pronunciation

[terry]

Special request to Dutch-speaking people here (Gerd, or others), or Germans, too. What about the real pronunciation of B's name?
ludwig = ludvik as in Dutch lodevik? Isn't the German G pronounced as a K?
van = fan as in German von?
beethoven = with F instead or V?
I've always been curious: once I pronounced his name ludvik fan beethofen and people looked at me as if I was more ignorant than idiot...
Another time I searched his surname on a Belgian telephone guide...I had the temptation to call someone...then I realised better not!

[Michael]

There seems to be two ways of pronouncing it in English, with the accent on the "Bay" or the "Tow" as in: "BAY-to-ven" or "bay-TO-ven."
I think I read somewhere that the first one (BAY-to-ven) was what B himself preferred as it was the Rhineland pronunciation whereas the second one (bay-TO-ven) was Viennese. This could be completely wrong, however .....

[Michael]

Another time I searched his surname on a Belgian telephone guide...I had the temptation to call someone...then I realised better not!

Did you actually find the name Beethoven in a Belgian telephone directory?

[Von Wintersee]

Bearing in mind that Beethoven's ancestors lived in Flanders, the 'correct' pronunciation is as follows:

Ludwig van Beethoven (stressed syllables in bold)

u: as in French 'tu'
w: as in English 'was' (but less rounded; certainly no /v/)
g: as in German 'ich' (but slightly softer; certainly no /k/)
v: as in English 'verse'
h: as in German 'Hand'

[terry]

Did you actually find the name Beethoven in a Belgian telephone directory?

Yes I found some people called Beethoven! I don't remember where, near Malines. They aren't relatives of course but isn't it nice for these people to have the same name? What a pride! "Hello, Beethoven speaking!" I'd like tho know what they think! So you all confirm that BEETHOFEN is not right! Good news, I wouldn't like it! (neither in Bonn nor in Wien they pronounce it F...)

[Peter]

Yes I found some people called Beethoven! I don't remember where, near Malines. They aren't relatives of course but isn't it nice for these people to have the same name? What a pride! "Hello, Beethoven speaking!" I'd like tho know what they think! So you all confirm that BEETHOFEN is not right! Good news, I wouldn't like it! (neither in Bonn nor in Wien they pronounce it F...)

I'm not certain - our two resident Viennese members could perhaps comment?

[terry]

I'm not certain - our two resident Viennese members could perhaps comment?

One of our residents is not German, if I remember well. I can assure you that everywhere in Bonn and Wien they use the universal pronunciation. The last word to Flemish people (I've never been there)