Why keep playing Beethoven?

[Tod]

Just found an interesting article on the Sydney Symphony website confirming why we still need to play Beethoven. I'd have to agree with him here, what do you think?

http://www.sydneysymphony.com/page.asp?p=789

[Peter]

I think that Beethoven represents something so great and special that the world ought to wake up and pay him a bit more attention - I say that simply because I believe if more people actually listened and understood his message it would be a far better place. Our society is sick (nothing new in that) but we are bombarded with violence, obscenity and horrendous news daily - what more perfect antedote than music created by a man who had a vision of utopia (even though he didn't always practice his own ideals!). Beecham once siad that if everyone listened to 15 minutes of Mozart daily it would a better place - maybe, it certainly wouldn't be worse.

[al1432]

Personally, I keep playing Beethoven because, as much as I love Vivaldi, Mozart, Haydn, etc., he simply seems the most interesting to me. I may go through dry spells, yet I invariably find myself returning to Beethoven.

[PDG]

There is never a wasted note with Beethoven. His music is hypnotic. You always hear something new. It is layered with such perfect craftsmanship that we are never sure if we have even scratched the surface of its beauty. Art is open to interpretation, but perfect art exists if the artist is at one with his genius. Beethoven transforms us; all we have to do is let him.

[Preston]

I think that Beethoven represents something so great and special that the world ought to wake up and pay him a bit more attention - I say that simply because I believe if more people actually listened and understood his message it would be a far better place. Our society is sick (nothing new in that) but we are bombarded with violence, obscenity and horrendous news daily - what more perfect antedote than music created by a man who had a vision of utopia (even though he didn't always practice his own ideals!). Beecham once siad that if everyone listened to 15 minutes of Mozart daily it would a better place - maybe, it certainly wouldn't be worse.

Well said Peter, !!!

[Quijote]

Tod, Al1432; Peter, PDG and Preston : much as I understand your sentiments, do you not recall how the SS commandants of Nazi death camps had their Jewish musician prisoners play (amongst others) Beethoven quartets and transcriptions of his symphonies minutes before sending the next batch to the gas chamber? Do you really think, Peter, that playing Beethoven will improve the world? Do ylou really think that people will become better people by listening to LvB (see Nazi example above)? If only. If only ...

A word for Peter (who is an administrator; you cannot imagine how this word chills me) : whatever you may think, I enjoy this forum. Please understand my position - I like playing the Devil's Advocate, but I stand by what I say. Thank you. And please, never make me a Senior Member, I wouldn't be able to live down the shame.

[DavidO]

There is never a wasted note with Beethoven. His music is hypnotic. You always hear something new. It is layered with such perfect craftsmanship that we are never sure if we have even scratched the surface of its beauty.

I second that. The more I listen to Beethoven & study his scores, the more I feel he was -- aside from everything else -- an incomparable orchestrator, superior to even those who are usually lauded for their orchestrations: Ravel, Rimsky-Korsakov, Mendelssohn, &c.

Just for fun: Are there any patches of Beethoven you'd like to hear orchestrated differently? I don't think there is, in my case -- so happy am I with the orchestration in the existing works. Didn't Mahler or somebody reorchestrate a bunch of Beethoven symphonies for contemporary audiences? I should track those down just to hear them. Can you hear the changes immediately?

[Sorrano]

Whenever I listen to the music of Beethoven or play it I feel better emotionally and have the desire to be better than what I am, to reach higher than what I've done before. This is a good reason for me to continue playing the music of Beethoven. I am certain that I am not the only one who has this reaction to the music.

[Tod]

I think that Beethoven represents something so great and special that the world ought to wake up and pay him a bit more attention - I say that simply because I believe if more people actually listened and understood his message it would be a far better place. Our society is sick (nothing new in that) but we are bombarded with violence, obscenity and horrendous news daily - what more perfect antedote than music created by a man who had a vision of utopia (even though he didn't always practice his own ideals!). Beecham once siad that if everyone listened to 15 minutes of Mozart daily it would a better place - maybe, it certainly wouldn't be worse.

Society has always been and always will be sick and depraved. There has always been "violence, obscenity and horrendous news" and there will be in the future. It's a part of nature. Unfortunately we really do need a storm to create a rainbow. I think it is because of the negativity that we need people like Beethoven to show us that there is good in the world.

Do you really think, Peter, that playing Beethoven will improve the world? Do you really think that people will become better people by listening to LvB (see Nazi example above)? If only. If only ...

I think the more depraved the situation, the more you need evidence of sublime good to make it clear that they knew there was something out there equally as good or heavenly on one side of the scales as the display of evil they were engaging in on the other. I don't think it makes you a better person, but it does have a greater effect on society as a whole. Without such music, the world would be in a far darker place.

It would be a sad day if people stopped listening to the likes of Beethoven, Bach and Mozart.

Personally I keep playing the works of Beethoven because he speaks to me like no other composer. I feel a deep intuitive understanding of the harmonies and melodies. I totally agree with Sorrano here.

Whenever I listen to the music of Beethoven or play it I feel better emotionally and have the desire to be better than what I am, to reach higher than what I've done before. This is a good reason for me to continue playing the music of Beethoven. I am certain that I am not the only one who has this reaction to the music.

[Peter]

Tod, Al1432; Peter, PDG and Preston : much as I understand your sentiments, do you not recall how the SS commandants of Nazi death camps had their Jewish musician prisoners play (amongst others) Beethoven quartets and transcriptions of his symphonies minutes before sending the next batch to the gas chamber? Do you really think, Peter, that playing Beethoven will improve the world? Do ylou really think that people will become better people by listening to LvB (see Nazi example above)? If only. If only ...

A word for Peter (who is an administrator; you cannot imagine how this word chills me) : whatever you may think, I enjoy this forum. Please understand my position - I like playing the Devil's Advocate, but I stand by what I say. Thank you. And please, never make me a Senior Member, I wouldn't be able to live down the shame.

Firstly I'm not responsible for the title Administrator, nor senior member which you become automatically I think after 50 posts - that's how democratic this software is!

If you read my post I actually said "and understood his message it would be a far better place." Do you really think the Nazis would have approved of Beethoven in person or that one of them would have endorsed the words of Schiller's Ode to Joy as they cheered Furtwangler to the rafters? Please no need to respond as I've no wish to go down this road.

[Peter]

Society has always been and always will be sick and depraved. There has always been "violence, obscenity and horrendous news" and there will be in the future. It's a part of nature. Unfortunately we really do need a storm to create a rainbow. I think it is because of the negativity that we need people like Beethoven to show us that there is good in the world.

Absolutely but now with the mass media it is far more overt and in our faces, which is why we don't need irresponsible bands lauding violence, mouthing obscenities and destroying lives with drugs. I'm not saying they are all like that, but many are and it is totally unhealthy for young people as well as society in general - it is no surprise that mental illness and suicide are on the increase when society rewards such antics.

Beethoven is necessary in my view because his music is healthy, mentally stimulating and spiritually uplifting. It is positive as opposed to the negative aspect of much popular culture which is vacuous and by its nature commercially driven.

[Quijote]

Firstly I'm not responsible for the title Administrator, nor senior member which you become automatically I think after 50 posts - that's how democratic this software is!

If you read my post I actually said "and understood his message it would be a far better place." Do you really think the Nazis would have approved of Beethoven in person or that one of them would have endorsed the words of Schiller's Ode to Joy as they cheered Furtwangler to the rafters? Please no need to respond as I've no wish to go down this road.

Ok, noted for your first comment.
Your comment concerning the Nazis is in fact very interesting. I'd like to pursue that, and I can recommend a book to you (and others) about this very subject :

Esteban BUCH, Beethoven's Ninth, A Political History, The University of Chicago, 2003. Especially chapter 10 'Beethoven as Führer'.

You're right, by the way, I'm sure the Nazis would not have been able to tolerate Beethoven and he would have been one of the first to 'disappear'.

[Peter]

Ok, noted for your first comment.
Your comment concerning the Nazis is in fact very interesting. I'd like to pursue that, and I can recommend a book to you (and others) about this very subject :

Esteban BUCH, Beethoven's Ninth, A Political History, The University of Chicago, 2003. Especially chapter 10 'Beethoven as Führer'.

You're right, by the way, I'm sure the Nazis would not have been able to tolerate Beethoven and he would have been one of the first to 'disappear'.

I'm glad we can agree!

[Quijote]

I'm glad we can agree!

My pleasure! We know where we stand, Peter. Let's leave it at that. At least you put your head on the block, and I appreciate that. My head is on every block going, it seems!!!!!!!