On This Day!
1707 -- German organist and composer Dietrich Buxtehude dies in Luebeck. In 1705 J.S. Bach traveled 200 miles on foot to hear Buxtehude play. Amazing!
Also on May 7th (a couple of days late but didn't want to miss this one) Premiere in 1824 — Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 ("Choral") at the Kärntnertor Theater in Vienna, with the deaf composer on stage beating time, but with the performers instructed to follow the cues of Beethoven's assistant conductor, Michael Umlauf. "At the triumphal conclusion, the audience stood up and cheered, enthusiastically waving their hats and handkerchiefs in the air. However Beethoven was totally unaware of the reaction because he was still seated facing the performers, with his back to the theater. His complete deafness had prevented him from hearing either his music or the ovation that followed it. With tears in her eyes, the contralto soloist took his arm and turned him toward the audience:"
Also on May 7th (a couple of days late but didn't want to miss this one) Premiere in 1824 — Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 ("Choral") at the Kärntnertor Theater in Vienna, with the deaf composer on stage beating time, but with the performers instructed to follow the cues of Beethoven's assistant conductor, Michael Umlauf. "At the triumphal conclusion, the audience stood up and cheered, enthusiastically waving their hats and handkerchiefs in the air. However Beethoven was totally unaware of the reaction because he was still seated facing the performers, with his back to the theater. His complete deafness had prevented him from hearing either his music or the ovation that followed it. With tears in her eyes, the contralto soloist took his arm and turned him toward the audience:"
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