Ludwig van Beethoven and Beethoven House

Ludwig van Beethoven (i/ˈlʊdvɪɡ væn ˈbeɪt.hoʊvən/; German pronunciation: [ˈluːtvɪç fan ˈbeːt.hoːfən] ( listen); baptized 17 December 1770[1] – 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. HP Pavilion dv7-1060ew Battery Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of the Holy Roman Empire, Beethoven moved to Vienna in his early 20s, studying with Joseph Haydn and quickly gaining a reputation as a virtuoso pianist. His hearing began to deteriorate in his late twenties, yet he continued to compose, conduct, and perform, even after becoming completely deaf. HP Pavilion dv7-1060ez Battery Biography Beethoven was the grandson of a musician of Flemish origin named Lodewijk van Beethoven (1712–73) who moved at the age of twenty to Bonn.[2][3] Lodewijk (Ludwig is the German cognate of Dutch Lodewijk) was employed as a bass singer at the court of the Elector of Cologne, HP Pavilion dv7-1065ef Battery eventually rising to become Kapellmeister (music director). Lodewijk had one son, Johann (1740–1792), who worked as a tenor in the same musical establishment, and gave lessons on piano and violin to supplement his income.[2] Johann married Maria Magdalena Keverich in 1767; she was the daughter of Johann Heinrich Keverich, who had been the head chef at the court of the Archbishopric of TrierHP Pavilion dv7-1067ef Battery.[4] Beethoven was born of this marriage in Bonn. There is no authentic record of the date of his birth; however, the registry of his baptism, in a Roman Catholic service at the Parish of St. Regius on 17 December 1770, survives.[5] As children of that era were traditionally baptised the day after birth in the Catholic Rhine country, HP Pavilion dv7-1070eb Battery and it is known that Beethoven's family and his teacher Johann Albrechtsberger celebrated his birthday on 16 December, most scholars accept 16 December 1770 as Beethoven's date of birth.[6][7] Of the seven children born to Johann van Beethoven, only Ludwig, the second-born, and two younger brothers survived infancy. HP Pavilion dv7-1070ed BatteryCaspar Anton Carl was born on 8 April 1774, and Nikolaus Johann, the youngest, was born on 2 October 1776.[8] Beethoven's first music teacher was his father. Although tradition has it that Johann van Beethoven was a harsh instructor, and that the child Beethoven, "made to stand at the keyboard, was often in tears," HP Pavilion dv7-1070ee Battery [2] the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians claimed that no solid documentation supported this, and asserted that "speculation and myth-making have both been productive."[2] Beethoven had other local teachers: the court organist Gilles van den Eeden (d. 1782), Tobias Friedrich Pfeiffer (a family friend, who taught Beethoven the piano), HP Pavilion dv7-1070ef Battery and Franz Rovantini (a relative, who instructed him in playing the violin and viola).[2] Beethoven's musical talent was obvious at a young age. Johann, aware of Leopold Mozart's successes in this area (with son Wolfgang and daughter Nannerl), attempted to exploit his son as a child prodigyHP Pavilion dv7-1070eg Battery, claiming that Beethoven was six (he was seven) on the posters for Beethoven's first public performance in March 1778.[9] Some time after 1779, Beethoven began his studies with his most important teacher in Bonn, Christian Gottlob Neefe, HP Pavilion dv7-1070ei Batterywho was appointed the Court's Organist in that year.[10] Neefe taught Beethoven composition, and by March 1783 had helped him write his first published composition: a set of keyboard variations (WoO 63).[8] Beethoven soon began working with Neefe as assistant organist, at first unpaid (1781), HP Pavilion dv7-1070ek Batteryand then as a paid employee (1784) of the court chapel conducted by the Kapellmeister Andrea Luchesi. His first three piano sonatas, named "Kurfürst" ("Elector") for their dedication to the Elector Maximilian Frederick (1708–1784), were published in 1783. Maximilian Frederick noticed Beethoven's talent early, HP Pavilion dv7-1070el Battery and subsidised and encouraged the young man's musical studies.[11] Maximilian Frederick's successor as the Elector of Bonn was Maximilian Franz, the youngest son of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, and he brought notable changes to Bonn. Echoing changes made in Vienna by his brother Joseph, HP Pavilion dv7-1070eo Batteryhe introduced reforms based on Enlightenment philosophy, with increased support for education and the arts. The teenage Beethoven was almost certainly influenced by these changes. He may also have been influenced at this time by ideas prominent in freemasonry, as Neefe and others around Beethoven were members of the local chapter of the Order of the Illuminati.[12] HP Pavilion dv7-1070ev Battery In March 1787 Beethoven traveled to Vienna (possibly at another's expense) for the first time, apparently in the hope of studying with Mozart. The details of their relationship are uncertain, including whether or not they actually met.[13] After just two weeks Beethoven learned that his mother was severely ill, HP Pavilion dv7-1075la Batteryand returned home. His mother died shortly thereafter, and the father lapsed deeper into alcoholism. As a result, Beethoven became responsible for the care of his two younger brothers, and he spent the next five years in Bonn.[14] Beethoven was introduced to several people who became important in his life in these years. HP Pavilion dv7-1080ed BatteryFranz Wegeler, a young medical student, introduced him to the von Breuning family (one of whose daughters Wegeler eventually married). Beethoven often visited the von Breuning household, where he taught piano to some of the children. Here he encountered German and classical literature. The von Breuning family environment was less stressful than his own, HP Pavilion dv7-1080el Battery which was increasingly dominated by his father's decline.[15] Beethoven also came to the attention of Count Ferdinand von Waldstein, who became a lifelong friend and financial supporter.[16] In 1789 Beethoven obtained a legal order by which half of his father's salary was paid directly to him for support of the familyHP Pavilion dv7-1080eo Battery.[17] He also contributed further to the family's income by playing viola in the court orchestra. This familiarised Beethoven with a variety of operas, including three by Mozart that were performed at court in this period. He also befriended Anton Reicha, a flautist and violinist of about his own age who was a nephew of the court orchestra's conductor, HP Pavilion dv7-1080es Battery Josef Reicha.[18] Establishing his career in Vienna Beethoven was probably first introduced to Joseph Haydn in late 1790, when the latter was traveling to London and stopped in Bonn around Christmas time.[19] They met in Bonn on Haydn's return trip from London to Vienna in July 1792, HP Pavilion dv7-1080ew Battery and it is likely that arrangements were made at that time for Beethoven to study with the old master.[20] With the Elector's help, Beethoven moved to Vienna in 1792.[21] From 1790 to 1792, Beethoven composed a significant number of works (none were published at the time, and most are now listed as works without opus) that demonstrated his growing range and maturity. HP Pavilion dv7-1080ez Battery Musicologists identified a theme similar to those of his third symphony in a set of variations written in 1791.[22] Beethoven left Bonn for Vienna in November 1792, amid rumors of war spilling out of France, and learned shortly after his arrival that his father had died.[23][24] Count Waldstein in his farewell note to Beethoven wrote: HP Pavilion dv7-1090eb Battery"Through uninterrupted diligence you will receive Mozart's spirit through Haydn's hands."[24] Over the next few years, Beethoven responded to the widespread feeling that he was a successor to the recently deceased Mozart by studying that master's work and writing works with a distinctly Mozartean flavor.[25] HP Pavilion dv7-1090ed Battery Beethoven did not immediately set out to establish himself as a composer, but rather devoted himself to study and performance. Working under Haydn's direction,[26] he sought to master counterpoint. He also studied violin under Ignaz Schuppanzigh.[27] Early in this period, HP Pavilion dv7-1090en Battery he also began receiving occasional instruction from Antonio Salieri, primarily in Italian vocal composition style; this relationship persisted until at least 1802, and possibly 1809.[28] With Haydn's departure for England in 1794, Beethoven was expected by the Elector to return home. He chose instead to remain in ViennaHP Pavilion dv7-1090eo Battery, continuing his instruction in counterpoint with Johann Albrechtsberger and other teachers. Although his stipend from the Elector expired, a number of Viennese noblemen had already recognised his ability and offered him financial support, among them Prince Joseph Franz Lobkowitz, Prince Karl Lichnowsky, and Baron Gottfried van Swieten.[29] HP Pavilion dv7-1090er Battery By 1793, Beethoven established a reputation as an improviser in the salons of the nobility, often playing the preludes and fugues of J. S. Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier.[30] His friend Nikolaus Simrock had begun publishing his compositions; the first are believed to be a set of variations (WoO 66).[31] By 1793, HP Pavilion dv7-1092eo Battery he had established a reputation in Vienna as a piano virtuoso, but he apparently withheld works from publication so that their publication in 1795 would have greater impact.[29] Beethoven's first public performance in Vienna was in March 1795, a concert in which he first performed one of his piano concertos. HP Pavilion dv7-1093eo BatteryIt is uncertain whether this was the First or Second. Documentary evidence is unclear, and both concertos were in a similar state of near-completion (neither was completed or published for several years).[32][33] Shortly after this performance, he arranged for the publication of the first of his compositions to which he assigned an opus number, HP Pavilion dv7-1094eo Batterythe three piano trios, Opus 1. These works were dedicated to his patron Prince Lichnowsky,[32] and were a financial success; Beethoven's profits were nearly sufficient to cover his living expenses for a year.[34] Musical maturity Beethoven composed his first six string quartets (Op. HP Pavilion dv7-1095eo Battery 18) between 1798 and 1800 (commissioned by, and dedicated to, Prince Lobkowitz). They were published in 1801. With premieres of his First and Second Symphonies in 1800 and 1803, Beethoven became regarded as one of the most important of a generation of young composers following Haydn and Mozart. HP Pavilion dv7-1098eo Battery He also continued to write in other forms, turning out widely known piano sonatas like the "Pathétique" sonata (Op. 13), which Cooper describes as "surpass[ing] any of his previous compositions, in strength of character, depth of emotion, level of originality, and ingenuity of motivic and tonal manipulation. HP Pavilion dv7-1099ef Battery"[35] He also completed his Septet (Op. 20) in 1799, which was one of his most popular works during his lifetime. For the premiere of his First Symphony, Beethoven hired the Burgtheater on 2 April 1800, and staged an extensive program of music, HP Pavilion dv7-1100 Batteryincluding works by Haydn and Mozart, as well as his Septet, the First Symphony, and one of his piano concertos (the latter three works all then unpublished). The concert, which the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung described as "the most interesting concert in a long time," was not without difficulties; HP Pavilion dv7-1100ef Batteryamong the criticisms was that "the players did not bother to pay any attention to the soloist."[36] Mozart and Haydn were undeniable influences. For example, Beethoven's quintet for piano and winds is said to bear a strong resemblance to Mozart's work for the same configuration, albeit with his own distinctive touchesHP Pavilion dv7-1100eg Battery.[37] But Beethoven's melodies, musical development, use of modulation and texture, and characterization of emotion all set him apart from his influences, and heightened the impact some of his early works made when they were first published. HP Pavilion dv7-1100em Battery [38] By the end of 1800 Beethoven and his music were already much in demand from patrons and publishers.[39] In May 1799, Beethoven taught piano to the daughters of Hungarian Countess Anna Brunsvik. During this time, Beethoven fell in love with the younger daughter Josephine[40] who has therefore been identified as one of the more likely candidates for the addressee of his letter to the "Immortal Beloved" (in 1812) HP Pavilion dv7-1101em Battery. Shortly after these lessons, Josephine was married to Count Josef Deym. Beethoven was a regular visitor at their house, continuing to teach Josephine, and playing at parties and concerts. Her marriage was by all accounts happy (despite initial financial problems),[41] and the couple had four children. Her relationship with Beethoven intensified after Deym died suddenly in 1804HP Pavilion dv7-1101tx Battery.[42] Beethoven had few other students. From 1801 to 1805, he tutored Ferdinand Ries, who went on to become a composer and later wrote Beethoven remembered, a book about their encounters. The young Carl Czerny studied with Beethoven from 1801 to 1803. Czerny went on to become a renowned music teacher himself, HP Pavilion dv7-1102tx Batteryinstructing Franz Liszt, and gave the Vienna premiere of Beethoven's fifth piano concerto (the "Emperor") in 1812.[citation needed] Beethoven's compositions between 1800 and 1802 were dominated by two large-scale orchestral works, although he continued to produce other important works such as the piano sonata Sonata quasi una fantasia known as the "Moonlight Sonata". HP Pavilion dv7-1103ef BatteryIn the spring of 1801 he completed The Creatures of Prometheus, a ballet. The work received numerous performances in 1801 and 1802, and Beethoven rushed to publish a piano arrangement to capitalise on its early popularity.[43] In the spring of 1802 he completed the Second Symphony, intended for performance at a concert that was canceled. HP Pavilion dv7-1103em Battery The symphony received its premiere instead at a subscription concert in April 1803 at the Theater an der Wien, where Beethoven had been appointed composer in residence. In addition to the Second Symphony, the concert also featured the First Symphony, the Third Piano Concerto, and the oratorio Christ on the Mount of Olives. HP Pavilion dv7-1103tx Battery Reviews were mixed, but the concert was a financial success; Beethoven was able to charge three times the cost of a typical concert ticket.[44] Beethoven's business dealings with publishers also began to improve in 1802 when his brother Carl, HP Pavilion dv7-1104tx Batterywho had previously assisted him casually, began to assume a larger role in the management of his affairs. In addition to negotiating higher prices for recently composed works, Carl also began selling some of Beethoven's earlier unpublished works, and encouraged Beethoven (against the latter's preference) to also make arrangements and transcriptions of his more popular works for other instrument combinations. HP Pavilion dv7-1105ea Battery Beethoven acceded to these requests, as he could not prevent publishers from hiring others to do similar arrangements of his works.[45] Loss of hearing Around 1796, HP Pavilion dv7-1105ef Battery by the age of 26, Beethoven began to lose his hearing.[46] He suffered from a severe form of tinnitus, a "ringing" in his ears that made it hard for him to hear music; he also avoided conversation. The cause of Beethoven's deafness is unknown, but it has variously been attributed to typhus, auto-immune disorders (such as systemic lupus erythematosus), HP Pavilion dv7-1105eg Battery and even his habit of immersing his head in cold water to stay awake. The explanation from Beethoven's autopsy was that he had a "distended inner ear," which developed lesions over time. As early as 1801, HP Pavilion dv7-1105em BatteryBeethoven wrote to friends describing his symptoms and the difficulties they caused in both professional and social settings (although it is likely some of his close friends were already aware of the problems).[47] Beethoven, on the advice of his doctor, lived in the small Austrian town of Heiligenstadt, just outside Vienna, HP Pavilion dv7-1105tx Batteryfrom April to October 1802 in an attempt to come to terms with his condition. There he wrote his Heiligenstadt Testament, a letter to his brothers which records his thoughts of suicide due to his growing deafness and records his resolution to continue living for and through his art.[48] Over time, his hearing loss became profound: HP Pavilion dv7-1106ef Battery there is a well-attested story that, at the end of the premiere of his Ninth Symphony, he had to be turned around to see the tumultuous applause of the audience; hearing nothing, he wept.[49] Beethoven's hearing loss did not prevent his composing music, but it made playing at concerts—a lucrative source of income—increasingly difficult. HP Pavilion dv7-1106eg BatteryAfter a failed attempt in 1811 to perform his own Piano Concerto No. 5 (the "Emperor"), which was premiered by his student Carl Czerny, he never performed in public again. A large collection of Beethoven's hearing aids, such as a special ear horn, can be viewed at the Beethoven House Museum in Bonn, HP Pavilion dv7-1106tx Battery Germany. Despite his obvious distress, Czerny remarked that Beethoven could still hear speech and music normally until 1812.[50] By 1814 however, Beethoven was almost totally deaf, and when a group of visitors saw him play a loud arpeggio of thundering bass notes at his piano remarking, HP Pavilion dv7-1107ea Battery"Ist es nicht schön?" (Is it not beautiful?), they felt deep sympathy considering his courage and sense of humor (he lost the ability to hear higher frequencies first).[51] As a result of Beethoven's hearing loss, his conversation books are an unusually rich written resource. HP Pavilion dv7-1107ef BatteryUsed primarily in the last ten or so years of his life, his friends wrote in these books so that he could know what they were saying, and he then responded either orally or in the book. The books contain discussions about music and other matters, and give insights into Beethoven's thinking; they are a source for investigations into how he intended his music should be performed, HP Pavilion dv7-1107tx Battery and also his perception of his relationship to art. Out of a total of 400 conversation books, it has been suggested that 264 were destroyed (and others were altered) after Beethoven's death by Anton Schindler, who wished only an idealised biography of the composer to survive.[52] PatronageHP Pavilion dv7-1110ed Battery While Beethoven earned income from publication of his works and from public performances, he also depended on the generosity of patrons for income, for whom he gave private performances and copies of works they commissioned for an exclusive period prior to their publicationHP Pavilion dv7-1110ef Battery. Some of his early patrons, including Prince Lobkowitz and Prince Lichnowsky, gave him annual stipends in addition to commissioning works and purchasing published works.[53] Perhaps Beethoven's most important aristocratic patron was Archduke Rudolph, the youngest son of Emperor Leopold II, HP Pavilion dv7-1110eg Battery who in 1803 or 1804 began to study piano and composition with Beethoven. The cleric (Cardinal-Priest) and the composer became friends, and their meetings continued until 1824.[54] Beethoven dedicated 14 compositions to Rudolph, including the Archduke Trio (1811) and his great Missa Solemnis (1823). Rudolph, HP Pavilion dv7-1110el Battery in turn, dedicated one of his own compositions to Beethoven. The letters Beethoven wrote to Rudolph are today kept at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna.[citation needed] In the Autumn of 1808, after having been rejected for a position at the royal theatre, Beethoven received an offer from Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte, HP Pavilion dv7-1110en Battery then king of Westphalia, for a well-paid position as Kapellmeister at the court in Cassel. To persuade him to stay in Vienna, the Archduke Rudolph, Prince Kinsky and Prince Lobkowitz, after receiving representations from the composer's friends, pledged to pay Beethoven a pension of 4000 florins a year. Only Archduke Rudolph paid his share of the pension on the agreed date. HP Pavilion dv7-1110eo Battery [55] Kinsky, immediately called to military duty, did not contribute and soon died after falling from his horse. Lobkowitz stopped paying in September 1811. No successors came forward to continue the patronage, and Beethoven relied mostly on selling composition rights and a small pension after 1815. HP Pavilion dv7-1110es BatteryThe effects of these financial arrangements were undermined to some extent by war with France, which caused significant inflation when the government printed money to fund its war efforts.[citation needed] The middle periodHP Pavilion dv7-1112eg Battery Beethoven's return to Vienna from Heiligenstadt was marked by a change in musical style, and is now designated as the start of his "Middle" or "Heroic" period. According to Carl Czerny, Beethoven said, "I am not satisfied with the work I have done so far. From now on I intend to take a new way." HP Pavilion dv7-1113eo Battery [56] This "Heroic" phase was characterised by a large number of original works composed on a grand scale.[57] The first major work employing this new style was the Third Symphony in E flat, known as the "Eroica". This work was longer and larger in scope than any previous symphony. When it premiered in early 1805 it received a mixed reception. HP Pavilion dv7-1114ef Battery Some listeners objected to its length or misunderstood its structure, while others viewed it as a masterpiece.[58] Problems listening to this file? See media help. The "middle period" is sometimes associated with a "heroic" manner of composing,[59] but the use of the term "heroic" has become increasingly controversial in Beethoven scholarship. HP Pavilion dv7-1115ef Battery The term is more frequently used as an alternative name for the middle period.[60] The appropriateness of the term "heroic" to describe the whole middle period has been questioned as well: while some works, like the Third and Fifth Symphonies, are easy to describe as "heroic", many others, like the "Pastoral" Sixth Symphony, are not.[61] HP Pavilion dv7-1115eg Battery Some of the middle period works extend the musical language Beethoven had inherited from Haydn and Mozart. The middle period work includes the Third through Eighth Symphonies, the Rasumovsky, Harp and Serioso string quartets, the "Waldstein" and "Appassionata" piano sonatas, HP Pavilion dv7-1115eo BatteryChrist on the Mount of Olives, the opera Fidelio, the Violin Concerto and many other compositions. During this time Beethoven's income came from publishing his works, from performances of them, and from his patrons. His position at the Theater an der Wien was terminated when the theater changed management in early 1804, HP Pavilion dv7-1115ez Batteryand he was forced to move temporarily to the suburbs of Vienna with his friend Stephan von Breuning. This slowed work on Fidelio, his largest work to date, for a time. It was delayed again by the Austrian censor, and finally premiered in November 1805 to houses that were nearly empty because of the French occupation of the city. HP Pavilion dv7-1117ef Battery In addition to being a financial failure, this version of Fidelio was also a critical failure, and Beethoven began revising it.[62] During May 1809, when the attacking forces of Napoleon bombarded Vienna, according to Ferdinand Ries, Beethoven, HP Pavilion dv7-1118ef Battery very worried that the noise would destroy what remained of his hearing, hid in the basement of his brother's house, covering his ears with pillows.[63] The work of the middle period established Beethoven as a master. In a review from 1810, he was enshrined by E. T. A. HP Pavilion dv7-1118eg Battery Hoffmann as one of the three great "Romantic" composers; Hoffman called Beethoven's Fifth Symphony "one of the most important works of the age." Personal and family difficulties Beethoven's love life was hampered by class issues. HP Pavilion dv7-1118eo BatteryIn late 1801 he met a young countess, Julie ("Giulietta") Guicciardi through the Brunsvik family, at a time when he was giving regular piano lessons to Josephine Brunsvik. Beethoven mentions his love for Julie in a November 1801 letter to his boyhood friend, HP Pavilion dv7-1119ef BatteryFranz Wegeler, but he could not consider marrying her, due to the class difference. Beethoven later dedicated to her his Sonata No. 14, now commonly known as the "Moonlight" Sonata.[64] His relationship with Josephine Brunsvik deepened after the death in 1804 of her aristocratic first husband, HP Pavilion dv7-1119em Battery the Count Joseph Deym. Beethoven wrote Josephine 15 passionate love letters between late 1804 to around 1809/10. Although his feelings were obviously reciprocated, Josephine was forced by her family to withdraw from him in 1807. HP Pavilion dv7-1120ed Battery She cited her "duty" and the fact that she would have lost the custodianship of her aristocratic children had she remarried to a commoner.[65] After Josephine married Baron von Stackelberg in 1810, Beethoven may have proposed unsuccessfully to Therese Malfatti, the supposed dedicatee of "Für Elise";HP Pavilion dv7-1120ef Battery [66] his status as a commoner may again have interfered with those plans. In the spring of 1811 Beethoven became seriously ill, suffering headaches and high fever. On the advice of his doctor, he spent six weeks in the Bohemian spa town of Teplitz. The following winter, HP Pavilion dv7-1120eg Batterywhich was dominated by work on the Seventh symphony, he was again ill, and his doctor ordered him to spend the summer of 1812 at the spa Teplitz. It is certain that he was at Teplitz when he wrote a love letter to his "Immortal Beloved."[67] The identity of the intended recipient has long been a subject of debate; HP Pavilion dv7-1120eo Batterycandidates include Julie Guicciardi, Therese Malfatti, Josephine Brunsvik, and Antonie Brentano. Beethoven visited his brother Johann at the end of October 1812. He wished to end Johann's cohabitation with Therese Obermayer, a woman who already had an illegitimate child. HP Pavilion dv7-1120ew Battery He was unable to convince Johann to end the relationship, and appealed to the local civic and religious authorities. Johann and Therese married on 9 November.[68] In early 1813 Beethoven apparently went through a difficult emotional period, and his compositional output dropped. HP Pavilion dv7-1122eg BatteryHis personal appearance degraded—it had generally been neat—as did his manners in public, especially when dining. Beethoven took care of his brother (who was suffering from tuberculosis) and his family, an expense that he claimed left him penniless. HP Pavilion dv7-1123ca Battery Beethoven was finally motivated to begin significant composition again in June 1813, when news arrived of the defeat of one of Napoleon's armies at Vitoria, Spain, by a coalition of forces under the Duke of Wellington. This news stimulated him to write the battle symphony known as Wellington's Victory. HP Pavilion dv7-1123ef BatteryIt was first performed on 8 December, along with his Seventh Symphony, at a charity concert for victims of the war. The work was a popular hit, probably because of its programmatic style that was entertaining and easy to understand. It received repeat performances at concerts Beethoven staged in January and February 1814. HP Pavilion dv7-1123eg Battery Beethoven's renewed popularity led to demands for a revival of Fidelio, which, in its third revised version, was also well-received at its July opening. That summer he composed a piano sonata for the first time in five years (No. 27, Opus 90). This work was in a markedly more Romantic style than his earlier sonatas. HP Pavilion dv7-1123eo BatteryHe was also one of many composers who produced music in a patriotic vein to entertain the many heads of state and diplomats that came to the Congress of Vienna that began in November 1814. His output of songs included his only song cycle, "An die ferne Geliebte," HP Pavilion dv7-1125ea Batteryand the extraordinarily expressive second setting of the poem "An die Hoffnung" (Op. 94) in 1815. Compared to its first setting in 1805 (a gift for Josephine Brunsvik) it was "far more dramatic... The entire spirit is that of an operatic scena."[69] Custody struggle and illnessHP Pavilion dv7-1125eb Battery Between 1815 and 1817 Beethoven's output dropped again. Beethoven attributed part of this to a lengthy illness (he called it an "inflammatory fever") that afflicted him for more than a year, starting in October 1816. HP Pavilion dv7-1125ef Battery [70] Biographers have speculated on a variety of other reasons that also contributed to the decline, including the difficulties in the personal lives of his would-be paramours and the harsh censorship policies of the Austrian government. The illness and death of his brother Carl from consumption may also have played a roleHP Pavilion dv7-1125eg Battery. Carl had been ill for some time, and Beethoven spent a small fortune in 1815 on his care. After Carl died on 15 November 1815, Beethoven immediately became embroiled in a protracted legal dispute with Carl's wife Johanna over custody of their son Karl, then nine years old. Beethoven, HP Pavilion dv7-1125eo Battery who considered Johanna an unfit parent because of her morals (she had an illegitimate child by a different father before marrying Carl, and had been convicted of theft) and financial management, had successfully applied to Carl to have himself named sole guardian of the boy. HP Pavilion dv7-1125ez BatteryA late codicil to Carl's will gave him and Johanna joint guardianship. While Beethoven was successful at having his nephew removed from her custody in February 1816, the case was not fully resolved until 1820, and he was frequently preoccupied by the demands of the litigation and seeing to Karl's welfare, whom he first placed in a private school. HP Pavilion dv7-1127cl Battery The Austrian court system had one court for the nobility and members of the Landtafel, the R&I Landrechte, and many other courts for commoners, among them the Civil Court of the Vienna Magistrate. HP Pavilion dv7-1127eo BatteryBeethoven disguised the fact that the Dutch "van" in his name did not denote nobility as does the German "von"[71] and his case was tried in the Landrechte. Owing to his influence with the court, Beethoven felt assured of the favorable outcome of being awarded sole guardianship. While giving evidence to the Landrechte, however, HP Pavilion dv7-1128ca Battery Beethoven inadvertently[71] admitted that he was not nobly born. The case was transferred to the Magistracy on 18 December 1818, where he lost sole guardianship. Beethoven appealed, and regained custody. Johanna's appeal to the Emperor was not successful: the Emperor "washed his hands of the matter. HP Pavilion dv7-1128eo Battery" During the years of custody that followed, Beethoven attempted to ensure that Karl lived to the highest moral standards. Beethoven had an overbearing manner and frequently interfered in his nephew's life. Karl attempted suicide on 31 July 1826 by shooting himself in the head. He survived, HP Pavilion dv7-1129wm Batteryand was brought to his mother's house, where he recuperated. He and Beethoven were reconciled, but Karl insisted on joining the army, and last saw Beethoven in early 1827.[citation needed] The only major works Beethoven produced during this time were two cello sonatas, a piano sonata, and collections of folk song settingsHP Pavilion dv7-1130ea Battery. Late works Beethoven began a renewed study of older music, including works by J. S. Bach and Handel, that were then being published in the first attempts at complete editions. He composed the Consecration of the House Overture, HP Pavilion dv7-1130ed Battery which was the first work to attempt to incorporate these influences. A new style emerged, now called his "Late period". He returned to the keyboard to compose his first piano sonatas in almost a decade: the works of the Late period are commonly held to include the last five piano sonatas and the Diabelli Variations, HP Pavilion dv7-1130eg Batterythe last two sonatas for cello and piano, the late string quartets (see below), and two works for very large forces: the Missa Solemnis and the Ninth Symphony.[citation needed] By early 1818 Beethoven's health had improved, and his nephew moved in with him in January. On the downside, HP Pavilion dv7-1130el Battery his hearing had deteriorated to the point that conversation became difficult, necessitating the use of conversation books. His household management had also improved somewhat; Nanette Streicher, who had assisted in his care during his illness, continued to provide some support, and he finally found a skilled cook. HP Pavilion dv7-1130en Battery[72] His musical output in 1818 was still somewhat reduced, but included song collections and the Hammerklavier Sonata, as well as sketches for two symphonies that eventually coalesced into the epic Ninth. In 1819 he was again preoccupied by the legal processes around Karl, HP Pavilion dv7-1130eo Battery and began work on the Diabelli Variations and the Missa Solemnis.[citation needed] For the next few years he continued to work on the Missa, composing piano sonatas and bagatelles to satisfy the demands of publishers and the need for income, and completing the Diabelli Variations. HP Pavilion dv7-1130ew BatteryHe was ill again for an extended time in 1821, and completed the Missa in 1823, three years after its original due date. He also opened discussions with his publishers over the possibility of producing a complete edition of his work, an idea that was arguably not fully realised until 1971.[citation needed] Beethoven's brother Johann began to take a hand in his business affairsHP Pavilion dv7-1130us Battery, much in the way Carl had earlier, locating older unpublished works to offer for publication and offering the Missa to multiple publishers with the goal of getting a higher price for it.[citation needed] Two commissions in 1822 improved Beethoven's financial prospects. The Philharmonic Society of London offered a commission for a symphony, HP Pavilion dv7-1132eg Batteryand Prince Nikolay Golitsin of St. Petersburg offered to pay Beethoven's price for three string quartets. The first of these commissions spurred Beethoven to finish the Ninth Symphony, which was first performed, along with the Missa Solemnis, on 7 May 1824, to great acclaim at the Kärntnertortheater. The Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung gushed, HP Pavilion dv7-1132nr Battery"inexhaustible genius had shown us a new world," and Carl Czerny wrote that his symphony "breathes such a fresh, lively, indeed youthful spirit [...] so much power, innovation, and beauty as ever [came] from the head of this original man, although he certainly sometimes led the old wigs to shake their heads."[73] Unlike his more lucrative earlier concerts, HP Pavilion dv7-1133cl Batterythis did not make Beethoven much money, as the expenses of mounting it were significantly higher.[73] A second concert on 24 May, in which the producer guaranteed Beethoven a minimum fee, was poorly attended; nephew Karl noted that "many people have already gone into the country."[74] It was Beethoven's last public concert.[74] HP Pavilion dv7-1134ez Battery Problems listening to this file? See media help. Beethoven then turned to writing the string quartets for Golitsin. This series of quartets, known as the "Late Quartets," went far beyond what musicians or audiences were ready for at that time. HP Pavilion dv7-1134us Battery One musician[who?] commented that "we know there is something there, but we do not know what it is." Composer Louis Spohr called them "indecipherable, uncorrected horrors." Opinion has changed considerably from the time of their first bewildered reception: their forms and ideas inspired musicians and composers including Richard Wagner and Béla Bartók, HP Pavilion dv7-1135ea Battery and continue to do so. Of the late quartets, Beethoven's favorite was the Fourteenth Quartet, op. 131 in C# minor, which he rated as his most perfect single work.[75] The last musical wish of Schubert was to hear the Op. 131 quartet, which he did on 14 November 1828, five days before his death.[76] Beethoven wrote the last quartets amidst failing health. HP Pavilion dv7-1135eo Battery In April 1825 he was bedridden, and remained ill for about a month. The illness—or more precisely, his recovery from it—is remembered for having given rise to the deeply felt slow movement of the Fifteenth Quartet, HP Pavilion dv7-1135nr Battery which Beethoven called "Holy song of thanks ('Heiliger dankgesang') to the divinity, from one made well." He went on to complete the quartets now numbered Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Sixteenth. The last work completed by Beethoven was the substitute final movement of the Thirteenth Quartet, HP Pavilion dv7-1137us Batterywhich replaced the difficult Große Fuge. Shortly thereafter, in December 1826, illness struck again, with episodes of vomiting and diarrhea that nearly ended his life.[citation needed] Illness and death Beethoven was bedridden for most of his remaining months, HP Pavilion dv7-1140ec Batteryand many friends came to visit. Beethoven died on 26 March 1827 at the age of 56 during a thunderstorm. His friend Anselm Hüttenbrenner, who was present at the time, claimed that there was a peal of thunder at the moment of death. An autopsy revealed significant liver damage, which may have been due to heavy alcohol consumption. HP Pavilion dv7-1140ed Battery [77] It also revealed considerable dilation of the auditory and other related nerves.[78] Beethoven's funeral procession on 29 March 1827 was attended by an estimated 20,000 Viennese citizens. Franz Schubert, who died the following year and was buried next to Beethoven, HP Pavilion dv7-1140eg Battery was one of the torchbearers. Unlike Mozart, who was buried anonymously in a communal grave (the custom at the time), Beethoven was buried in a dedicated grave in the Währing cemetery, north-west of Vienna, after a requiem mass at the church of the Holy Trinity (Dreifaltigkeitskirche). HP Pavilion dv7-1140ek BatteryHis remains were exhumed for study in 1862, and moved in 1888 to Vienna's Zentralfriedhof.[77] There is dispute about the cause of Beethoven's death: alcoholic cirrhosis, syphilis, infectious hepatitis, lead poisoning, sarcoidosis and Whipple's disease have all been proposedHP Pavilion dv7-1140eo Battery.[79] Friends and visitors before and after his death clipped locks of his hair, some of which have been preserved and subjected to additional analysis, as have skull fragments removed during the 1862 exhumation.[80] Some of these analyses have led to controversial assertions that Beethoven was accidentally poisoned to death by excessive doses of lead-based treatments administered under instruction from his doctor. HP Pavilion dv7-1140es Battery [81][82][83] Character Beethoven's personal life was troubled by his encroaching deafness and irritability brought on by chronic abdominal pain (beginning in his twenties) which led him to contemplate suicide (documented in his Heiligenstadt Testament). HP Pavilion dv7-1140ew Battery Beethoven was often irascible. It has been suggested he suffered from bipolar disorder.[84] Nevertheless, he had a close and devoted circle of friends all his life, thought to have been attracted by his strength of personality. Toward the end of his life, Beethoven's friends competed in their efforts to help him cope with his incapacities.[85] Sources show Beethoven's disdain for authority, HP Pavilion dv7-1145eb Battery and for social rank. He stopped performing at the piano if the audience chatted amongst themselves, or afforded him less than their full attention. At soirées, he refused to perform if suddenly called upon to do so. Eventually, after many confrontations, the Archduke Rudolph decreed that the usual rules of court etiquette did not apply to Beethoven.[85] HP Pavilion dv7-1145ef Battery Beethoven was attracted to the ideals of the Enlightenment. In 1804, when Napoleon's imperial ambitions became clear, Beethoven took hold of the title page of his Third Symphony and scratched the name Bonaparte out so violently that he made a hole in the paper. HP Pavilion dv7-1145eg BatteryHe later changed the work's title to "Sinfonia Eroica, composta per festeggiare il sovvenire d'un grand'uom" ("Heroic Symphony, composed to celebrate the memory of a great man"), and he rededicated it to his patron, Prince Joseph Franz von Lobkowitz, at whose palace it was first performed.[citation needed] HP Pavilion dv7-1145es Battery The fourth movement of his Ninth Symphony features an elaborate choral setting of Schiller's Ode An die Freude ("Ode to Joy"), an optimistic hymn championing the brotherhood of humanity. Music Further information: Beethoven's musical style, HP Pavilion dv7-1150ed Battery Beethoven and C minor, and List of compositions by Ludwig van Beethoven Beethoven is acknowledged as one of the giants of classical music; occasionally he is referred to as one of the "three Bs" (along with Bach and Brahms) who epitomise that tradition. HP Pavilion dv7-1150eeg BatteryHe was also a pivotal figure in the transition from the 18th century musical classicism to 19th century romanticism, and his influence on subsequent generations of composers was profound.[85] OverviewHP Pavilion dv7-1150ef Battery Beethoven composed in several musical genres and for a variety of instrument combinations. His works for symphony orchestra include nine symphonies (the Ninth Symphony includes a chorus), and about a dozen pieces of "occasional" music. He wrote seven concerti for one or more soloists and orchestra, HP Pavilion dv7-1150ej Batteryas well as four shorter works that include soloists accompanied by orchestra. His only opera is Fidelio; other vocal works with orchestral accompaniment include two masses and a number of shorter works.[citation needed] His large body of compositions for piano includes 32 piano sonatas and numerous shorter pieces, HP Pavilion dv7-1150es Batteryincluding arrangements of some of his other works. Works with piano accompaniment include 10 violin sonatas, 5 cello sonatas, and a sonata for French horn, as well as numerous lieder.[citation needed] Beethoven also wrote a significant quantity of chamber music. In addition to 16 string quartets, HP Pavilion dv7-1150et Battery he wrote five works for string quintet, seven for piano trio, five for string trio, and more than a dozen works for various combinations of wind instruments.[citation needed] The three periods Beethoven's compositional career is usually divided into Early, HP Pavilion dv7-1150ev Battery Middle, and Late periods.[85] In this scheme, his early period is taken to last until about 1802, the middle period from about 1803 to about 1814, and the late period from about 1815.[citation needed] In his Early period, Beethoven's work was strongly influenced by his predecessors Haydn and Mozart. HP Pavilion dv7-1150ew Battery He also explored new directions and gradually expanded the scope and ambition of his work. Some important pieces from the Early period are the first and second symphonies, the set of six string quartets Opus 18, the first two piano concertos, and the first dozen or so piano sonatas, including the famous Pathétique sonata, Op. 13.[citation needed] HP Pavilion dv7-1150us Battery His Middle (Heroic) period began shortly after Beethoven's personal crisis brought on by his recognition of encroaching deafness. It includes large-scale works that express heroism and struggle. Middle-period works include six symphonies (Nos. 3–8), the last three piano concertos, HP Pavilion dv7-1151xx Battery the Triple Concerto and violin concerto, five string quartets (Nos. 7–11), several piano sonatas (including the Moonlight, Waldstein and Appassionata sonatas), the Kreutzer violin sonata and Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio.[citation needed] Beethoven's Late period began around 1815. Works from this period are characterised by their intellectual depth, HP Pavilion dv7-1153ca Batterytheir formal innovations, and their intense, highly personal expression. The String Quartet, Op. 131 has seven linked movements, and the Ninth Symphony adds choral forces to the orchestra in the last movement.[85] Other compositions from this period include the Missa Solemnis, HP Pavilion dv7-1155es Batterythe last five string quartets (including the massive Große Fuge) and the last five piano sonatas.[citation needed] Beethoven on screen Eroica is a 1949 Austrian film depicting life and works of Beethoven (Ewald Balser). It was entered into the 1949 Cannes Film Festival. HP Pavilion dv7-1157cl Battery [86] The film is directed by Walter Kolm-Veltée, produced by Guido Bagier with Walter Kolm-Veltée and written by Walter Kolm-Veltée with Franz Tassié.[87] In 1962, Walt Disney produced a made-for-television, largely fictionalised, life of Beethoven titled The Magnificent Rebel, HP Pavilion dv7-1157es Battery starring Karlheinz Böhm as Beethoven. The film was given a two-part premiere on the Walt Disney anthology television series, and was released to theatres in Europe.[88] In 1994 a film about Beethoven (played by Gary Oldman) entitled Immortal Beloved was written and directed by Bernard Rose. HP Pavilion dv7-1160eb Battery The story follows Beethoven's secretary and first biographer, Anton Schindler (portrayed by Jeroen Krabbé), as he attempts to ascertain the true identity of the Unsterbliche Geliebte (Immortal Beloved) addressed in three letters found in the late composer's private papers. HP Pavilion dv7-1160ed BatterySchindler journeys throughout the Austrian Empire to interview potential candidates. Filming took place in the Czech cities of Prague and Kromeriz, and the Zentralfriedhof in Vienna, Austria, between 23 May and 29 July 1994.[89] In 2003 a made-for-television BBC/Opus Arte film Eroica dramatised the 1804 first performance of the Eroica Symphony at the palace of Prince Lobkowitz. HP Pavilion dv7-1160eg BatteryIan Hart was cast as Beethoven, while Jack Davenport played Prince Lobkowitz; the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner perform the Symphony in its entirety during the film.[90] In a 2005 three-part BBC miniseries, Beethoven was played by Paul Rhys.[91] A movie entitled Copying Beethoven was released in 2006, HP Pavilion dv7-1160ek Batterystarring Ed Harris as Beethoven. This film is a fictionalised account of Beethoven's production of his Ninth Symphony.[92] Memorials The Beethoven Monument, Bonn was unveiled in August 1845, in honour of his 75th anniversary. HP Pavilion dv7-1160eo BatteryIt was the first statue of a composer created in Germany, and the music festival that accompanied the unveiling was the impetus for the very hasty construction of the original Beethovenhalle in Bonn (it was designed and built within less than a month, on the urging of Franz Liszt). A statue to Mozart had been unveiled in Salzburg, Austria in 1842. HP Pavilion dv7-1160ep BatteryVienna did not honour Beethoven with a statue until 1880.[93] His name appears in gilded lettering above the stage of Symphony Hall, Boston, as it was the only one on which all the board members could agree when commemorating composers in the architecture.[citation needed] HP Pavilion dv7-1160er Battery Beethoven House The Beethoven House (German: Beethoven-Haus) in Bonn, Germany, is a memorial site, museum and cultural institution serving various purposes. HP Pavilion dv7-1160es BatteryFounded in 1889 by the Beethoven-Haus association it studies the life and work of composer Ludwig van Beethoven. The centrepiece of the Beethoven-Haus is Beethoven's birthplace at Bonngasse 20. This building houses the museum. The neighbouring buildings (Bonngasse 18 and 24 to 26) accommodate a research centre (Beethoven archive) comprising a collection, HP Pavilion dv7-1165eb Batteryas well as a library and publishing house and a chamber music hall. Here, music lovers and experts from all over the world can meet and share their ideas. The Beethoven-Haus is financed by the Beethoven-Haus association and by means of public funds. The house at BonngasseHP Pavilion dv7-1165eg Battery The house at Bonngasse 20 (formerly: 515) featuring a baroque stone facade was erected around 1700 on an older cellar vault. It is one of the few remaining middle-class houses from the era of the prince elector. HP Pavilion dv7-1165er Battery Back then it was in the neighbourhood preferred by the employees of the courts, in the heart of the town between the castle, the town hall with the market square and the banks of the Rhine river. Today, this is a pedestrian precinct with the Bonn Beethoven Hall and the opera close by. In the first half of the 19th century an additional, HP Pavilion dv7-1166eg Battery somewhat smaller, timbered house was built on the property behind the house. Five families temporarily lived in the multi-storey front and back buildings. Three tailors and one shoemaker also had their shops here. In 1836 the entrance door was widened and replaced with a gate entrance. HP Pavilion dv7-1169er BatteryAfter the back part of the house was identified as Beethoven's birthplace around 1840 by Beethoven's friend Franz Gerhard Wegeler, a physician, and Carl Moritz Kneisel, a teacher, the new owner opened a restaurant on the ground floor in 1873 with the name Beethoven’s Geburtshaus (Beethoven's birthplace). A beer and concert hall was added in the yard in 1887. HP Pavilion dv7-1170eg Battery In 1888 a grocery merchant bought the house but sold it just one year later. Thanks to the Beethoven Haus association, founded in 1889 to preserve the house, it was spared from demolition. The following years were characterised by renovation and remodelling works to turn the house into a memorial site. HP Pavilion dv7-1170el Battery Back then, major parts of the building were still as they had been in the second half of the 18th century. In order to preserve spacious museum rooms, the floor plans of the main house were changed and an office for the association, plus a library and a flat for the janitor were installed. Construction changes in Beethoven's flat were limited to the stairs and the passageways to the front building. The inner yard was decorated with trellises and sandstone slabs, HP Pavilion dv7-1170eo Battery and a garden replaced the place where the beer hall had been. It has not been remodelled since. In order to preserve the character of Beethoven's birthplace in its contemporary environment and to protect the building, the association bought the neighbouring house number 22 in 1893. After installing a fire protection wall, the building was sold again. In 1907 house number 18 "Im Mohren" was bought to extend the property. HP Pavilion dv7-1170ez Battery At first it was used as an apartment building. In 1927 the newly-founded Beethoven archive moved in. In the mid-1930s both houses were extensively renovated.[1] The Beethoven-Haus survived both World Wars almost unscathed. In the Second World War, Senior Building Officer Theodor Wildemann, later serving as the association's chairman, HP Pavilion dv7-1170us Battery in his role as Deputy Provincial Curator, made sure that the collection was brought to an underground shelter near Siegen (Sauerland), thereby avoiding any war-related losses or damages. During the air raid of the Bonn city centre on October 18, 1944, a fire bomb fell on the roof of Beethoven's birthplace. Thanks to the help of janitor Heinrich Hasselbach and WildemansHP Pavilion dv7-1172eg Battery, who were later awarded the German Federal Cross of Merit, as well as Dr. Franz Rademacher from the Rhenish National Museum, the bomb did not ignite a disaster.[2] The damages were repaired in the early 1950s. In the late 1960s, the third renovation took place. For the fourth, HP Pavilion dv7-1173er Battery basic renovation of the buildings from 1994 to 1996 the Beethoven-Haus was awarded the Europa Nostra award for cultural heritage (awarded since 1978) in 1998 as the first institution in Germany.[3][4][5] In January 2003 the Deutsche Post AG issued a stamp featuring the Beethoven-Haus. The stamp belongs to the definitive stamp series "Sights". [edit]Flats of the Beethoven familyHP Pavilion dv7-1174ca Battery In 1767, court singer Johann van Beethoven (1740-1792) moved into the garden wing of the house at Bonngasse 20 after marrying Maria Magdalena Keverich (1746-1787) from Koblenz/Ehrenbreitstein.[6][7] Beethoven's father, bandmaster Ludwig van Beethoven (1712-1773), the composer's grandfather, HP Pavilion dv7-1175eg Battery moved into a flat located in the house diagonally opposite. The front building was the residence of the court musician Philipp Salomon and his family. His son Johann Peter Salomon, a later friend of Joseph Haydn, would later become important for Beethoven as well. The ground floor of the Beethovens' flat accommodated a kitchen and a utility room with a cellar. HP Pavilion dv7-1175eo BatteryThe first floor housed two smaller and a somewhat larger room for the family. It was probably in one of the tiny attic chambers that Ludwig van Beethoven was born on December 16 or 17, 1770 and baptised in the former St. Remigius church on December 17, 1770. The child was named after his grandfather Ludwig van Beethoven (1712-1773), HP Pavilion dv7-1175er Battery a reputable court bandmaster, singer and wine merchant, who was also his godfather. The baptism celebration took place in the neighbouring house Im Mohren at the residence of Beethoven's godmother Anna Gertrud Baum, née Müller. The family grew quickly. HP Pavilion dv7-1175nr Battery However, out of the seven children only Ludwig and two brothers survived: Kaspar Anton Karl (1774-1815) and Nikolaus Johann (1776-1848). Around 1774 the Beethoven family moved into the house Zum Walfisch owned by baker Fischer at Rheingasse no. 24. Ludwig van Beethoven's father and grandfather had temporarily lived here, too. HP Pavilion dv7-1177ca Battery [8][9] The family made its living by working for the Court. From 1784 onwards even the young Beethoven joined the court orchestra. Father and son also gave private music lessons to the families of noble Court officials. During the years in Bonn friendships with noble and bourgeois families were established such as the widow of Court Counsellor von Breuning and her children Stephan, HP Pavilion dv7-1179er Battery Christoph, Eleonore and Lorenz, the family of violinist Fran Anton Ries and with Franz Gerhard Wegeler. Many of these friendships lasted a life-long and had a far greater impact on Beethoven's education than the few years he spent at schoolHP Pavilion dv7-1180eg Battery. In 1785 the family moved to Wenzelgasse 25. Of all the residences of the Beethoven family, the only one that remains today is Beethoven's birthplace at Bonngasse.[10] [edit]The museum The museum was opened on 10 May 1893 during the second chamber music festival. It was extended several times. Today, HP Pavilion dv7-1180eo Battery it houses the largest Beethoven collection in the world. [edit]Museum building The museum includes two formerly separate buildings: the front building and the annex toward the garden where the composer spent the first years of his life. When setting up the buildings as a museum, tHP Pavilion dv7-1183cl Batteryhey were connected. The rambling rooms with their low ceilings, the creaking stair steps in the back building and the wooden floors in the listed building of the 18th century convey an impression of the living conditions of that time. [edit]Permanent exhibitionHP Pavilion dv7-1190eg Battery In the 20th century, the permanent exhibition was renewed several times. The original concept focused on a reconstruction of the house and on the display of a lot of items. When the rooms and the exhibition were refurbished and updated the last time in 1995/96, HP Pavilion dv7-1190eo Batterythe idea was to give visitors the opportunity to experience a step back in time when viewing the 150 exhibits from the proprietary collection of the Beethoven Haus.[11] Portraits, manuscripts, sheet music printouts, instruments and items of everyday life give an insight into Beethoven's life and work. HP Pavilion dv7-1190er Battery [12] The birthplace documents the Bonn time until 1792. On display are, e.g. the baptism entry in the church register of the St. Remigius church, the poster announcing Beethoven's first public performance in Cologne in 1778, the first printed composition from 1783 and a portrait of Beethoven's grandfather. HP Pavilion dv7-1190es BatteryPaintings of Beethoven's employers Elector Maximilian Friedrich von Königsegg-Rothenfels and Elector Maximilian Franz from Austria as well as his official viola illustrate Beethoven's activity as a member of the Bonn court band. The room connecting the buildings shows the historic console of the organ that once stood in the St. Remigius church (former Minoriten church) and that Beethoven regularly played since he was ten years old. HP Pavilion dv7-1195eg Battery The console was given to the Beethoven-Haus when the church was reconstructed in 1904. Distinct from the organ it pertained to, the console survived the Second World War. Silhouettes and portraits of the von Breuning family, greeting cards to Beethoven from Eleonore von Breuning, HP Pavilion dv7-1195eo Battery pictures of Franz Gerhard Wegeler and Christian Gottlob Neefe depict some of the people most influential for Beethoven's personal development and musical education. The relocation to Vienna is represented by the famous entry of Count Ferdinand Ernst von Waldstein in Beethoven's register, HP Pavilion dv7-1195er Batterywishing Beethoven "Mozart's spirit from Haydn's hands" when taking lessons with Haydn in Vienna. (The original register is in Vienna).[13] The room today with a Beethoven bust by Josef Danhauser (1827/gypsum cast) [edit]The Vienna years in the front building The front building shows documents from the Vienna years. HP Pavilion dv7-1196eg BatteryTwelve exhibition rooms illustrate Beethoven's early years as piano player and composer as well as his master compositions. On display are portraits of Beethoven's teachers Joseph Haydn, Johann Georg Albrechtsberger and Antonio Salieri, the string quartet instruments provided by Prince Karl von Lichnowsky, a patron of Beethoven during the first years in Vienna (on permanent loan from the State Institute for Music Research, HP Pavilion dv7-1198eg Battery Prussian Cultural Heritage, Berlin), Beethoven's last instrument, the pianoforte from Conrad Graf,[14] and selected composition editions. Portraits of the composer in various stages of his life, the famous bust from Vienna sculptor Franz Klein (1779-1840), HP Pavilion dv7-1199ec BatteryJosef Danhauser's lithography "Beethoven on his deathbed" and the death mask deliver an impression of Beethoven's appearance. Franz Stöber's watercolour depicting the funeral cortege on March 29, 1827 shows how much Beethoven was recognized and revered even in his lifetime. HP Pavilion dv7-1199ed Battery Beethoven's hearing problems are documented by the exhibited ear trumpets and a conversation booklet, i.e. a booklet in which Beethoven's interlocutors wrote down what they had to say. Letters, notes, various contemporary music instruments and items of daily life give an idea of Beethoven as a human being, his everyday life, his relationships and lifestyle. HP Pavilion dv7-1199ef Battery [15] A separate room is dedicated to Zurich physician and art collector Hans Conrad Bodmer (1891-1956), who donated his collection of more than 850 items to the Beethoven-Haus in his last will.[16] Two other rooms are available for about three special exhibitions each year. HP Pavilion dv7-1199eg BatterySeen from ever-changing perspectives precious manuscripts and other important documents from Beethoven's life and work are exhibited. The ground floor houses a lecture and performance room groups can book for concerts on historic pianofortes and for lectures. HP Pavilion dv7-1199el Battery Apart from the permanent exhibition the museum offers theme-related special exhibitions several times a year. These exhibitions are often linked to special events such as recent purchases or anniversaries. In 1998 the newly acquired Wegeler collection was presented. HP Pavilion dv7-1199eo Battery [17] The 50th anniversary of the acquisition of the Bodmer collection was celebrated with a retrospective exhibition,[18] and in 2010 the autograph of the Diabelli variation was presented to the public. On other occasions contemporaries were "reanimated", using collection items and items on loan, such as Beethoven's teacher Christian Gottlob Neefe (1999), HP Pavilion dv7-1199es Battery piano builder family Streicher (1999) and the Breitkopf & Härtel publishing house (2007), poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1999) and painter and drawer Moritz von Schwind (2004/2005). Furthermore, renowned Beethoven researchers were dedicated a separate exhibition, HP Pavilion dv7-1199ev Batterylike for example diplomat and Beethoven biographer Alexander Wheelock Thayer (1817–1897) in 2010 on the 100th anniversary of the publication day of the last volume of his Beethoven biography in 1911, or Max Unger (2000). The reception of Beethoven's music by musicians such as Johannes Brahms (1997), HP Pavilion dv7-1199ew Battery Richard Strauss (2002) or Paul Hindemith (2009) and artists like Naoum Aronson (2003), a student of Rodin, or Joseph Beuys (2005) was also addressed in special exhibitions. For some years now exhibitions accompanying the Bonn Beethoven festival have been organised. In 2009, HP Pavilion dv7-1199ez Batteryunder the motto "The power of music" theatre and concert shows relating to Beethoven performances held at the Bando prisoner-of-war camp for German soldiers in Japan were performed, whereas in 2010 the focus was on Beethoven's chamber music compositions, HP Pavilion dv7-1200 Batteryin which the composer ventured out into the open ("Into the open" was the motto of the 2010 Beethoven festival). Additional publications offer more information. Some special exhibitions are archived on the homepage of the Beethoven-Haus and can be accessed permanently. HP Pavilion dv7-1200eg Battery [edit]The Garden The garden of the Beethoven-Haus contains a collection of Beethoven busts dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. The studio for digital collections on the ground floor of the neighbouring house contains more than 6,000 digitalised documents. HereHP Pavilion dv7-1200eo Battery, visitors can read and partially even explore by listening manuscripts and first prints of compositions, letters and pictures, view a digital reconstruction of Beethoven's Vienna flat or send greeting cards to family and friends. HP Pavilion dv7-1201ef BatteryThe Stage for Music Visualisation in the basement shows scenes from Beethoven's opera Fidelio and the bagatelle op. 126 no. 4 for piano in a computer-generated 3D environment.[19][20] [edit]Website Since 2004 the Beethoven-Haus has its own website, offering visitors to view information on the museum, HP Pavilion dv7-1201eg Batteryon concerts and to order tickets. Museum, chamber music hall and library can be explored on a virtual tour. Apart from that, the Digital Archive houses a steadily growing number of currently (2011) more than 6,000 digitalised manuscripts, letters, first editions and early prints, pictures and objects. Visitors can read about research topics, HP Pavilion dv7-1201tx Batteryfindings and the publications of the publishing house. For concept and design, the Beethoven-Haus was awarded the title Master of Excellence at the 17th Corporate Media competition in 2005.[21] [edit]The chamber music hallHP Pavilion dv7-1201xx Battery Apart from its research aims related to music history, the Beethoven-Haus association has always organised chamber music festivals and concerts on its premises. On the 100th anniversary of the association in 1989, the newly constructed chamber music hall was inaugurated in the building next to Beethoven's birthplace. HP Pavilion dv7-1202ef Battery It is named after the former chairman Hermann Josef Abs, who had initiated the construction and supported it generously. Held in the tradition of a semi-oval amphitheatre, the hall accommodates 199 seats and offers great acoustics and a very private atmosphere. HP Pavilion dv7-1202tx BatteryThe architects Thomas van den Valentyn and Klaus Müller were awarded several prizes for it (German Architect Award 1989, Mies van der Rohe Award 1990 and the Gold Award for interior design in 1991).[22][23][24] In combination with the other Beethoven-Haus institutions, the chamber music hall is an ideal venue for concerts and can also be booked for concerts, congresses and other events.[25] HP Pavilion dv7-1203ef Battery [edit]Concerts and events The annual programme of the chamber music hall with its more or less 40 events is characterised both by tradition and modern approaches, HP Pavilion dv7-1203em Battery comprising classic chamber music performed by famous ensembles and solo musicians as well as young artists at the beginning of their career. Concerts played on historical instruments give an impression of the time Beethoven lived in. Contemporary jazz offers the opportunity for improvisation and inspiration, HP Pavilion dv7-1203tx Battery family concerts and events for elementary schools let children and parents alike explore classic music, and theme-focused series and conversation forums allow visitors to meet composers and learn about music eras and cultural phenomena.[26] The department management is responsible for programme and artistic direction. HP Pavilion dv7-1204ef Battery [edit]Junior staff development Following Beethoven's example as a teacher, the Beethoven-Haus has been offering a research-focused study programme for students and young music scientists since 2007, dealing with selected research topics on Beethoven. HP Pavilion dv7-1204eg Battery The master classes initiated by Kurt Masur in 2006 aim at promoting the development of young musicians. Initially, the classes were only available for conductors. Since 2010 chamber music ensembles can also participate in these classes, where famous artists study and perform Beethoven compositions with young musicians during public rehearsals. In addition, HP Pavilion dv7-1204tx Batterythe students have access to the corresponding manuscripts, can discuss themes on philology, music history and performance techniques with the staff of the Beethoven-Haus and can obtain advice on how to interpret Beethoven's compositions. [edit]Music and museum education servicesHP Pavilion dv7-1205ef Battery By offering guided tours for children, holiday workshops and afternoon activities at the museum, the Beethoven-Haus aims at reaching children and teenagers. Children who play an instrument meet several times a year at the chamber music hall to study and perform adaptations of Beethoven compositions. HP Pavilion dv7-1205eg Battery There are also concerts for children and various educational projects for elementary schools. Each year around 1,000 elementary school children visit the "scenic school concerts". In the 2011 competition "Kinder zum Olymp!", organised by the German cultural foundation "Kulturstiftung der Länder",HP Pavilion dv7-1205eo Battery an elementary school project dealing with Beethoven's house was awarded a prize in the final competition, and in the competition Kooperation. Konkret 2011 the same projekt won the first prize. In 2007 "Hello Beethoven", a special internet site for children was launched. The site contains information on topics such as Beethoven's family, HP Pavilion dv7-1205tx Batteryhis friends and school career, his daily routine, his illnesses, the social and political situation at that time and so on.[27] It is recommended by the German central institution for political education for schools.[28] [edit]Science and researchHP Pavilion dv7-1206ef Battery As described in its statute, the Beethoven-Haus fulfils the following purposes: collection and maintenance of manuscripts, pictures, original editions, early prints and publications related to Beethoven and his cultural environment; promotion of the Beethoven research by means of research projects, HP Pavilion dv7-1206el Batterypublications, congresses; organisation of exhibitions and museum-related events, production and distribution of publications and recordings of Beethoven compositions; support of musical performances and promotion of the international collaboration with research centres and other institutions dealing with Beethoven.[29] HP Pavilion dv7-1206ez Battery [edit]Beethoven collection Among the duties of the Beethoven-Haus, the oldest one is collecting documents related to Beethoven.[30] Within the 120 years of its existence, the Beethoven-Haus has established the largest and most diverse Beethoven collection. HP Pavilion dv7-1206tx Battery It comprises more than 1,000 original manuscripts (sketch sheets and sketch booklets, autographs, Beethoven-revised copies, conversation booklets, around 700 letters) as well as composition prints annotated by Beethoven, music instruments, memorabilia and items from Beethoven's daily life. The art collection consists of more than 3,000 pictures, paintings, HP Pavilion dv7-1207ef Batteryphotographs and sculptures, featuring among others three quarters of all authentic Beethoven portraits, like for example the famous painting from Joseph Karl Stieler (1820). Thanks to gifts or permanent loans from private and public foundations and patrons the collection grows continuously. HP Pavilion dv7-1207tx Battery The most important new acquisitions of the last decade is the purchase of the engraver's copy of the Missa Solemnis (op. 123) in 2005 and the purchase of the original manuscript of the 33 variations on a waltz for piano by Anton Diabelli (op. 120) in December 2009. Air-conditioned and museum-appropriate rooms in the new building and a safe ensure that the precious documents are stored adequately. Every month the museum displays an object of the month. HP Pavilion dv7-1208ef Battery [edit]Beethoven archive The buildings next to the birthplace house the Beethoven archive, i.e. the scientific department of the institution. It was established on March 26th in 1927 on the occasion of Beethoven's 100th anniversary as a foundation belonging to the Beethoven-Haus. HP Pavilion dv7-1208ez Battery [31] Initially, it had its own administration and was closely related to the University of Bonn. Bonn music scientist Ludwig Schiedermair was initiator, founding member and served as director until 1945. Between 1945 and 1972 he was succeeded by Joseph Schmidt-Görg and Günther Massenkeil (1972-1974, as interim until 1976). HP Pavilion dv7-1208tx Battery All three were also professors at the seminar for the science of music. From 1976 until he went to the University of Göttingen Martin Staehelin held the position. In 1984, he was followed by Sieghard Brandenburg, who has also been head of department since 1998 as part of the new director position at the Beethoven-HausHP Pavilion dv7-1209ef Battery. From 2003 to 2006 Ernst Herttrich was in charge of the Beethoven archive. He was also head of the complete edition since 1990 and head of the Beethoven-Haus publishing house since 1998. Since January 1st 2007 Bernhard R. Appel is head of archive and publishing house. HP Pavilion dv7-1209em Battery [32] The purpose of the Beethoven archive was mainly to create a centre for documentation on Beethoven's life, compositions and cultural environment. In order to reach that aim, a comprehensive Beethoven library was to be established along with all original editions of Beethoven's compositions and all preserved music manuscripts as photographic reproductions suitable to replace the original document for study purposes. HP Pavilion dv7-1209tx Battery These documents were to be complemented by facsimile reproductions of all certificates relevant for Beethoven's biography and his work and by a collection of all material needed to study Beethoven's art and time.[33] The Beethoven archive as a hub of the Beethoven research was also deemed to be useful for the general interest in art. HP Pavilion dv7-1210ea Battery [34][35] The collection now comprises over 11,000 autographs, music sheet, letters, documents, music prints and other sources from more than 200 libraries and archives. It is the foundation for philological research and edition.[36] Besides, employees of the Beethoven-Haus regularly take part in international events concerning the research on Beethoven such as congresses and seminars. HP Pavilion dv7-1210ed Battery [edit]Library The archive's inventory is complemented with the literature and sheet music collection of the Beethoven-Haus library. In 1927 the collection became part of the archive, whereas the manuscript collection remained in the possession of the Beethoven-Haus association. HP Pavilion dv7-1210eg Battery [37] The library primarily provides literature for the Beethoven-Haus and serves as a research library. To a lesser extent it is also an archive library with a proprietary source collection. The library's management is also responsible for indexing, the Digital Archive and the website of the Beethoven-Haus. As major collection items the library maintains original, HP Pavilion dv7-1210el Batteryfirst and early prints of compositions by Beethoven and other people from his environment, scientific literature published in form of essays or books, literature and magazines relating to a larger historic and cultural context as well as recordings. HP Pavilion dv7-1210eo BatteryAs such, the library not only documents Beethoven's compositions and their reception but also the composer's historic and personal environment. Apart from 50,000 books and essays, 160 magazines, 27,000 music items, HP Pavilion dv7-1210er Batteryamong them 6,500 items of or relating to Beethoven, more than 11,000 image and microfilm records and 2,500 audio-visual media are available.[38] Thanks to bequests, purchases and gifts from individuals (such as Herbert Grundmann, Hans Klingemann, Freiherr von Geyr, Hanns J. Eller, Dr. Klaus Steltmann) the library grew significantly. HP Pavilion dv7-1210et Battery Among the most important collections are the one from Hans Conrad Bodmer, a Swiss physician and Beethoven collector who bequeathed more than 850 items to the Beethoven-Haus in 1956 as well as the collection of Franz Gerhard Wegeler, friend and biographer of Beethoven. HP Pavilion dv7-1210tx BatteryIt consists of over 400 items that were handed over to the Beethoven-Haus as a permanent loan in 1998. Furthermore, the library is in possession of several bequests, for example from Anton Schindler,[39] Theodor von Frimmel and Max UngerHP Pavilion dv7-1211ea Battery.[40] With an inventory of almost 100,000 media units containing biographical data the Beethoven-Haus library is now the largest public Beethoven-related library. Its reading room and reference library are popular with users from all over the world who enjoy working and studying at a historic quartet table at which Beethoven himself might have played.[41] HP Pavilion dv7-1211tx Battery [edit]Editions [edit]Complete editions and facsimile editions One of the tasks of the Beethoven-Haus is to assess and prepare the collection for scientific use. In light of the increasing number of different editions and questions on the interpretation of Beethoven's work, HP Pavilion dv7-1212ea Battery the need for a new complete edition grew. A complete edition published by Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig had already been available since 1863-1865/1888; however, it only contained the printed editions of Beethoven compositions known at that time. HP Pavilion dv7-1212tx Battery Compositions discovered since then or yet unprinted pieces (compositions without opus number) were not included in the old edition. Apart from that the entitlements to historic editions had changed.[42] Delayed by the maelstrom of WW2, the G. Henle publishing house published in 1961 the first volume of the New Beethoven Edition that was begun in 1959. HP Pavilion dv7-1213ea BatteryUntil today it is the archive's most important scientific project. 56 volumes, divided into composition categories and instrumentation, are planned. The edition elaborated by the scientific staff of the Beethoven archive and internationally renowned music scientists is to identify the sheet music Beethoven intended but that is not always available in a clear form by comparing authentic sources, by justifying it in a critical report and publishing it on modern media. HP Pavilion dv7-1213tx Battery [43] Besides working on the complete edition, the Beethoven archive staff is also reviewing the composition directory published by Georg Kinsky and Hans Halm in 1955.[44] Publishing selected manuscripts as facsimile editions fulfils the intentions of the Beethoven-Haus founders: collect and maintain original documents, HP Pavilion dv7-1214ea Batteryprepare them under scientific aspects and make them available for researchers and the public. Due to other tasks, the review was at first postponed but was started anew in 1953 under the direction of Joseph Schmidt-Görg and has since been continued by his successors. The publishing house not only publishes composition manuscripts and original editions such as the Waldstein Sonata (op. 53), HP Pavilion dv7-1214tx Battery songs based on texts by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe or the Six bagatelles for piano (op. 126) but also written documents like letters (to, e.g. Josephine Countess Deym, née. v. Brunsvik, or to the Immortal Beloved), Beethoven's diary 1812-1818 or the register his Bonn friends gave the composer as a farewell gift upon his departure to Vienna in 1792. HP Pavilion dv7-1215ef Battery [edit]Sketch research A major area of the research on Beethoven that was generally neglected in music science but has been incorporated in the guidelines of the Beethoven archive in 1972 already is sketch research. HP Pavilion dv7-1215eg BatteryIn 1952 Joseph Schmidt-Görg founded an edition of scientifically reviewed and commented sketches and drafts by Beethoven for his compositions.[45] Sieghard Brandenburg continued the series in 1972. The latest sketch edition volume was published in 2011. [edit]Letters and conversation bookletsHP Pavilion dv7-1215eo Battery Under the direction of Sieghard Brandenburg the work on the initially planned complete edition of Beethoven's written correspondence was finally started. As Beethoven's handwriting is oftentimes hard to decipher and as the preserved letters are spread all over the world, this task constituted a particularly challenging endeavour. HP Pavilion dv7-1215er BatteryThe six volumes (Letters 1783-1827) and a comprehensive register volume were also published by the G. Henle publishing house in 1996/1998. An eighth volume containing additional documents and registers is being prepared. Around 600 (half of them as audio letters) of the almost 2,300 letters are available at the Digital Archive in original form, featuring text transfers, HP Pavilion dv7-1215ez Batterycontent summaries and source descriptions. Already at the end of the 1920s had Schiedermair pursued the plan to publish a complete edition of the conversation booklets, however first the Prussian, then later the German State Library revoked that plan and published the edition themselves between 1968 and 2001. HP Pavilion dv7-1215tx Battery [46] At the moment eleven volumes are available; the series has, however, not been completed yet. [edit]Persons database To complement the work and letter editions a persons database has been under creation since 2010 in co-operation with the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW). HP Pavilion dv7-1216tx BatteryIts purpose is to make biographical information on people from Beethoven's environment and on their relationship with the composer accessible over the Internet. Publishing house / publication series [edit]Publishing house / publication series Pastoral SymphonyHP Pavilion dv7-1217em Battery Publications stemming from the work of the Beethoven-Haus staff are published by the in-house publishing house. Many editions of the Beethoven archive are published as part of the various series the Beethoven-Haus publishes. HP Pavilion dv7-1220eb BatteryThe first series under the direction of Ludwig Schiedermair as editor counts ten volumes published between 1920 and 1934. Most of them are commented original documents from Beethoven with facsimileHP Pavilion dv7-1220ed Battery. The series also comprises monographs.[47] After the war it continued under the name "Neue Folgen" (new series). The new series 1 containing sketches and drafts shows how relevant sketch research has always been deemed.[48] HP Pavilion dv7-1220ef Battery As part of series 2 the Beethoven-Jahrbuch (Beethoven Yearbook) was published in 1953/54 and 1973/81.[48] In 1999 the yearbook was replaced by the annual publication Bonner Beethoven-Studien (Bonn Beethoven Studies) belonging to series 5. Apart from articles about sources and interpretations concerning Beethoven's life, HP Pavilion dv7-1220eg Battery his compositions and their reception these volumes also feature a review of the past year's activities of the Beethoven-Haus, the Beethoven archive and the publishing house. The 3rd series is dedicated to the facsimile editions. For the facsimile of the Pastoral Symphony (op. 68) (Vol. 14, 2000) and the facsimile edition of the Moonlight Sonata (op. 27,2) (Vol. 16, 2003) the publishing house was awarded the German Music Edition Prize. HP Pavilion dv7-1220el Battery [49] The 4th series on publications on Beethoven research contains congress reports, dissertations and monographs dealing with the research on Beethoven and research-related topics. Among the publications are several books about the composer's family and his dwellings, the reception of Beethoven compositions in France and the influence Beethoven had on the reception of early music. Other books deal with specific compositions, HP Pavilion dv7-1220em Battery genres or interpretation issues. Today, the publishing house serves as a department of the Beethoven-Haus and publishes literature about the Beethoven research (the publications also contain contributions from external scientists), books for children and music aficionados as well as CDs. HP Pavilion dv7-1220er Battery The publishing house closely co-operates with the G. Henle publishing house in Munich that publishes the large edition series on Beethoven's compositions and his written correspondence. In order to market and distribute its publications the Beethoven-Haus publishing house joined the Carus publishing house from Stuttgart in 2007. HP Pavilion dv7-1220es Battery [edit]Documentation/catalogues All these publications and the remaining library inventory of literature, manuscripts, pictures, press articles and recordings are listed in different catalogues. These are also available online. HP Pavilion dv7-1220ew Battery The library catalogue alone contains more than 800 biographical representations of Beethoven, work monographs, sketch and source studies, documents on performance procedures and organology, studies in music history, documents relating to Vienna and Bonn, bibliographical and lexical reference books, historic magazines, HP Pavilion dv7-1222ez Batteryin particular of the 19th century, documents and studies on reception history and programme booklets in current European languages. The aim to capture everything was already abandoned for the press archive that now focuses on local history and the reception of Beethoven literature. Among the sheet music prints original editions (i.e. the first editions Beethoven himself ordered) and other singing voice or score editions published during the lifetime of the composer are given priority. HP Pavilion dv7-1223ca BatteryThe spectrum is complemented with editions by major editors or publishers, reviews, pocket scores and critical new editions from other publishing houses. Apart from Beethoven-related music items a collection featuring early prints of Beethoven's contemporary musicians is maintained. It also includes recordings of gramophone records and long-playing records, HP Pavilion dv7-1225ef Batterymusic tapes, CDs and Beethoven films.[50] The focus is set on complete and rare recordings. The list of the captured items not only contains the title of the publication but also information on content, origin and a short description. This is especially helpful for older, rare or comprehensive publications, printed sheet music and sheet music manuscripts. HP Pavilion dv7-1225eo BatteryDetailed indexing provides additional information and makes searching easier. A current project is the reconstruction of Beethoven's own library to determine the composer's mind and way of thinking. The list of the books and music items from that it is known that the composer read, studied, copied, excerpted, put to music, lent and borrowed, gave away or intended to buy would be very long. HP Pavilion dv7-1225ez BatteryHowever, even Beethoven's core belongings, his own book and music sheet collection, are only known partially. Therefore, the project tries to determine them more closely and bring them together at the Beethoven-Haus. Librarians and scientists contribute their knowledge and antiquarians and private collectors sell their books granting special conditions. HP Pavilion dv7-1228ca Battery By adopting books, friends of the Beethoven-Haus can also support the endeavour.[51] [edit]Audio documentation of Beethoven's original instruments In order to let Beethoven's original instruments not only be heard in concerts, the Beethoven-Haus started a CD series. Renowned musicians such as Tabea Zimmermann, Daniel Sepec, the Schuppanzigh quartetHP Pavilion dv7-1230eb Battery, Jörg Demus and Andreas Staier perform compositions from Beethoven and his contemporaries on Beethoven's string instruments and pianofortes from Broadwood and Graf. Also documented herein are Pablo Casals's legendary visits at the Beethoven-Haus in 1955 and 1958 when he played on Beethoven's violoncello.[52] HP Pavilion dv7-1230ed Battery As the city of Bonn was not interested in maintaining Beethoven's birthplace in 1888, twelve art-loving citizens and pensioners of Bonn founded the Beethoven-Haus association on February 24, 1889 (former legal form) and acquired the property to turn it into a memorial. HP Pavilion dv7-1230eg Battery They aimed not only at reconstructing the birthplace "as it was when Beethoven was young" but also at setting up a collection comprising all his compositions as manuscripts and printed editions, his letters, pictures and other beloved items as well as all literature about him, i.e. everything that allows the recipient to explore the composer. HP Pavilion dv7-1230eo BatteryTheir intention was to acquire the house and maintain it as a memorial site.[53] The house was sold for 57,000 mark, the refurbishing costs amounted to additional 24,000 mark. To support their project the founding members won a number of famous people as honorary members, among them politicians, artists and scientists. HP Pavilion dv7-1230et Battery Examples include Reich Chancellor von Bismarck, Count von Moltke, Johannes Brahms, Clara Schumann, Max Bruch and Giuseppe Verdi. In 1890 the association counted already 344 members, a quarter of them abroad, among them 35 Britons and 11 Americans. HP Pavilion dv7-1230ew Battery Violinist Joseph Joachim (1831-1907), known for his interpretation of Beethoven's violin concert in D major (op. 61) and who together with his Joachim quartet contributed significantly to the success of Beethoven's string quartets, served as honorary president. In 1890 the association established the Beethoven-Haus chamber music festivals that are held every two years. HP Pavilion dv7-1230ez Battery The charity concerts under the direction of Joseph Joachim and supported by renowned musicians raised enough money to maintain the buildings and pay for the association's activities. During the first chamber music festival, the largest-ever Beethoven exhibition took place, showing 360 items on loan from all over Europe. HP Pavilion dv7-1232nr Battery On May 10, 1893, during the second chamber music festival, the Beethoven-Haus was opened as a memorial site and museum for Beethoven's life, work and impact. The statute from 1896 describes its purposes as follows: Maintain the memory of Ludwig van Beethoven by means of a museum and a collection, HP Pavilion dv7-1233eo Batteryevents, musical performances, prize awardings and scholarships as well as own publications.[54] In the following decades the association was quite busy organising chamber music festivals (30 festivals until 1956) and establishing the collection. In order to complement the museum- and music-related activities, HP Pavilion dv7-1235eo Battery the research on Beethoven was gradually intensified. On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Beethoven's birthday in 1920 the association started a proprietary series of scientific publications. In 1927, on the 100th anniversary of the composer's death, the Beethoven archive was founded. It serves as a pillar for the research on Beethoven. HP Pavilion dv7-1236ez BatteryAs such the post-war statute reads: "Maintenance of memory and work". In 2004 the list of purposes and duties was reviewed and elaborated.[55] On its 100th anniversary in 1989 the Beethoven-Haus association moved into a new building, accommodating rooms for archive and offices as well as a chamber music hall.[56] Several times, HP Pavilion dv7-1240eb Batterythe activities of the Beethoven-Haus were criticised by the public. In 1994 the German news magazine Der Spiegel reported a number of deficiencies, particularly with reference to scientific activities.[57] Critics regarded the state of the museum at the proper birthplace as not up-to-date and obsolete.[58] Nevertheless, HP Pavilion dv7-1240ed Battery as part of the 2006 initiative "Invest in Germany - Land of Ideas" the former German President Horst Köhler awarded the Beethoven-Haus a prize for its innovative combination of museum, research site und new media.[59][60] Philipp Adlung, who took on the position of director on July 1, 2009, HP Pavilion dv7-1240ek Batteryplanned a reform. On June 11, 2010 he submitted a document describing a strict assessment and a development plan named "Beethoven 2020" to be implemented by the 250th anniversary of the composer's birthday in 2020.[61] However, the board of directors of the Beethoven-Haus association did not fully support Adlung's intention. HP Pavilion dv7-1240el BatteryAs a result, Adlung left the Beethoven-Haus in December 2010. [62] His successor Manfred Harnischfeger commented on the issue in an interview from March 2011. According to him innovations have always taken place at the Beethoven-Haus. He mentioned a few keywords, among them digital Beethoven-Haus, HP Pavilion dv7-1240eo Battery digital stage, studio and master classes, chamber music concerts, music education and foundation courses. Harnischfeger denied that there had been no innovation in these areas. Within the past decade there might have been a strong focus on scientific activities and on the maintenance of the foundation. HP Pavilion dv7-1240us BatteryThe aim was to be more transparent on what was going on at the Beethoven-Haus. According to Harnischfeger up-to-date requirements have to be met not only in the area of research but also with reference to the collection, the museum, the concerts and the co-operation with schools.[63] HP Pavilion dv7-1243cl Battery