As I am writing this, I am listening to Beethoven’s 3rd Symphony, “Eroica”, studying for the listening section of the Music 101 Final Exam. It just so happens, that there is an article about Beethoven in the New York Times Art section. This article discusses the evolution of Beethoven, comparing what he once meant to American’s to what he means now. There was a time when Beethoven’s music was associated with Nationalism, however, after his music was performed (and videotaped) for Nazi audiences, it lost this sentiment. As time has gone by, Beethoven’s music has meant less and less to American’s, as by now it is can basically be summarized by excerpts from his fifth symphony, his ninth symphony, Fur Elise, and his Moonlight Sonata. Most people do not know more than a few seconds from these amazing pieces.
I listen to mostly jazz music–though I know a wide variety of jazz artists and I have read the biographies of a few artists and am constantly researching information on jazz and the evolution of jazz. However, I never really became immersed in classical movement to the same level, because I didn’t know who to listen to. Of course, there are a multitude of songs that I can look up on youtube and listen to, however, I did not know what artists to listen to. I did not want to listen to somebody playing a song in the wrong style, as these versions are abundant all over the web. Just recently, I heard the entirety of Beethoven’s fifth symphony, and could not stop listening. The power of the symphony–particularly the trombones in the first movement–is just amazing. Yesterday, I had the first movement on repeat for four hours. It is strange, though, to think that people would consider me a musician, and yet I had never heard this amazing song in full until recently. I am glad that college is exposing me to new music–and this is just the VERY beginning. However, I truly wish that most people heard this music at some point in their life, and listened to it with an open mind. Not with the idea that “oh yeah, that’s the song that was in the background of this movie”.
Here is the article: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/19/books/beethoven-in-america-by-michael-broyles-review.html?_r=1&ref=arts
I blogged about hearing Mozart’s “Simphonia Concertante” this past Saturday night in LeFrak Concert Hall. We always talk about the great classical composers of Europe (Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, etc.), yet how often do we actually get to hear them? For me, basically never (except learning a modified Beethoven’s 9th in a piano lesson I used to take). Actually listening to them is truly an experience, but hearing them performed in a live concert is even cooler. Hearing a Mozart piece up close and in person was a truly incredible experience for me that I feel ready to take up again should the Music School put on any other classical music concerts. Rather than just hearing it on Youtube or in an elevator, hearing it in person gave me that feeling of excitement and emotion that music and art in general is supposed to conjure.