Meaningless comparison

[Peter]

Don't they say some stupid things? Mamoru Samuragochi - 'Japan's Beethoven' just because the man was deaf - never mind the fact that he is a fake! Meaningless Comparisons like this underline the fact that some people just don't get it - Beethoven wasn't just some composer who happened to be deaf, he was one of the greatest men to have walked the earth and left us with an incomparable heritage.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-26148883

[Chris]

Frankly, every time I read something about Beethoven's deafness, I think, "Oh that's right, he was deaf." Obviously his deafness had a great impact on his career, but it just isn't something I think about when listening to his work.

On a related note, I've run into a number of people who think he was totally deaf from birth!

[Peter]

Frankly, every time I read something about Beethoven's deafness, I think, "Oh that's right, he was deaf." Obviously his deafness had a great impact on his career, but it just isn't something I think about when listening to his work.

On a related note, I've run into a number of people who think he was totally deaf from birth!

At least they'd heard of him I suppose!

[Michael]

Frankly, every time I read something about Beethoven's deafness, I think, "Oh that's right, he was deaf." Obviously his deafness had a great impact on his career, but it just isn't something I think about when listening to his work.

On a related note, I've run into a number of people who think he was totally deaf from birth!

I feel exactly the same. I very rarely think of Beethoven's deafness when listening to his music - and when I am reminded of it, it still comes as a slight shock - especially when you think of the unbelievable scoring of the late quartets.
And one of my friends told me once that he didn't believe Beethoven was deaf. After I asked him why, he replied: "How could a man born deaf know what music was."
He is still one of my friends, though.

[Megan]

Beethoven's music is a miracle and I just wish that people would explore beyond his 9th symphony!

[Peter]

Beethoven's music is a miracle and I just wish that people would explore beyond his 9th symphony!

Indeed it is a miracle and a great gift to us. Let's face it, when most people say they 'know' Beethoven's 5th, the most they've probably heard is the first few bars of the opening. With the 9th it's probably only the famous tune - do you know I can play even that to some pupils who have never heard it - such are the state of things.

[Michael]

Indeed it is a miracle and a great gift to us. Let's face it, when most people say they 'know' Beethoven's 5th, the most they've probably heard is the first few bars of the opening .

I love that episode of the Simpsons where, in Springfield's new concert hall, they all sit down to a performance of Beethoven's 5th.
The first eight notes are played and then the whole audience starts to get up and walk out.
The conductor shouts: "Where are you going? It's not over!"
Somebody (probably Homer) shouts back: "Ah - the rest is just filler!"

[Fredrika]

I love that episode of the Simpsons where, in Springfield's new concert hall, they all sit down to a performance of Beethoven's 5th.
The first eight notes are played and then the whole audience starts to get up and walk out.
The conductor shouts: "Where are you going? It's not over!"
Somebody (probably Homer) shouts back: "Ah - the rest is just filler!"

D haha!! haven't seen that one.

I think comments like these -whenever a young kid manages to play as a soloist with the whole symphony orchestra and is then called The New Mozart - just represent the amazing longing for genius that we have. We live in an ordinary world with groceries and what to have for dinners and the fact that there have been these incredible human beings on this Earth some time, walking, eating, sleeping and composing is just so overwhelming that we wish not to let go of them. People get excited over talent, because talent alone can radically change lives for the better and through that, change the world itself.

We wish to see this place as a lot better than it is and that's why we keep on seeing little beethovens and mozarts here with us. Sad fact is that such a talent simply does not occur every so often! There have been claims that the blooming age of arts that took place in the 18th and 19th centuries is never to happen in its profoundness again. We have art yes, but will our art really have such deep and long-term affect on the humankind as a whole as the 9th symphony for example has had -and will have? Do works of such importance get even composed anymore?

Maybe many of us are answering that question with a heavy and sad "no", and that is why we need to keep on finding new beethovens to re-invent their genius instead of turning our eyes and ears towards new names and talents.

I would say it is still possible, but the current values and ways of the world are simply doing everything to stop the artists of today from creating.

[AeolianHarp]

I feel exactly the same. I very rarely think of Beethoven's deafness when listening to his music - and when I am reminded of it, it still comes as a slight shock - especially when you think of the unbelievable scoring of the late quartets.
And one of my friends told me once that he didn't believe Beethoven was deaf. After I asked him why, he replied: "How could a man born deaf know what music was."
He is still one of my friends, though.

Yeah, random people I meet who ask me what music I like, to which my reply is always, "Classical music, especially Ludwig van Beethoven," always say to me first, "Oh wasn't he deaf?" And I say, "Not all his life, no!" as they seem to think he was born being unable to hear anything. But, yeah at least they have heard of him and think he was clever!

It also doesn't help that some right stupid rubbish is written about him online- like he wasn't good at melodies?! Crazy!

[AeolianHarp]

Don't they say some stupid things? Mamoru Samuragochi - 'Japan's Beethoven' just because the man was deaf - never mind the fact that he is a fake! Meaningless Comparisons like this underline the fact that some people just don't get it - Beethoven wasn't just some composer who happened to be deaf, he was one of the greatest men to have walked the earth and left us with an incomparable heritage.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-26148883

That guy is nothing like Ludwig! Fake yes!