Scholarly question

[Suzie]

My boss loaned me 'The Greenberg Lectures' by Professor Robert Greenberg of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, who tells us that the 4th movement of the 2nd symphony is the expression of B's gut problems and that this has been well known for years. I have never heard this before and was wondering if this is well known to you all?

Suz

[Michael]

I wonder if he were referring to the final movement of the second piano concerto (which is catalogued as No. 1)?
Franz Wegeler describes its composition:

"Only on the afternoon of the second day before the concert did he write the rondo, and then while suffering from a rather severe colic which frequently afflicted him. In the anteroom sat four copyists to whom he handed each sheet as soon as it was ready ......"

Somebody once described Beethoven as "that imbecile who spares us neither the pain in his heart nor the pain in his stomach!" but he certainly could not have been referring to this particular rondo, which is cheerful in the extreme.

Michael

[Peter]

Originally posted by Suzie:
My boss loaned me 'The Greenberg Lectures' by Professor Robert Greenberg of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, who tells us that the 4th movement of the 2nd symphony is the expression of B's gut problems and that this has been well known for years. I have never heard this before and was wondering if this is well known to you all?

Suz

Haven't heard that one! - Just imagine the programme notes - 'fourth mov depicts the rumblings of a man's stomach' !!


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'Man know thyself'

[AlteGrafin]

Suzie:My boss loaned me 'The Greenberg Lectures' by Professor Robert Greenberg of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, who tells us that the 4th movement of the 2nd symphony is the expression of B's gut problems and that this has been well known for years. I have never heard this before and was wondering if this is well known to you all?"

I have never heard this, but I HAVE heard Dr. Greenberg several times, and I was frankly shocked at the misconceptions he threw out about Beethoven during his lectures. He was also on the A&E Biography series, if I'm not mistaken and probably should have ended up on the cutting room floor along with Winter. Only the musicians seemed to understand Beethoven at all. I also recall seeing the ad for this Greenberg lecture series in the New York Times Book Review and even the blurbs in the ad were wrong! I would take this comment with a grain of salt! A BIG grain!

[Suzie]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Peter:
[B] Haven't heard that one! - Just imagine the programme notes - 'fourth mov depicts the rumblings of a man's stomach' !!


Apparently it begins with a hiccup and a belch and he refused to speak of the ending . I must listen again on my way to work this morning. He's such an interesting speaker, I'd hate to 'chuck' the whole thing.

[Suzie]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by AlteGrafin:
[B]Suzie:My boss loaned me 'The Greenberg Lectures' by Professor Robert Greenberg of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, who tells us that the 4th movement of the 2nd symphony is the expression of B's gut problems and that this has been well known for years. I have never heard this before and was wondering if this is well known to you all?"

I have never heard this, but I HAVE heard Dr. Greenberg several times, and I was frankly shocked at the misconceptions he threw out about Beethoven during his lectures. He was also on the A&E Biography series, if I'm not mistaken and probably should have ended up on the cutting room floor along with Winter. Only the musicians seemed to understand Beethoven at all. I also recall seeing the ad for this Greenberg lecture series in the New York Times Book Review and even the blurbs in the ad were wrong! I would take this comment with a grain of salt! A BIG grain.

Maybe I have to chuck it. I don't have time for this sort of fluff. My poor boss was so excited over it. I made her some copies of the Hanover Band symphonies and she wanted to share something back. Hmmmm...maybe I'd better have some salt. Thanks.

Suz

[Michael]

Originally posted by Suzie:
My boss loaned me 'The Greenberg Lectures' by Professor Robert Greenberg of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, who tells us that the 4th movement of the 2nd symphony is the expression of B's gut problems and that this has been well known for years.
Suz

On second thoughts, maybe the Professor was referring to Beethoven's wind music?

Michael

[Suzie]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Michael:
[B] On second thoughts, maybe the Professor was referring to Beethoven's wind music?

Michael

Eeeeeeuuuw. Sincerely, though, he says the movement begins with a hiccup and a belch and ends with God-knows-what.

The way he weaves history into his lectures is very interesting, if it's accurate.

Suz