250th anniversary: Why Beethoven is still cool

Ludwig van Beethoven created musical works with which he blew the minds of his time. He was the personified example of unchained human creativity and an innovator who did not adhere to any conventions. No one knows his exact date of birth, only that of his baptism which was held on December 17, 1770. In those days, infants were usually baptised within 24 hours of birth, that’s why we’re celebrating today: Happy Birthday to the 250th Ludwig!

Worldwide inspiration to this day

To this day, the compositions of Ludwig van Beethoven are the most frequently performed classical works par excellence. After all, the man with the hard rock hairstyle has fired up the music world with abundant material. Ludwig van Beethoven left behind about 340 works, among them nine symphonies, several string quartets and piano concertos and with “Fidelio”, a single opera. The Ode to Joy is not only one of the most frequently performed pieces in the world: since 1972 it has also been the official European anthem!

As a radical artist back to the musical future

Beethoven did not compose for the present. Instead, he wanted to create works for posterity. Again and again he used unusual stylistic devices for his time. For example, he used a choir in the “9th Symphony”, which had never been used in a symphony until then. Together with his musical colleagues, the congenial composer with the confusing mop of hair had to keep up with nothing less than the age of Viennese Classicism, laid the red carpet for Romanticism and made himself an uncriticisable monument of musical culture. 

Exceptionally different and absolutely new

One of the recognisable elements of his compositional art is the special dramaturgical approach. In contrast to other composers of his time, he liked to use short, catchy motifs and many of his melodies became energetic and powerful. In the 9th symphony, for example, he repeatedly sets the rhythm against the metre. The highly complex piano sonata “Appassionata”, for example, reflects how the master plays with mood and his special temperament. 

Beethoven and the women: Who is Elise, who is the immortal beloved?

Many questions remain unanswered, even though researchers are making extreme efforts to unravel the secrets and myths. For example, it is still not clear who Elise is from his probably most famous piano piece “For Elise”. It is suspected that it is the German opera singer Elisabeth Röckel. After all, he adored her, allegedly also proposing to her at some point. In addition, there are always speculations about the “immortal lover”. Some love letters were found In Beethoven’s estate, dedicated to an unknown lady. He obviously did not send the languishing mail.

Odd character with advancing age

He was probably not a charming boy, at most in his young years he is said to have been a cheerful person. Instead, Beethoven was a stocky, red-faced and pockmarked man; an eccentric who did not make many friends. As he grew older, he became increasingly choleric and sad, a bit of a grouch. As a reason for the change in character, he himself cites his onset of deafness. He became hard of hearing at 27, and was deaf at 48. But still, he did not let himself be musically thwarted.

Completion of the unfinished in the future?

There was frenetic applause in 1824 at the premiere of Beethoven’s “9th Symphony”, the Symphony in D minor, op. 125. It was to be his last symphony to ever be completed. Resourceful musicians have taken it upon themselves to finish the begun “10th Symphony”. This also shows Beethoven’s influence into our present and future. The 10th symphony’s completion is to be realised not with human creativity, but with the use of artificial intelligence.

Posthumously involved in technological advances

Quite incidentally, the mega-composer has also had an influence on the development of music storage formats. The “9th” was a full 70 minutes long and as is well known, CDs have always had a limited storage capacity. The product developers sought advice from Herbert von Karajan, who died in 1989. The renowned conductor replied that it must be possible to record or listen to the complete Ninth on a CD and that nothing was possible with under 70 minutes of storage. Because of Beethoven storage capacity of CDs was designed to be 80 minutes.

Beethoven’s works have long since influenced other genres

What’s equally impressive is the fact that Beethoven’s works are also being played somewhere other than classical concerts. Time and again, currently hip artists set about interpreting Beethoven’s phrases, motifs or entire symphonies in their own way. For example the electric guitar witch doctor Joe Satriani delivers Beethoven’s fifth symphony at a rapid pace.

Well done Mr. Beethoven – we are more than fascinated by such a powerful creative force who‘s still so influential to this day, after a quarter of a millennium.

What connects you to Ludwig van Beethoven? We look forward to your comments.

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And… one last video to inspire and unite us all:

Joe has been singing since he can remember and started playing guitar when he was 10. He's been using it as a songwriting tool ever since. He is passionate about melody and harmony and admires musicians who create these in unique ways. Check out his alternative / indie projects Best of Feelings and Zef Raček.

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