The Genius of Beethoven

[RevThomas]

So much has been written about Beethoven and his music, and I am wondering what others think about his contribution to the world of music.

Classical music is by far my favorite kind of music, and Beethoven is at the top of my list of favorite composers.

His music speaks to me on a level that few others do. He was able to write any type of music, and left behind a very impressive, rich catalogue of works. I believe Beethoven was blessed with one of the greatest minds God ever bestowed on mankind.

I would be interested to read other opinions/comments about my favorite composer, Beethoven.

 

[Babel Fish]

I really love his works for piano. It's too bad that more of his works have not been arranged for guitar, which is my instrument by necessity. Guess I'll have to do it myself.

 

[Christian Soldier]

It's difficult to describe Beethoven's contribution to the world of music without writing a rather lengthy book, I do believe.

He places #3 on my all-time list of favorite composers, after Bach and Mozart.

IMHO, there'll never be another who even remotely approaches the natural talent of those three.

 

[Latreia]

This will be brief, because it is almost time for my husband to do his online surfing; we take turns with the DSL.

The first thoughts that come into my mind when I contemplate Beethoven are the realities of his life. The times in which he lived, the country, his contemporaries, as well as those composers who came just before him, their influences.

His era was a dynamic and passionate time for Europe. Beethoven's personality and nature, which changed dramatically as he aged, deeply impress my thoughts of him, and when I listen to his immortal music, I am stricken with his genius.

But if you read about him and his life, his music comes alive, and he becomes alive in your mind.

The most dramatic and tragic time in his life, of course, was the ongoing loss of his hearing. Even so, the music was still coming into his mind.

Personally I empathize with , his great joy and intense relationship with the beauty and joy he found in the forests and in nature. That surely fed his spirituality and infused his greatest works with divine inspiration and expression.

My family almost failed to understand my deep passion for the Moonlight Sonata when I was only twelve. I was no child prodigy, could barely play the piano, even with lessons. But for many young years, that music was the center of my musical favorites. Those solemn tones spoke to me so clearly of something divine, even tho I was unable to understand what.

His more familiar symphonies seemed the very height of all that was noble and great. And again, I could not define what things I was being shown, they were beyond my powers of description.

That is my first impressions. Later, I will also try to put into words what I found in attempting to play his works, or the parts of them that I could barely attain.

What I discovered was kind of amazing.

Thank you for this thread. Thank you very much.

 

[smv2sax]

Beethoven was blessed by God with a gift...Beethoven piano sonatas are wonderful...I also enjoy listening to Schumann and Liszt.

 

[willard3]

The third movement of the Moonlight sonata isn't so solemn.

I personally like his Appassionata the best out of his piano sonatas, and either his 3rd or 5th piano concertos.

 

[KimLCMS]

He certainly had an amazing talent. I agree that it is miraculous what he was able to accomplish.

 

[JeCrois]

Beethoven definitely tops my charts (after Tchaikovsky and a few others)! I love his works for piano!!!


We were born on the same day! I hope some of his genius rubs off on me!

 

[JSGuitarist]

When I first bought a Beethoven CD on iTunes, I couldn't believe how good I thought the music was. I had never been a big classical listener, I used to listen as a little kid but not carefully, and so I stepped out on a limb and bought a CD... oh wow. I've heard all sorts of good stuff done on guitar, but what Beethoven did with a piano or an orchestra amazed me!

 

[_sunshinegirl]

By far my favorite composer. He has written three of my favorite classical pieces.

Amazing.

 

[Dralan]

I recently bought a box set of all nine Beethoven symphonies and have had it in my car stereo ever since. Absolutely breathtaking music. He and Bach top my list of classical composers. I listen to all types of music and play guitar as well and his music is timeless.

 

[rainbowbright]

Woah, I can't believe I almost missed this thread. Beethoven is my absolute favorite composer ever. Like a pp, I have loved Beethoven since I was about 11. I learned how to play the piano just so I could play Beethoven sonatas (with catastrophic results b/c he kicked my butt, bluntly put), heck, I even went to his house in Bonn (I was a little upset b/c Bonn was nothing with Beethoven like Salzburg was with Mozart, there was a man dressed like Mozart walking in the streets and Mozart paraphanalia was EVERYWHERE). Anyways, I digress- I've read about every biography I could find and even though I know almost everything about him, I can't get enough. He was an absolute genius and his music goes way beyond our realm, I've only just recently heard the Eroica symphony and I was so blown away I've been trying to analyse it and am so confused as to how he got away with writing it b/c it's so against the rules of music, but it WORKS.
Anyways, I could go on for days, so I have to stop now.
Oh yeah, I forgot I had him as an avatar

 

[JSGuitarist]

I recently bought a box set of all nine Beethoven symphonies and have had it in my car stereo ever since. Absolutely breathtaking music. He and Bach top my list of classical composers. I listen to all types of music and play guitar as well and his music is timeless.

I have that box set too I think. Is it by the London Symphony Orchestra?

 

[Dralan]

I have that box set too I think. Is it by the London Symphony Orchestra?

Yea; I bought it at Wal-Mart for ten bucks! The best ten bucks I ever spent....

 

[RevThomas]

The recording of Beethoven's symphonies by the London Symphony orchestra has been done a few times. Which conductor is leading the orchestra on the box set you have?

 

[JSGuitarist]

I just checked, and the conductor for my set is Josef Krips.

 

[ChristianFriend2012]

I love Beethoven's music; 30 Variations on an original theme in C-minor, 2nd mov of the Appassionata Sonata, 2nd mov of the Emperor Concerto, of course all of the Pathetique and Moonlight Sonatas, 2nd mov of the 7th Symphony, Kruetzer Violin Sonata, and I recently added a 2-disc set of Beethoven's flute music, which is suprisingly good. As far as 3 favorite classical cds by any composers go, I'd have to say: 1. Rachmaninoff's 3rd Piano Concerto (performed by David Helfgott), 2. Bach's Goldberg Variations (performed by Glenn Gould), and 3. Debussy Dreams. Glad to hear that so many on this site can appreciate fine art like Beethoven. By the way, Immortal Beloved is a really neat movie about his life.

 

[rainbowbright]

By the way, Immortal Beloved is a really neat movie about his life.

I love Immortal Beloved, but was quite upset with it b/c they didn't stick to the facts. I've yet to see a good movie about Beethoven that is accurate- copying Beethoven was just a remake of Amadeus but with Beethoven. I feel like I should write a movie script myselfbut it wouldn't go over very well.I think the best thing I have come accross is the fictional trilogy books by John Suchet; they may be fiction but he sticks to every single fact and you actually feel him living and it really takes you back into those days of the revolution. I highly recommend them.

 

[ChristianFriend2012]

I agree, I read a book about Beethoven's life and Immortal Beloved is very loosely based on certain parts I remember in the book, which didn't go into much detail. But I really do like the performances Gary Oldman did of his music, I heard he really played the piano in those scenes. But still, the movie "Shine" is much better than either Immortal Beloved or Amadeus imo.