Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Why Beethoven? He was a curmudgeon, boor, and as erratic as they come, according to most accounts. He was also kind, generous, and caring in turn.

Still, without Beethoven there would not be modern music as we know it. 

He was the bridge between Mozart and Haydn most directly, and between Bach and Handel once removed. Essentially, between all that came before and after -- in Western music anyway, centered in Europe throughout the 17th - 20th centuries.

I'm no musicologist, so I can't explain the ins and outs of how and why. I just know it to be the case after listening to a lot of music over the years, across genres and eras. 

Bach laid the foundation for classical music. 

Handel gave depth to its spiritual and oratorial aspects.

Haydn and Mozart perfected it.

Beethoven revolutionized it. 

Expanded it. Gave it all it needed to move into the future. Power. Subtlety. Emotion. Scope. Innovation. Meaning.

And he did this all while progressively going deaf, beginning to lose his hearing around the age of 28, and becoming completely deaf by the age of 44 or 45. Amazingly these were some of his most productive years as a composer when he wrote many of his most significant and revolutionary works.

Think about that for a second: writing complex, rich, ground-breaking music -- for example the expansive and novel Symphony No. 9 which is 40+ minutes long -- when deaf. Miraculous.

When you read all that's been written about Beethoven's music -- and it's a lot -- considerable focus is given to the Piano Sonatas. These pieces get broken down, analyzed, reconstructed (ad nauseam). It's interesting to a point, even for the non-musicologists, myself included. 

Where the power lies for me is elsewhere. Probably because I'm a simpleton when it comes to music. I want to be moved; I wan to sing (or at least hum) along; I want to be entertained; I want to feel the musical ether as I rise (in my body, mind, and soul) above the mere terrestrial into the cosmos.

Listen to this and you will see what I mean (Piano Concerto No. 5 in E♭ major, Op. 73 "Emperor"). Maybe you'll love it, like I do; maybe you'll hate it. Whatever. If it doesn't move you one way or the other, call me. (And I apologize ahead of time for the ads to which you'll be subjected by YouTube; Beethoven would roll over in his grave if he knew such was in the long-distant future when people wanted to listen to his music).

Then there is the 5th Symphony in C Minor Op.67, which is the most famous, recognized piece of music ever written. Yes, yes, there is "fate knocking on the door" at the beginning with "duh, duh, duh, duuuuh." And the first movement relentlessly advances by repeating it over and over in multiple variations, all which are fantastic. 

What gets me every time, moves me, is when the third movement transitions into the fourth. One of the greatest transitions ever written. Once again, it will move you, have you rise above the ground into the beyond. Maybe you'll hum a bit. Here's another version (there are gazillions).

Oh, and I have no idea what the conductor is doing when I watch an orchestra perform. I'm sure it's a lot of stuff like keeping tempo, making sure nobody is screwing up, adding some flair to the performance, etc. 

So try out some Beethoven when you have a chance. Timeless and universally human.