Information on the Missa Solemnis (LvB's)

[Harvey]

A nice website dedicated to Beethoven's Missa Solemnis

Includes several discussions, movement by movement analysis, and a comparison to the Mass in C.

[AeolianHarp]

I think I have seen this before. I do take umbridge at these quotes though:

Around 1815 the famous Immortal Beloved affair occured which left Beethoven in deep depression and contemplating suicide. Although there has been much debate over the identity of this Immortal Beloved character, it is now assumed that the lucky woman was Josephine, Countess Deym, née Countess von Brunswick whose picture is shown below.

No evidence that he was thinking of taking his own life over his
love for Countess Brunsvik- the H testament was dated earlier.

However at least she was described as "the lucky woman".

Beethoven's output was mostly null until 1818. At this point he was completely deaf and slightly mad.


Not mad at all!

Unfortunately Beethoven was not a fit father and his relationship with Karl was quite poor, driving him to an suicide attempt a few years later. Beethoven loved Karl dearly, and the pain of his failed attempts to teach Karl music must have been devestating for Beethoven.

Whilst the writer acknowledges he loved Karl dearly- this is true- he wasn't unfit as a father- he really did his best- Karl had nothing but the best clothes, schooling etc and he showed him a lot of love and concern. If one reads his letters it is apparent.

[Harvey]

Thanks for pointing these things out. Hopefully the rest of the site is more useful. The authors do give their email addresses for comments and suggestions, but given the date at the top (1996) I suspect the addresses may lead to nowhere.

[AeolianHarp]

Thanks for pointing these things out. Hopefully the rest of the site is more useful. The authors do give their email addresses for comments and suggestions, but given the date at the top (1996) I suspect the addresses may lead to nowhere.

Most of it is ok. However I just noticed something odd they wrote about Mozart:

It is relevant at this time to include a few words about Beethoven's compositional processes. Mozart was able to get on a train, a few hours later get off with a whole opera composed in his head.

Train?!! About 100 years out LOL.

[Harvey]

Thanks, I trust your judgement on these things. Maybe the author is using the train as an analogy, but a ship may have been a better one. I guess in a very general sense Mozart's music tended to go from head to paper in a much quicker, smoother process, whereas our beloved Beethoven did struggle a lot, but I maintain that the struggles made the music that much greater.

[AeolianHarp]

Thanks, I trust your judgement on these things. Maybe the author is using the train as an analogy, but a ship may have been a better one.

Carriage would make more sense lol.

I guess in a very general sense Mozart's music tended to go from head to paper in a much quicker, smoother process, whereas our beloved Beethoven did struggle a lot, but I maintain that the struggles made the music that much greater.

Yes; greater, deeper....transcendent....