Beethoven and Goethe

[Athea]

When I read something about Beethoven he seems to be a great admirer of Goethe. Although Beethoven's meeting with him in Bohemian spa evidently didn't go as well as Beethoven supposed.
I would be glad to learn more about interrelation of those great men. What was Goethe's view of the composer, what about Beethoven and Goethe's works?? And so on. Yes, we may not forget Egmont!

Regards,
Athea


[This message has been edited by Athea (edited 08-01-2006).]

[Hofrat]

Originally posted by Athea:
When I read something about Beethoven he seems to be a great admirer of Goethe. Although Beethoven's meeting with him in Bohemian spa evidently didn't go as well as Beethoven supposed.
I would by glad to learn more about interrelation of those great men. What was Goethe's view of the composer, what about Beethoven and Goethe's works?? And so on. Yes, we may not forget Egmont!

Dear Athea;

In addition to *Egmont*, Beethoven wrote a lovely mini-cantata *Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage* based on Goethe's text and dedicated to the great poet. And we have six song settings for Goethe's poems opus 75.

Beethoven did sketch *Erlkonig* in 1797 which was completed by Becker in the 1880's. Beethoven also sketched *Gretchen by the Spinning Wheel*.

Beethoven often contemplated putting *Faust* to music, as even as late as 1822. But alas, it was not to be.


Hofrat

[Peter]

Originally posted by Athea:
When I read something about Beethoven he seems to be a great admirer of Goethe. Although Beethoven's meeting with him in Bohemian spa evidently didn't go as well as Beethoven supposed.
I would be glad to learn more about interrelation of those great men. What was Goethe's view of the composer, what about Beethoven and Goethe's works?? And so on. Yes, we may not forget Egmont!

Regards,
Athea


[This message has been edited by Athea (edited 08-01-2006).]

Goethe regarded Beethoven as a great artist, however his musical tastes were from an earlier period, Mozart especially. He considered Beethoven eccentric which is not that surprising!

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'Man know thyself'