Image via la Wik |
Beethoven is best known as the flag bearer of this revolution at the very beginning of the century. He famously tore up the dedication for his Third Symphony - originally an homage to Napoleon - when he found that the First Consul had crowned himself Emperor. That fixes the date nicely for musicologists.
But Beethoven was by no means alone. Ferdinand Hérold who dies young from tuberculosis on this day in 1833 is one of the most lyrical composers of that most lyrical age. He, too, composed for the Napoleon family, and had to scramble to find new patrons after 1815. But find them he did, and one can only wonder what marvellous music he would have composed had be not been struck down in his prime.
5 comments:
Beautiful - thank you!
Excellent. Does anyone know the artwork featured as backdrop?
Absolutely stunning! Thank you...
libertyman, it's "Bay of Naples by Moonlight" by Ivan Aivazovsky
Thanks BP, Art AND Music appreciation -- I hied off to Amazon to sample both aspects of the post.
You should do the linky thing with them(Amazon) , you'll get rich!
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