Happy Hump Day, Guys! In this week's edition of New Adventures in Good Music, we take a closer look at another of the 3 B's of Classical Music, Ludwig von Beethoven via the BBC documentary posted below. Some of my earliest appreciation for Classical Music came from the Music of Beethoven, thanks to Karl Haas and the original "Adventures". The Episode Synopsis reads:
"Ludwig van Beethoven (Listeni/ˈlʊdvɪɡ vɑːn ˈbeɪˌtoʊvən/; German:
[ˈluːtvɪç fan ˈbeːtˌhoˑfn̩] ( listen); baptised 17 December 1770-- 26
March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the
transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music,
he remains one of the most famous and influential of all composers. His
best-known compositions include 9 symphonies, 5 concertos for piano, 32
piano sonatas, and 16 string quartets. He also composed other chamber
music, choral works (including the celebrated Missa solemnis), and
songs.
Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of the Holy Roman Empire, Beethoven displayed his musical talents at an early age and was taught by his father Johann van Beethoven and Christian Gottlob Neefe. During his first 22 years in Bonn, Beethoven intended to study with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and befriended Joseph Haydn. Beethoven moved to Vienna in 1792 and began studying with Haydn, quickly gaining a reputation as a virtuoso pianist. He lived in Vienna until his death. In about 1800 his hearing began to deteriorate, and by the last decade of his life he was almost totally deaf. He gave up conducting and performing in public but continued to compose; many of his most admired works come from this period."
Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of the Holy Roman Empire, Beethoven displayed his musical talents at an early age and was taught by his father Johann van Beethoven and Christian Gottlob Neefe. During his first 22 years in Bonn, Beethoven intended to study with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and befriended Joseph Haydn. Beethoven moved to Vienna in 1792 and began studying with Haydn, quickly gaining a reputation as a virtuoso pianist. He lived in Vienna until his death. In about 1800 his hearing began to deteriorate, and by the last decade of his life he was almost totally deaf. He gave up conducting and performing in public but continued to compose; many of his most admired works come from this period."
I would be hard pressed to come up with a single favorite out of all of Beethoven's compositions, but I can tell you my CD with his Fifth Symphony and Piano Sonata Number 8 is well worn. However, my favorite is not the issue, a companion piece to the documentary is in order here and I have chosen what the documentary calls Beethoven's most self descriptive work, his Symphony Number 3 "Eroica". You may join the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert van Karajan over on my tumblr for their performance of this great work.
If you can tear yourselves away from the documentary, there is a bit of scantily clad male forms splashing about the page in this week's edition of Wet Wednesday posted down below. My tumblr of course is the home of your Hottie of the Day! who today offers you a 'Sens-Asian-al Shower'. Thanks for the visit, see you again soon. Until next time as always, Enjoy!
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