On This Day

[Joy]

1760 -- Birth of Luigi Cherubini, Italian composer of operas and sacred works and a favourite of Beethoven. He enjoyed Cherubini's ability to 'weave' his polyphonic virtuosity and his sense of drama into music.
Also
In regards to Beethoven and Cherubini's connection, after completion of his Missa Solemnis Beethoven wrote to Cherubini "I have just completed a solemn Mass and called it my biggest and most perfect achievement."


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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Peter]

Originally posted by Joy:
1760 -- Birth of Luigi Cherubini, Italian composer of operas and sacred works and a favourite of Beethoven. He enjoyed Cherubini's ability to 'weave' his polyphonic virtuosity and his sense of drama into music.
Also
In regards to Beethoven and Cherubini's connection, after completion of his Missa Solemnis Beethoven wrote to Cherubini "I have just completed a solemn Mass and called it my biggest and most perfect achievement."

No favourite of Berlioz though - the conservative Cherubini and the revolutionary Berlioz were obviously not going to hit it off! Cherubini didn't admire Beethoven either - after hearing Fidelio he criticised the vocal writing and sent Beethoven a manual from the Paris Conservatoire which Beethoven kept until his death! If schindler is to be believed (and in this case I don't see why not) he also thought little of Beethoven as a pianist or person.



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'Man know thyself'

[Fidelio]

Beethoven expressed high regard for Cherubini’s operas on more than one occasion. In a letter to Cherubini in March 1823, he declared that he valued them more highly than any other compositions written for the stage.

However,this admiration was not reciprocated. Cherubini was not at all impressed with Fidelio and in his view, Beethoven was inadequately trained in the art of vocal writing. He also did not think highly of Beethoven as a pianist.


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Fidelio

Must it be.....it must be

[Hofrat]

Originally posted by Joy:
1760 -- Birth of Luigi Cherubini, Italian composer of operas and sacred works and a favourite of Beethoven. He enjoyed Cherubini's ability to 'weave' his polyphonic virtuosity and his sense of drama into music.

When the Belgian born French composer Francois-Joseph Gossec died in 1829 at the ripe old age of 95, Cherubini was the only musician at the funeral (Gossec outlived all other contemporaries).


Hofrat

[Sorrano]

If I am not mistaken, Cherubini was the last of the Italian symphonists, as well.

[HaydnFan]

Originally posted by Fidelio:
However,this admiration was not reciprocated. Cherubini was not at all impressed with Fidelio and in his view, Beethoven was inadequately trained in the art of vocal writing. He also did not think highly of Beethoven as a pianist.

Interesting to learn this, but I suppose it does not really matter because Cherubini was wrong.

Actually, I have many books on composers' works and nowhere in these is Cherubini mentioned at all...I have heard his name before but have no idea of anything he has written...

...so, in reality, we should not give too much attention to Cherubini's comments. We know that Beethoven was a phenomenal pianist and vocal writer.



[This message has been edited by HaydnFan (edited 09-15-2006).]

[Peter]

Originally posted by HaydnFan:
Interesting to learn this, but I suppose it does not really matter because Cherubini was wrong.

Actually, I have many books on composers' works and nowhere in these is Cherubini mentioned at all...I have heard his name before but have no idea of anything he has written...

...so, in reality, we should not give too much attention to Cherubini's comments. We know that Beethoven was a phenomenal pianist and vocal writer.

[This message has been edited by HaydnFan (edited 09-15-2006).]

Cherubini was a conservative - the revolutionary music of Beethoven and Berlioz was simply not to his taste. However as a composer, Beethoven admired him and indeed was influenced by his operas such as Lodoiska and les deux journees, both performed in Vienna in 1802. Cherunini's Requiem is also a fine work.

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'Man know thyself'

[Frankli]

Originally posted by HaydnFan:
Interesting to learn this, but I suppose it does not really matter because Cherubini was wrong.

Actually, I have many books on composers' works and nowhere in these is Cherubini mentioned at all...I have heard his name before but have no idea of anything he has written...

You should definitely read Berlioz's memoires then. Berlioz mentions him about 30 times (C. was the director of the Paris conservatoire where B. was a student), and B. described him in a very funny way as a terrible fossile that in 1789 they had forgot to chop his head off. These memoires are really enjoyable to pass time with.
Btw Cherubini composed 6 string quartets which are all of the highest standard. Intellectual stuff; hard to grasp.

[HaydnFan]

A fossile? Hahaha, that is a very amusing analogy...I have to use that one when I get the opportunity.

I will also investigate Cherubini's Requiem, thank you for the suggestion Peter.

[This message has been edited by HaydnFan (edited 09-16-2006).]

[Peter]

Originally posted by HaydnFan:
A fossile? Hahaha, that is a very amusing analogy...I have to use that one when I get the opportunity.

I will also investigate Cherubini's Requiem, thank you for the suggestion Peter.

[This message has been edited by HaydnFan (edited 09-16-2006).]

There are two Cherubini Requiems, it is the earlier C minor (1816) that was so highly regarded by Beethoven, Berlioz and Schumann - A performance I would recommend is
http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/details/66805.asp

The Corydon singers are excellent and I also have their recording of Beethoven's Cantatas which I think is the best available.

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'Man know thyself'



[This message has been edited by Peter (edited 09-16-2006).]