Beethoven and glasses

[Quijote]

I agree - I think he was certainly a striking presence!

Yes. What always gives me a frisson of excitement is to see actual photos of Schindler, Liszt, Bruckner and so on and realize that these people actually saw Beethoven or were born or were young when Beethoven was alive. I find myself gazing at these photos (if that is the right technical term) of later composers/musicians/figures and realizing that their eyes actually had seen "The Man", or had been alive at the same time, or who had met people who had known Beethoven... I then exprapolate, and think about B's pupils who went on to teach so-and-so, who then taught so-and-so, who then taught so-and-so, who then taught ... me, and you, and others ...
I was in Berlin last week (hence, to a point, my absence from the forum, if not for other reasons; my enemies, take note), and found it a fascinating city. You may find this difficult to believe, but I rented an apartment from a relative of Bettina von Arnheim (please, I am not at home and cannot check my sources and the correct spelling). The historical "connection" with LvB was very vivid to me during my Berlin sojourn. I tried (in vain, but then I didn't try too hard) to find out where Beethoven went in Berlin. Anybody know what I may have missed?

[Roehre]

Back to Beethoven's glasses:
he used them on his walks too: to observe nice young ladies in passing (according to Ferdinand Ries, he sometimes even turned around to follow them with his eyes)

[Quijote]

Back to Beethoven's glasses:
he used them on his walks too: to observe nice young ladies in passing (according to Ferdinand Ries, he sometimes even turned around to follow them with his eyes)

I saw B's glasses on display in the Beehovenhaus, Bonn; I tried to steal them.
Anyway, I am glad to read that B had a good eye for the ladies. If I may turn briefly to Bruckner, he too was always after the women (unsuccessfully). If you don't mind me saying, I recently read that he often had nocturnal emissions ("wet dreams") until quite late in his life. Who would believe it?

[Roehre]

I saw B's glasses on display in the Beehovenhaus, Bonn; I tried to steal them.
Anyway, I am glad to read that B had a good eye for the ladies. If I may turn briefly to Bruckner, he too was always after the women (unsuccessfully).

And Bruckner's monocle rests in Beethoven's skull, as he dropped it as he inspected Beethoven's bones just before the new coffin was closed and B's 3rd interment took place (1888).

[Quijote]

And Bruckner's monocle rests in Beethoven's skull, as he dropped it as he inspected Beethoven's bones just before the new coffin was closed and B's 3rd interment took place (1888).

Keeping an eye on his hero, I suppose.

[AeolianHarp]

I know what you all mean; we are desperate to know what Beethoven looked like. I think we know, however : the many portraits, the life masks and the death mask. The Klein mask I think gives us a very good idea. I don't find him (LvB) particularly ugly, contrary to many contemporary reports.

There are enough portraits to know what he looked like and he certainly was NOT ugly- quite the opposite in his 30s! Stephan von Breuning who knew him all his life said the most truest likeness was the Hornemann minature! He is good looking in that one, also in the Mahler one with the lyre! (Meaning from any painting painted from life this was the most accurate at the time of the painting). His older portraits show a distinguished looking man with a real presence.

[AeolianHarp]

I saw B's glasses on display in the Beehovenhaus, Bonn; I tried to steal them.
Anyway, I am glad to read that B had a good eye for the ladies. If I may turn briefly to Bruckner, he too was always after the women (unsuccessfully). If you don't mind me saying, I recently read that he often had nocturnal emissions ("wet dreams") until quite late in his life. Who would believe it?

Who on earth wrote that? Was it that scoundrel Solomon?! Who on earth would know such a thing?!

[AeolianHarp]

I agree - I think he was certainly a striking presence!

Very!

[Peter]

Who on earth wrote that? Was it that scoundrel Solomon?! Who on earth would know such a thing?!

Well it isn't difficult to ascertain - Bruckner was a devout Catholic and being a single man, he was celibate so nocturnal emissions would naturally occur. But you're right, it probably was someone of the Solomon mindset who got a childish thrill from it!

[AeolianHarp]

Well it isn't difficult to ascertain - Bruckner was a devout Catholic and being a single man, he was celibate so nocturnal emissions would naturally occur. But you're right, it probably was someone of the Solomon mindset who got a childish thrill from it!

Oh dear I misread that to be about our dear Maestro- time to clean my glasses!!

I didn't know Bruckner was celibate, don't know much about him. I also didn't know that would be a regular occurance for a celibate man....must be well known about in monasteries then.

[Peter]

Oh dear I misread that to be about our dear Maestro- time to clean my glasses!!

You're not starring in the new specsavers ad are you? That would be a great one!

I also didn't know that would be a regular occurance for a celibate man....must be well known about in monasteries then.

I believe so!

[AeolianHarp]

LOL!

And getting back to the subject of his glasses- seen a few photos of those. How I'd love to look though them, just to see how lenses were back then and to see if he had better eyesight than me!