Beethoven and his inner ear

[reith]

I just posted something about inner ear elsewhere and it caused me to reflect on the idea I once had that Beethoven would never have made such musical strides and progress if he hadn't been deaf.

I sometimes think this is what made Beethoven a true genius to me - to be able to analyse what was in his head and write it down, coupled probably with his earlier knowledge, to turn out his genius scorings. No doubt wrestling with his emotional plight gave him the basic material for composition but to be able to develop it to such a refined standard when deaf????

Right now I'm thinking of the String Quartet Op 135. How he must have lived in his inner world to be able to come up with that! Well, I'm still amazed when I listen to the middle quartets and the variety he got from his scoring even for that medium.

His scores are SO worth study.

[stevel]

Originally Posted by reith

I just posted something about inner ear elsewhere and it caused me to reflect on the idea I once had that Beethoven would never have made such musical strides and progress if he hadn't been deaf.

I believe it was Smetena who went deaf as well. Didn't make too many musical strides as far as I know!

So I don't think it was deafness alone, but certianly it obviously would have a huge impact.

I think Beethoven's personality was more a part of it than anything else. The "push" might have come from his deafness, but the underlying personality had to be there - it would have devastated a lesser man.

Steve

[sawscape]

If I remember correctly, Beethoven's was very gradual and became only a problem when he was older. He had written and performed quite a lot of music before that time. While it just adds to his accomplishments that he continued even after he couldn't hear well, I doubt if his deafness was the cause of his greatness.

[Shiva]

I agree with stevel, Beethoven as far as history tells us was a tortured soul. Many unhappy events happened to him in his lifetime.

His music before his loss of hearing was already very good, but as stevel says it might have been that push that would have motivated him.

[stevel]

Originally Posted by sawscape

If I remember correctly, Beethoven's was very gradual and became only a problem when he was older. He had written and performed quite a lot of music before that time. While it just adds to his accomplishments that he continued even after he couldn't hear well, I doubt if his deafness was the cause of his greatness.

I agree with all you say, but I think the onset of, let's call it "crippling" deafness was sooner than you suspect.

The Heilegenstadt testament tells us he knows it's pretty serious by the time after the 2nd symphony. So basically, he's already having to say "what", "huh", and so on to people by the time he writes the 3rd symphony. IIRC (and your recalling may be better than mine), he was pretty much stone deaf by the time of Symphonies 5 and 6.

Steve

[Boneman]

How frustrated must Delius have been? (I digress here) for quite a while not being able to get the music down due to his illness?(move this if needs be)

[reith]

Yes, at least Delius could hear back what he dictated...though reports are that his singing was like mine...no further comment... Song of Summer and Cynara were dictated to Fenby, if I remember. Beautiful works.

Back to Beethoven though. I'm still amazed at his aural imagination. Like his last works were nothing like his earlier stuff. All his bulldozing of the symphonic boundaries happened when he was deaf, therefore. I listen to those late quartets and wonder where on earth he got the scoring...

Mr B. Why not resuscitate the Delius thread with similar comments. Maybe I will