather guilty, atoned by sacrificing a large piece of his hair and sending it to her with a note begging forgiveness."

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Most amusing- and it sounds like Beethoven but I fear this is pure 'Tomfoolery'.
Beethoven may have suggested this in a moment of levity. I mean, who could get near a goat to cut its hair?!!
Though the begging forgiveness part does sound authentic.



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~ Unsterbliche Geliebte ~



[This message has been edited by Amalie (edited 06-29-2004).]

[Peter]

Originally posted by Amalie:
"It is no surprise to learn that Beethoven, according to Schindler, loved buffoonery and practical joking. He relates how the wife of pianist longed for a lock from the composers crown. So for a prank he sent her some hairs from a goat, actually not too different from his own coarse grey hair!
The admirer boasted about this far and wide, but eventually the truth came out and her husband, very much aggrieved, wrote to the great man accusing him of having insulted the Lady. Beethoven, feeling rather guilty, atoned by sacrificing a large piece of his hair and sending it to her with a note begging forgiveness."

***

Most amusing- and it sounds like Beethoven but I fear this is pure 'Tomfoolery'.
Beethoven may have suggested this in a moment of levity. I mean, who could get near a goat to cut its hair?!!
Though the begging forgiveness part does sound authentic.

Well I think if I were the husband I might have been even more suspicious of the 2nd hair clump, perhaps that came from a donkey! Nice story and I'd like to think it may be true!

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'Man know thyself'

[Joy]

Very funny story and I've read this before.
You're right it does sound like Beethoven especially the asking for forgiveness part.
Here's an excerpt from the book I've been reading "The Nine Symphonies of Beethoven" by Atony Hopkins that would go along with your story Amalie: "At this time of life (Beethoven was 42 yrs. old) Beethoven’s love of fun and practical joking had increased so much on him as to have become a habit; his letters are full of jokes; he bursts into horse laughs on every occasion; makes the vilest of puns, and bestows the most execrable nicknames and all this the most when he was most happy." Now that sounds like Beethoven as well.

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[spaceray]

Brahms played a Beethovian practical joke on Gustave Nottebohm ,who in 1865 was at work on his first Beethoven sketch book study.
He arranged for Nottebohm to find a piece of Beethoven manuscript(faked by Brahms of course) wrapped around a piece of cheese from a vendor he frequented.Brahms and his friends had to keep straight faces as they watched Nottebohn realise with mounting excitment what he thought he had found.

[~Immortal Beloved~]

Thanks for Sharing with us. hehehe that's funny.

[Gurn Blanston]

Originally posted by spaceray:
Brahms played a Beethovian practical joke on Gustave Nottebohm ,who in 1865 was at work on his first Beethoven sketch book study.
He arranged for Nottebohm to find a piece of Beethoven manuscript(faked by Brahms of course) wrapped around a piece of cheese from a vendor he frequented.Brahms and his friends had to keep straight faces as they watched Nottebohn realise with mounting excitment what he thought he had found.

space,
I love that, splendid! Of course, I would never personally think of doing something like that...




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

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
space,
I love that, splendid! Of course, I would never personally think of doing something like that...

Gurn, me thinks I detect a slight sarcasm in your post or am I wrong?!

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'Truth and beauty joined'