The A-Z Beethoven Quiz (rules of the game)

[Megan]

Interlude sketch

Matron (huffing and puffing) : Doctor, he's out again!
Doctor Psychiatrist : Jeez, Doris, I told you to strap him in!
Matron : I know, I know. He's been rambling about that "Blue Baron" again!
Shrink : Alright, pass me the tranquilizer gun, would you? This should be fun ...

You bring back dear memories, mind you it wasn't dear when it was happening. We weren't aloud to strap patients into their wheelchairs. .

[Megan]

Q


9 Variations on 'Quant'e piu bello', WoO 69 (Beethoven, Ludwig van

[Quijote]

R = Retardation. Not what you think it is, my dears! Nah, "retardation" is a sort of suspension (especially the last perfect cadence) commonly practiced in the classical style, including LvB of course. In the final cadence (the V-I), the top three notes of the dominant + 7th are held over the final tonic before resolving. A nice effect, but becomes a bit of a cliché if over used.

[Michael]

Smetana. Not the composer but Dr Karl von Smetana, a prominent Viennese surgeon who performed a hernia operation on Beethoven's nephew in 1816. Later he treated Beethoven himself.

Incidentally, Bedrich Smetana the composer also lost his hearing.

[Megan]

Trinklied, WoO 109

[Quijote]

U = Underworld (Orpheus in the). LvB Piano Concerto No. 4, 2nd movement.

[Quijote]

Incidentally, Bedrich Smetana the composer also lost his hearing.

That's right. He's the guy who invented a musical sign language for the deaf. His "musical signing" was used in that Spielberg film Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
Ta-Ti-tah .... dah - dum ... it went. In C major : D-E-C-C (octave down) - G (perfect 5th up).

[Quijote]

Matron, I think I need another jab. I confused Smetana with Kodahly! Well you would, wouldn't you?

[Quijote]

And here's a link I found to an article about other deaf composers:
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/8218

[Michael]

Varnhagen von Ense, Karl August. Writer and diplomat who assisted Beethoven in trying to obtain the full value of Prince Kinsky's annuity after devaluation.

(Damn it! I shouldn't post this - the dreaded X is second next.)

[Sorrano]

Varnhagen von Ense, Karl August. Writer and diplomat who assisted Beethoven in trying to obtain the full value of Prince Kinsky's annuity after devaluation.

(Damn it! I shouldn't post this - the dreaded X is second next.)

Salvation is at hand! X is for Ximm, Aaron who experimentally stretched the 9th Symphony into 24 hours (http://www.radiolab.org/2007/may/29/ruled-by-time/). That might be a stretch, but it's an X.

[Megan]

Weissenbach, Dr.Aloys. Poet and surgeon who lived in Salzburg from 1804. In 1814 during a visit to Vienna, he wrote the text for Beethoven cantata , Der glorreiche Augenblick and became acquainted with the composer. Like Beethoven, he had a hearing deficiency.

[Sorrano]

Tricky, Michael, you threw me and got my X out of order!

[Michael]

Tricky, Michael, you threw me and got my X out of order!

No matter - it's a good one!

[Quijote]

Yes, the "X" was good, Sorrano!
Y = Ye shepherds of this pleasant vale (WoO 156: 12 Scottish Songs, No. 4). We haven't done this one, have we?