“Anecdotes and maxims are rich treasures to the man of the world.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The universe of classical music is jam-packed with musical anecdotes. Frequently these short narratives delineate subtle stories that highlight specific traits of a classical composer or a performer. Often humorous, anecdotes of classical composers don’t simply provoke laughter but can reveal a more general and subtle truth. We find Sophia Corri escaping her inattentive husband in an empty harp case, Beethoven being thrown in jail for vagrancy, and Rossini and Pavarotti both cooking their favorite meals. Napoleon gave free reign to his infatuation with an opera singer, Bach was challenged to a duel, and Frederick the Great had not only a great passion for music but also for a handsome Lieutenant in the Royal Guard. A musical anecdote is part of the process of telling a story, but it means sharing an experience with someone and not simply supplying him or her with information. And don’t worry, embellishment, exaggeration or fictitious invention are all part of the process. Anecdotes of classical composers impart the sense of a lived experience, as they usually involve real people in recognizable places and locations. In fact, musical anecdotes exhibit a special kind of realism and an identifiable historical dimension. Check back with us for more insightful and delightful musical anecdotes.
The House Where Beethoven Wrote The Eroica Symphony Escaping the stifling summer heat of Vienna, Beethoven enjoyed spending his summer months in the countryside. And he seemed to have preferred the wine-growing villages to the northwest of the city. Bordering
For a couple of short months in 1822, Beethoven took quarters at Obere Pfarrgasse, currently 22 Laimgrubengasse. We don’t have any particular knowledge of the apartment’s interior, but it is mentioned in connection with the revival of Fidelio, which took
On occasion, it’s rather difficult trying to get along with your siblings in law. Just ask Ludwig van Beethoven, who was involved in a bitter custody battle with his brother Carl’s widow, Johanna. It all kicked off in 1815, and
People born under the sign of Leo are natural born leaders, with the astrological symbol of the Lion going back to Greek mythology. The constellation Leo contains many bright stars, and it is associated with the Lion that Heracles overcame
Louis Schlösser was a young violinist from Darmstadt. In the spring of 1822 he took leave from his post in order to travel and broaden his knowledge by studying with foreign artists. When he arrived in Vienna, he unsuccessfully tried
It has been said that a performance of Ravel’s Bolero begins every 10 minutes somewhere in the world. The Russian dancer Ida Rubinstein, a close friend and financial supporter of Ravel, commissioned the piece. Originally, it was part of a
Between 1815 and 24 April 1817, Ludwig van Beethoven resided at quarters in Sailerstätte No. 1055/6. It was a lofty and narrow house, and Beethoven had an apartment on the 3rd flood. Some of his rooms were positioned towards the
The harp as an instrument came to its greatest development in Paris in the 20th century with the development of the chromatic harp by Pleyel. The chromatic harp (also known as cross-strung harp) was the first to have all 12
