Beethoven's Hands

[TiberiaClaudia]

http://www.virtualvienna.net/main/mo...rder=0&thold=0



I thought this was pretty cool and wanted to share it with you guys. The link is from where the photograph of the hand casts came.

The article mentions that Schwarzspanierhaus, where LvB died, was demolished in 1904. How could they?!?

TC

[Hofrat]

You can not save every house that Beethoven resided in. That would be a considerable number of houses at a tremendous expense. BTW, someone lives in one of Beethoven's houses. The city of Vienna has tried everything to convince the occupant to vacate the house, but the law is on the occupant's side.

[TiberiaClaudia]

Hello, Hofrat-

While I realize that he had a huge amount of occupancies, (after all, HOW many times did Beethoven move during his lifetime???) they could have spared the place where he died!!

That's all I'm saying To me it just deserved a little more recognition is all.

But then again, it was an old place when LvB lived there so maybe the building itself wasn't safe. In that case I understand.

TC

[terry]

I thought this was pretty cool and wanted to share it with you guys. The link is from where the photograph of the hand casts came.

Very interesting photo, thank you! (btw, don't they look a bit...feminine? )

[Phil Leeds]

Thanks for the link TC

The hands are nothing like I imagined they would be like. I had read somewhere that his hands were quite stubby and this combined with his clumsy manner made his virtuoso piano performances even more remarkable.

[TiberiaClaudia]

Terry-

I did notice how long and tapered his fingers were. I saw in passing (and fairly recently, too, but I can't remember where) that these casts were done of his hands on the same day the deathmask was done. Strangely, though, I never saw any photographs of them until yesterday.

Beethoven lost much weight before he died. This probably adds somewhat to the feminine appearance of his hands.

Still, they were very pretty hands, weren't they?

TC

[TiberiaClaudia]

Hey Phil!! My *other* accomplace! 'Tis been awhile! How's things?

I agree. Though I knew his fingers were tapered, I thought they were shorter than the cast depicts and that his palms were wider--according to contemporary reports, anyhow.

TC~*~

[Phil Leeds]

I'm fine thanks TC Looking forward to a couple of Ludwig concerts over the next 3 weeks
As you say if the cast was taken after he died when he had lost a lot of weight it would make them more slender. I remember when I saw my father after he died (he lost a lot of weight too in the last few months of his life) I thought how thin his hands were in particular.

[TiberiaClaudia]

Phil--

Have a great time at the concerts...I get to go to one this Friday I also found out that I get to go to Florida in April!!!

On a more somber note, I'm sorry to hear that your dad died. Even though I don't see my dad as much as I'd like, I can't imagine life without him.

TC

[Phil Leeds]

Thanks TC, although he died over 2 years ago and he didn't recognise me for the last 2/3 years of his life I still miss him.

Went to one concert last Saturday and it was wonderful, Vienna Tonkunstler Orchestra performed B's 5th symphony and also Mendelssohn's violin concerto, soloist Nicola Benedetti, who is stunning. I took my 16 year old daughter who didn't really want to come but she really enjoyed it and she said she felt quite emotional when the Beethoven was played!
Next one is on the 2nd March at Leeds College of Music and B's 3rd (Eroica), my favourite symphony, and if I was pushed, possibly my favourite Beethoven

[Joy]

Thanks TC, although he died over 2 years ago and he didn't recognise me for the last 2/3 years of his life I still miss him.

Went to one concert last Saturday and it was wonderful, Vienna Tonkunstler Orchestra performed B's 5th symphony and also Mendelssohn's violin concerto, soloist Nicola Benedetti, who is stunning. I took my 16 year old daughter who didn't really want to come but she really enjoyed it and she said she felt quite emotional when the Beethoven was played!
Next one is on the 2nd March at Leeds College of Music and B's 3rd (Eroica), my favourite symphony, and if I was pushed, possibly my favourite Beethoven

Sorry to hear about your dad. I went through a similiar experience with my dad for a few years before he died so I know what you mean especially about missing him.

Eroica is wonderful. Saw that in concert a few years ago and it gave me chills! Enjoy!

[AlexOv]

Hello, Hofrat-

While I realize that he had a huge amount of occupancies, (after all, HOW many times did Beethoven move during his lifetime???) they could have spared the place where he died!!

That's all I'm saying To me it just deserved a little more recognition is all.

But then again, it was an old place when LvB lived there so maybe the building itself wasn't safe. In that case I understand.

TC

I read just yesterday that Beethoven lived in some 59 houses and they were wondering how the piano moving was achieved.

[Hofrat]

According to the Beethoven Compendium, Beethoven moved some 70 times during his 43 years he resided in Vienna. The Compendium lists over 80 different addresses that Beethoven lodged in Vienna and its environs.

[Roehre]

According to the Beethoven Compendium, Beethoven moved some 70 times during his 43 years he resided in Vienna. The Compendium lists over 80 different addresses that Beethoven lodged in Vienna and its environs.

There is a nice little book with pictures and photographs

BETTERMANN, Silke, Walther BRAUNEIS und Michael LADENBURGER
Beethoven-Häuser in alten Ansichten. Von der Bonngasse ins Schwarzspanierhaus.
Beethoven-Haus Bonn, 2001.

an older, but likewise enjoyable book, but essentially a book to read (as the places are related to B's biography and to other documents):

Rudolf KLEIN
Beethovenstätten in Oesterreich.
Verlag E. Lafite, Wien, 1970.

And sorry to be a killjoy, but Beethoven's hands were never cast like his 1812 Klein bust. The picture at message 1 of this thread represents the hands of Chopin's. Beethoven had relatively short, broad fingers, as can be seen on a couple of pencil drawings showing his hands.

[Michael]

Whatever happened to TiberiaClaudia?
Was it something we said?