Can someone tell me from which this quotation about Beethoven is?

[Johanna]

Hello, I need to know the author of this quotation as soon as possible. He said it about the 5th sinphonie of Beethoven and it's like this: "It is very great, it's absolutly crazy"
in french it's about: c'est très grand, c'est absolument fou"
I hope someone can help me with it!
Regards, Johanna

[Hofrat]

Originally posted by Johanna:
Hello, I need to know the author of this quotation as soon as possible. He said it about the 5th sinphonie of Beethoven and it's like this: "It is very great, it's absolutly crazy"
in french it's about: c'est très grand, c'est absolument fou"
I hope someone can help me with it!
Regards, Johanna

Is that not attributed to soldier in the audience??

[Peter]

Originally posted by Hofrat:

Is that not attributed to soldier in the audience??

Yes at a performance in Paris, a veteran soldier sprang to his feet crying 'C'est L'Empereur!' However Johanna may be referring to Berlioz's teacher Lesueur who on hearing the 5th exclaimed 'It's amazing! Wonderful - all the same music like that ought not to be written" to which Berlioz replied "Don't worry master, there's not much danger that it will."

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'Man know thyself'

[This message has been edited by Peter (edited 01-11-2005).]

[Michael]

I wonder would it have been Goethe? When the opening of the Fifth Symphony was played to him (by Mendelssohn) he said something like: "It is quite big .... one feels as if the house were about to come down!" (Maybe he said it in French).
Michael

[Johanna]

Hello Michael,
I'm glad that you told me this, because in the meantime i found the quotation it really is from Goethe - so now i'm definitely convinced!
Thank you all a lot for your help, Johanna

[Uniqor]

Goethe quotes on Music... em, a lot of studing to do, or not at all.