Beethoven: The Man Who Freed Music; 1; Crawford: Beethoven in Prospect

Think. I'm writing the 200 anniversary of the birth of the big funk Beethoven in 1770. The first in a series of programs produced by the University of Michigan Broadcasting Service revealing the musical social and political climate of Europe during the lifetime of the man who freed music. Today's host is Dr. David Crawford of the music history and literature department at the

University of Michigan School of Music is topic. Beethoven in prospect here now is Dr. Crawford. During this year the bicentennial of Beethoven's birth special concerts of his music are being performed. New books and articles on Beethoven are appearing and specialists are holding international Congresses to exchange their ideas and discoveries in spite of the facts that Beethoven was born 200 years ago and has commanded great attention ever since his adulthood. There is still much information to discover many new ideas to test and many old ones to re-examine. The year nine hundred twenty seven was the centennial of Beethoven's death. One of the major books which appeared in that year began with an apologetic quotation patriotism and centennials are the two greatest adversaries of the truth. If that is appropriate of Centennials let us at least hope that it is not doubly true of bicentennial. My commitment to the Bicentennial is not to extol Beethoven but to

provoke thought among students and listeners. I urge you to test the following lecture by hearing the entire series by listening attentively to Beethoven's music and by learning more about his era. When I consented to participate in this lecture series I expected to deal with stylistic forerunners of Beethoven such a topic would certainly discuss Haydn and Mozart explaining how Beethoven had built upon their examples. But after some thought I concluded that a discussion of evolving musical style culminating in Beethoven would fall far short of describing his historical role for Beethoven was not merely a composer of music. He was and still is a hero. When a culture crowns a hero many difficult but crucial questions immediately appear who names the hero and of course why a hero fulfills a sense of idealism. Whether it be an athlete a musician an astronaut or a cartoon strip character. One of our recent statesman

illustrated the social significance of hero images when he yearned for a time when men of peace could be granted the heroism now extended to men of war. First official illustrate the extent of esteem paid to Beethoven. And then we shall develop some reasons for that attitude in 1817 opinion this fiddler and music teacher hiked over three hundred miles of mountainous terrain to seek his fortune in a new city. When he reached his destination he assembled and rehearsed the town musicians and the resulting orchestra gave its concert about two weeks after his arrival. The concert was a success and it marks the beginning of an active career for the fiddler on tone Filipe Heinrich the first number on the concert was a Beethoven symphony. The place Lexington Kentucky and this is the earliest record of a Beethoven symphony being performed in America. Henry Clay resided a mile out of town and Daniel Boone was still alive. Father Heinrich as a musician was

affectionately called went on to play for President Tyler and he knew personally the eminent Continental musicians Felix Mendelssohn and Heinrich Martian are also a composer. He was hailed publicly as the Beethoven of America Beethoven's fame had become so great that not only was he known and revered throughout Europe but his music and reputation had spread rapidly even to the distant inland cities of the new world. It is easily demonstrable that the lead the 19th century musicians in some way had to deal with the legacy Beethoven had left them. But it is yet another major of Beethoven's historical significance to observe that many lesser musicians now forgotten also campaigned vigorously in Beethoven's behalf. Some decades after Heinrich's concert a Boston music critic named John Sullivan Dwight also promoted Beethoven fervently and enemy of his. The pianist got shock programmed a Beethoven work for a performance in Boston and placed beside it one of got Shock's

own compositions. However gut shock had laid a trap for Dwight because in the performance got shock reversed the order of the two works. Dwight fell for the ruse praising the work which he mistakenly thought to be by Beethoven and criticising the other piece which he thought to be bad got shark. This was not a singular event in Europe. Franz Liszt had pulled the same hoax and with the same results from such occurrences as this one is tempted to conclude that some of the ardent taste makers of the 19th century had limited insight into Beethoven's music. And so they could claim to recognize genius in any piece bearing Beethoven's name regardless of who the actual composer might have been. The great respect for Beethoven also existed during the composer's own lifetime. He had been granted a lifetime annuity from the music loving aristocracy of Vienna and when Beethoven died we are told that about twenty thousand people turned out to attend his funeral. The question is did

these Viennese respect Beethoven because they understood and admired his music. Putting no romanticizing aside the story of fine composers in Vienna at this time makes sad reading. Mozart struggled there for the last 10 years of his life and the Imperial City rewarded this genius with only an unmarked pauper's grave just one year after Beethoven's funeral the miserable starvation of Franz Schubert was mercifully ended by death. The Viennese did not acclaim Mozart and Schubert but yet Beethoven had become their hero. It is a very difficult task to determine what Beethoven's contemporaries thought of him numerous descriptions of Beethoven as musician and personality are available and they are frequently quoted today. However many of those descriptions were actually written some years after Beethoven's death due to his awesome reputation. Such stories like cheese were destined to

improve with age. It had become fashionable for people who travelled in musical circles to publish the details of their past encounters with the heroic Beethoven even Richard Wagner wrote an essay entitled A pilgrimage to Beethoven and that essay recounts how Beethoven's conversations with Wagner confirmed Wagner's own musical values. In this case though the fictional nature of the essay would be obvious to all readers for Wagner was only 14 years old when Beethoven died. The amount of truth in other such essays about Beethoven is much more difficult to determine. Many of those accounts were written by poets and musicians people whose own careers might benefit from a few embellishments. The several more recent books bearing titles such as Beethoven as depicted by his contemporaries have drawn most of their material from those sources. One way of sampling attitudes toward Beethoven would be to turn to the reviews of

his works which appeared during the master's life time for the first three years that Beethoven was in Vienna. He studied composed and played in private circles for the Viennese music loving aristocracy. Having been thus indorsed he then after those three years made his first public appearance in Vienna. And one would expect the reviews to be biased and has a advantage. However late 18th century values were not so easily predictable. The reviews seem to reveal a mixed response to the composer's music. If you are completely enthusiastic and others are more reserved reviews also appeared in Vienna which were totally negative in their attitude. For example an 18 0 for his Second Symphony now regarded as rather conservative when compared to some of his other symphonies was found to be and I quote a crass monster a hideously writhing wounded dragon that refuses to expire. Two years

later. A Viennese music critic reviewed an overture to Fidelio and he wrote. All impartial musicians and music lovers were in perfect agreement. That never was anything as incoherent shrill chaotic and ear splitting produced in music. The most piercing dissonances clay. In a really atrocious harmony. And a few puny ideas only increase the disagreeable and deafening effect. Reviews such as these could not appear if the master's music were beyond controversy in Vienna. Beethoven's music sometimes puzzled. And even. Rage to critics and musicians. Yet he became a hero. In his own lifetime. Something other than purely musical values seems to be at work here. If the Viennese had been motivated by some especially acute insight into music. Mozart and Schubert would surely have fared better than they did. The same seems to be true of some of the Beethoven cult which. Which gained strength after his death. It was to expose an in light and prejudice. Which inspired

bronze list and got shock. To plan their successful hoaxes. Beethoven's genius as a composer cannot be denied of course. And this year. The bicentennial of his birth. Will surely heap many accolades upon him. However. It seems to me that during Beethoven's own lifetime. Many of the reasons for his spectacular fame are not to be found in the understanding of his music. Instead. We must uncover a rather unique historical situation one which begins developing in the 1750s. The scene is Berlin at the court of Frederick the Great. Frederick was ruling pressure with a firm hand but with a wisdom that became legendary in Europe. He was a model of religious tolerance. And justice was meted out speedily and humanely. Defenders of absolutism pointed to Frederick the Great as an ideal example of an enlightened ruler. Frederick was also interested in art. Music and philosophy. Voltaire was

only one of the numerous immanent man who spent many years at his court. Frederick played the flute. And several of his compositions are still preserved. As a man of letters. He wrote an opera libretto and assigned one of his court composers Carla ground. To set the texts to music. Frederick also had one of his Italian court poets translate the text into a Tele and. Frederick was especially fond of Italian music it seems. And Grayling had already composed many operas which were successfully performed. In Italian. At Berlin. The story was loosely modeled after a work of Voltaire. And the opera premiered in 1755 was entitled Montezuma. The opera tells of the conquests of the Aztec civilization by the Spanish conquistadores. It comes as no surprise to learn that their heroic Emperor. Montezuma. Is strikingly similar to Frederick the Great. We're going to hear one small chorus from this interesting work. In this passage the chorus of as ticks is innocently welcoming

the Conquistadores to Mexico. And they sing the following text. Come the. Brave foreign heroes snatched from the terrible fury of the waves. You shall be dear and precious to us. And to our beneficence Emperor. Yes yes. Yes yes. Yeah.

Yes. Oh yeah. Yeah yeah. Yeah yeah. Yeah. This then can serve as an example from the opera Montezuma with text by Frederick the Great but translated into Italian because of the dominance of Italian operatic

traditions at that time. The beginning of act three of this work is of some special interest. When the curtain rises we discover the Promethean hero Montezuma in chained in prison. He sings of his harsh harsh misfortunes the cruelty of fate and reflects over the joy of having loved his faithful bride. This scene is identical to numerous later dramatic scenes in Parisian opera and of course also to the beginning of Act Two of Beethoven's fifth day in a row. Since Montezuma had to be translated into Italian for its performance it is obvious that Italian tastes were quite important in Berlin since Voltaire was one of the figures at that court. One might also speculate that Prince practises were also fashionable. This is correct and it is easily illustrated by one of the court's flutist some composers a man named Quince in 1752 Quantz brought out a method book on how to play the flute.

This book is still indispensable for specialists who wish to learn how flutes were played at that time. The book is also of interest because Quantz engages in some general pull it makes about musical tastes and practices throughout the treaties he describes to musical practices. One Italian and the other French. After those descriptions he then turns to his countrymen and I quote his passage. Now if we were to make a thorough examination of the music of the mute German nation of more than a century ago we should find that they had reached a high point not only in correct harmonic composition but also in the playing of many instruments of good taste however and of beautiful melody. We should find little trace save for a few old corrals On the contrary we should find their taste in melody rather plain dry thin and simple. However wretched the taste of German composers singers and instrumentalists may have been in former times

it is now taken on a different appearance. We cannot say precisely of the Germans that they have produced a taste of their own wholly different from the music of other nations but they are capable of adopting one from outside. If our composers of the new generation will apply themselves more diligently than is unfortunately the case at present. If they will clarify their own talents instead of for ever remaining mere copy assts then in time there may be introduced a general good taste in music in the client says passage. And so here Quantz is complaining bitterly about the prevalence of foreign music at Berlin and the total absence of a German School of Music. What he said of Berlin was equally true of Vienna. Also figuring in the musical scene at Berlin was none other than one of the sons of J.S. Bach Karl Filipe Emanuel buck. This musician a composer and keyboard performer brought out a manual on keyboard plane in the

same decade. Although KP Bach seems not to complain about the lack of an indigenous German music he nevertheless distinguishes between two different practices throughout his book and he calls them a Tele and fringe. Carl's music possesses such a contrast of vivid emotional content that is sometimes regarded as a musical counterpart of a movement in German literature known as storm and stress. One of the widely read authors in Germany at this time was the Frenchman John Jacques Rousseau and it was Rousseau who focused attention upon romantic feelings and emotional experiences rather than upon intellectual reason. A young German author none other than took up the attitude and in 1774 he brought out what was probably the most popular book of the era the sorrows of young barrister. The book spread like wildfire. It was translated into many European languages and

incidentally was probably the first European book to be translated into Chinese to a modern and more dispassionate reader. Some pages of that youthful work now seem incredibly indulgent in sentimentality but this was the book which both shaped and reflected some of the dominant values of the late 18th century and it catapulted gota to fame and guaranteed to all that. Whatever the case with German music might be the future of German literature was in good hands. In this book the young hero of aerator sets forth some of the formulas for genius. He argues that the restrictions and regulations of the routine and the workaday world handicap the artist he claims furthermore that drunkenness and emotional instability may be the symptoms of an unusually gifted genius someone whose creativity far exceeds that of ordinary men. Many of the major figures in German literature at this time had developed a deep admiration for the

works of William Shakespeare. Just one year before the appearance of gotos novel an essay on Shakespeare had been written by the author herder in that essay Shakespeare is portrayed as a Titanic and eruptive genius one who obeys no laws other than his own unexplainable inspiration. Go to storm and stress attitudes gradually mellowed. But his concept of the genius as social and emotional misfit continued in the minds of the readers of their CTR and also in his later work of 1790 Torquato Taso. This outstanding Renaissance poet is portrayed as a second verite are driven to despair and insanity over a hopeless love affair and the poet is also socially ill at ease in court circles. By this time then the concept of the romantic genius had been established and widely known. This hero like Shakespeare would shatter conventional

practice with his eruptive genius. He would like very flaunt the regulations of the routine and daily duties he would lead a morose unhappy life would surely be a social and emotional misfit perhaps even a drunkard. In 1790 the year of goodis Taso the Austro German musical world had not yet discovered its Redeemer. Haydn had served the Esterhazy court for several successful decades and Mozart was living his last years. But neither man seems to have possessed the personal or musical eccentricities which the new hero must claim. 1790 also marks the death of Emperor Joseph the second the Austrian ruler whose achievements were often favorably compared to Frederick the Great. At that time Beethoven was 20 years old. As a young pianist he had concertizing successfully but had not become the international legend that the child Mozart had been. In spite of the many times that Beethoven's age had been falsified in order to make him

seem more prodigious the city of Bonn planned a memorial ceremony in the memory of Emperor Joseph the second. And for that occasion the young Beethoven supplied in Bonn Beethoven had already served for some years as one of the court musicians for the elect or we shall hear an exert from that early work. The translation of this portion would read as follows. A monstrous creature. His name is fanaticism rose from the caverns of hill stretched out between Earth and sunlight and it was night. Then came Joseph with god like powers dragged the frenzied Monstrous Creature out from the earth and heavens and crushed down his head. The fanaticism to which the text refers would be the attitudes of the French Revolution then entering its second year. We must bear in mind that Beethoven's home city on was much closer to Paris than it was to Vienna. Even the fact that the text is in Latin

cannot camouflage its obvious storm and stress impact and unrestrained emotional content also reflected in Beethoven's music. OK lambs to Haleh. Player and. Player. Playing the lead. The way. A one legged. Horse.

Lame. Thanks and.

Thanks. To. The athlete. Can. Choose. Me. Can. You. Can.

Take a. Can. Eat eat.

Eat. Eat. Here at the age of 20 Beethoven already shows evidence of an impressive

emotional energy. Perhaps the most conspicuous immaturity is are the repetitive chords at the very end. The lead is simply to him Thetic to know when to stop. This attitude continues throughout his lifetime but he turns the flaw into a virtue in later works when a piece would normally be over Beethoven will frequently launch into an extraordinary and lengthy coda. The inertia of his creativity still being far from exhausted. His can talk on the death of Emperor Joseph the second reveals also a surprisingly heavy orchestra. Visitors to Bonn around 1790 sometimes commented on the elector's orchestra and they unanimously expressed amazement at the dynamic contrasts and the fervor with which the musicians played. A few months later Beethoven met the man who could teach him some of the restraint with which is strength should be harnessed. The man was Franz Joseph Haydn who visited Bonn in 1790 and 1792. The content of which we have

just sampled was the work which persuaded Haydn to accept Beethoven as a pupil. Here is a movement from an octet composed in 1792 undoubtedly for some of the elector's musicians. Beethoven labels his score in fringe and he calls for two clarinets two opposed to French horns and two bassoons. We can hear that Beethoven's awareness for classical form and symmetry has increased but the vigorous energy is still there. Observed most conspicuously in the rhythm and the contrasts of themes dynamics and texture. I wish to hear a new sense of humor. A big change from the heavy handed sobriety of storm and stress. Beethoven will continue to use this wit in later works especially in his character. In this example we notice this time there are not too many cords at the end. The lead has been

improving immensely and his sense of musical taste. This difference in technique between 1790 and 1792 is conspicuous the change in style within two years must have produced a strong sense of self-consciousness. For this was the time when Beethoven was reexamining his youthful impetuousness. His later sketch books show a mercilessly critical sense of self evaluation and attitude he was gaining before his arrival in Vienna. Later in that same year of 1792. Beethoven status in Vienna grew gradually. The elector at Bonn was a son of the imperial family and he had supplied Beethoven with influential letters of introduction thanks to stipends from the elector and Viennese aristocrats Beethoven was able to frequent the most sophisticated circles of musical Vienna. Well his career gained strength a significant book appeared a book which transplanted the concept of romantic heroism into the context of music.

That book made its timely appearance in 18 O2. It was the first major book ever written about a musician of the past and it dealt with Johann Sebastian Bach. Within this book for all to read was the proof that there had been great music in Germany's past. The author Johann for KL writes in his preface that he had been inspired by nationalistic ideals and I quote the works which Bach is left behind are a priceless national heritage finer than that of any other nation. In the last chapter of the book turns to a general assessment of Buck there the author refers to the composer's fiery genius and also points out that Bach was not an imposing public figure during his own time for cols explanation was and I quote the public once everything mortal and the true artist wants to make everything godly. Bach never sought the applause of the crowds he worked for himself. Like every true genius of

art he fulfilled his own wishes satisfied his own taste. This is the end of quote. Even though the eighteenth century had increased remarkably the influence of public taste upon music the romantic musical hero could be an egocentric aristocrat serving only his own tastes. If his music puzzled his contemporaries rather than pleased them then that may be yet another manifestation of his genius for Calvin ends his book on Bach with an unabashed nationalistic flourish as follows. And this man the greatest musical poet and musical orator which there has ever been and probably ever will be was a German be proud of him Fatherland be proud of him but also worthy of him. And by the way a similar message was in contained in a book written by Vilhelm VOC and Roeder entitled the outpourings of an art loving monastic. The author shows an intense

enthusiasm for music and art. He focuses attention upon the German heritage and especially upon the intrinsic beauties and values to be found in the works of Alberich juror. But alas a musical figure worthy of Bach's memory could not yet be named and national pride was destined to suffer a dreadful calamity. Napoleon's march across central Europe was on its way. His soldiers entered Vienna in 18 0 5 on the battlefield. Austria lost over one million million in the past 15 years. Pressure collapsed a year later the Holy Roman Empire which had endured for practically a millennium declared itself dissolved and French soldiers occupied the streets of imperial Vienna. An ironic indignity involved for Cole's Book when sacking Vienna Napoleon soldiers came upon the printing plates for the book they confiscated those plates and melted them down into fringe cannonballs.

Shortly after the beginning of French occupation a series of public concerts called Music lovers concerts was inaugurated in Vienna the works of Beethoven were played on those programs and sometimes Beethoven himself appeared as the conductor. Some musicians and critics continued to complain of Beethoven's unorthodox music but his works were embraced by the Viennese public. The audience bitter and humiliated by foreign occupation desperately needed a powerful a German and an iconoclast composer. Due to their bitterness negative reviews could only enhance their esteem for Beethoven the man. If Napoleon's authority came as a bitter pill to the Austro German people it must have been even worse for her musicians. Napoleon's musical tastes left much to be desired and for example when criticizing one of his own composer's works he could only

explained that the music contained too many notes. In 1810 Napoleon married for a second time now to a member of the hops Berghaus Marie Louise of Austria one of Napoleons musicians Pyar composed a piece for that occasion. Upon hearing this march we must recall that the beautiful music of Mozart and Haydn had all been completed and that Beethoven was now in his mature career and his music was well known in Vienna. But in spite of all that when the pride of the House of Austria was wedded to Napoleon this was the piece which honored that regal occasion. And. Yes.

Oh OK. But Napoleon's days were numbered his ornately dressed soldiers and the

bandsman represented an outmoded splendor. Perfect targets for the opposition both militarily and musically. Future armies would abandon Napoleonic strategy and use the products of the industrial revolution such as railroads telegraphs and telephones Napoleonic music and costume have lived on though especially at our sports events and festive street parades. Napoleon Speight began to turn several years after the marriage to Marie Louise and by 2015 the Holy Roman Empire was back on its feet. However disagreements over boundaries continued throughout the century. The unification of the German lands largely split between Austria and Prussia was a controversial and sensitive topic in Austria. The reactionary metronomic regime was established. This was a merciless tyranny determined not to allow a revolution in Vienna. Censorship was so strict that even Shakespeare plays had to be revised

before they could be staged. Protesting Patriots crowded the jails and the counts and barons who were supporting Beethoven still had to tread a narrow path. Emancipation from print occupation had brought even more reason for despondence. Political conditions were depressing but it was an extraordinary era in German literature. Perhaps one of the finest periods in all European history. However one of the common principles in psychology is that behavior is at least partially consistent with the role one is expected to play. The concept of genius says misanthrope lived on in the lives and also in the works of many of those authors. The agony of their tour becomes reemphasized into a new expression veldt. It's the world of grief and gloom and despair pessimism and disillusionment. These lived in the literature and also in personal reality. Should a musician lose his hearing that one since for him so precious he

has qualified in a spectacular way for the reputation of romantic genius in an era which coined the expression and used it belch Maynard's. The other features of Beethoven's career also fit perfectly the mold of romantic heroism which had been cast for him. These features would include his poor personal appearance and grooming his arrogance toward teachers fellow musicians and patrons. And his contempt for routine practices that contempt further illustrated by his unsavory dealings with publishers and patrons that his music puzzled or even outraged some musicians and critics was additional confirmation of his genius. Authorities on Beethoven's works now frequently observed that perhaps the most conspicuous trait in his scores is this tremendous dynamic energy and power. Critics in the early 19th century also frequently pointed to those characteristics regardless of whether they were approving or objecting. Negative

reviews seem to have been almost unanimous in complaining about such overpowering the music. We have already seen that these were the elements of his music even before he arrived in Vienna. Reviews of his piano playing from earliest childhood until he abandoned the concert stage also consistently singled out power and astonishing energy as significant features of his playing. Beethoven himself was aware of his ability to overwhelm and conquer. For example when Napoleon was at the height of his career Beethoven once assured his friends that if he only understood the art of war as well as he understood the art of music he that is Beethoven would give Napoleon a good beating. Beethoven once claimed power is the morality of men who are above the common. And it is mine. This is indeed an aristocratic and an authoritarian position. It is an attitude which has been confirmed

by the realities of such careers as Napoleon or matter neg. An heir to the treasures of Buck had been found nationalistic pride could no longer take comfort in its government. Every day brought new evidence for John Jacques Crusoe's belief that man's innate goodness could be distorted through the artifices of civilization. But nationalism could still be nourished as pride in literary and musical accomplishments by applauding Beethoven regardless of whether or not his music was found to be appealing in Viennese circles. We're paying homage to him to a romantic concept of genius and national heritage. A Victor had been found one worthy of past glories such as the works of Albert juror and Buck and such legendary powerful monarchs as Frederick the Great or Emperor Joseph the second. The king of music died in one thousand twenty seven. The multitude at

his funeral was acting out the dominant theme of its era honoring the tragic end of a romantic national hero. So we are told the cast of 20000 was the finest that could be assembled. The leading musicians and poets of the day were in attendance laudatory poems were distributed to the crowd. A famous orator was hired to deliver the funeral oration and the text of the eulogy was supplied by the eminent author Franz grill parts or. Here are several exerts from that text. Just as the Leviathan spurned the waves so did Beethoven range to the uttermost limits of his art from the cooing of doves to the rolling of thunder from the craftiest interweaving of well-planned art to that awful pitch where design disappears in the lawless whirl of contending natural forces. Beethoven grasped at all the thorns of life had wounded him deeply. So he sought refuge in the arms of art.

To Art. He clung fast and even when the portal was closed where through it had entered and it had spoken to him. When his deaf ear had blinded his vision for images of music still did he carry its image within his heart. We are the representatives of an entire nation of the whole German people mourning the departed splendor of our native art of the father lands full spiritual bloom. Beethoven the air and amplifier of Handel and box and of the Haydn and Mozart immortal fame. Beethoven is no more. And we stand weeping over the torn strings of the harp that is hushed. It is really on kidney hell this passage but real parts are reflects those concepts of the romantic nationalistic hero. A later German author Friedrich Nietzsche was preoccupied with the concept of superhuman heroism and in describing one character he wrote here is

a hero who has done nothing but shake the tree when the fruit is ripe. Do you think this is saying too little. Well look first up on the tree which he has shaken later lectures in this series will show us more about Beethoven the man who shook the tree so violently but the fruit was also ripe. And I have focused attention upon the growth of some of that fruit. We can now behold Beethoven's achievements because of the careers of less well-known men such as Father Heinrich John Sullivan Dwight ground Kwan's K. P E Bach Beethoven's numerous teachers and patrons and thousands of other musicians and music lovers who nourished Beethoven's career. We can apply an anthropological maxim here. The city of Vienna desperately needed a strong romantic hero. So Beethoven's career was invented. The need for Beethoven was not musical but social and nationalistic. Therefore the so the chauvinism directed toward

Beethoven was not necessarily a measure of musical taste. One of Beethoven's tragic contemporaries Franz Schubert could not share the public spotlight in spite of his superb musicianship his quintet in C Major was composed shortly after the death of Beethoven when Schubert himself had only several more weeks to live. He never heard this last work his swan song performed history sometimes works in cruel and macabre ways. After Schubert's death a list of his effects was drawn up that list included over 500 of his compositions and the total value of the music was assessed as twenty dollars. Beethoven's Empire had played a sick joke upon Schubert. This movement by Schubert is a unique combination of mockery and pathetic sensitivity. Those are sentiments which I also share when contemplating Beethoven's piano. Right.

And. I am. With you. And I'm going.

Down. The road. Today's host has been Dr. David E. Crawford of the music history and literature department

at the University of Michigan School of Music. Speaking on the topic Beethoven in prospect. The first in a series of programs produced by the broadcasting service of the university reviewing the musical social and political climate of Europe during a lifetime of love Big Fun Beethoven. Commemorating the 200000 of our story of his birth in 1770. You're invited to listen again next week at this same dime for another program in this series. Beethoven the man. Who freed music. Good luck with the.

Program produced by Honeywell over at Burroughs speaking for the national educational radio network. This program was originally produced in 1970 by the University of Michigan Broadcasting Service and is currently being distributed by NPR National Public Radio.