1809 - 1811: Me and LVB Take a Break From Each Other, Part One:
We last left off in 1808, and since all I've got left in my collection are the remaining symphonies - which don't pick up again until 1812 - I'd hate for you to think LVB or the world are taking it easy. So here are some chronologies to pore over: one for him and one for us.
But if you can't be bothered, I'll sum it up below:
1809:
Us: Oh, not much. War is declared against France, so the French army invades Vienna
Him: Teaches music to Archduke Rudolphe and composes a string quartet, a few piano sonatas, and a bunch of songs for various luminaries.
1810:
Us: France (thanks Napolean!) continues to invade everyone and their moms. The Germans respond by declaring the first-ever Octoberfest. (All agree they should have just stopped right there for the next two hundred years.)
Him: Presents 'The Letter for Elise' to Thérèse Malfatti, for whom he's got the hots. Having addressed his frontal area, he moves on to covering his posterior by continuing to writing tunes for big shots.
1811:
Us: The King of England goes mad.
Him: He begins writing the seventh symphony
1812: The Seventh Symphony
So while the rest of the world is blowing up, LVB is writing another symphony. This time, he's back to four movements, probably because he realized that having five parts last time was a real a*hole move, even for him.
The first movement starts off with a Blam! I love the opening chord progression. Maybe it appeals to the plebes like me too much but that's okay. LVB's a plebe at heart. Just one who reached for the stars.
Then two minutes in he's about to up the ante but then pulls back. Sly dog. But he's only setting us up because at five minutes he comes at us even stronger. And he keeps up the bobbing and weaving and boppity-bop rhythm for nine more minutes! Pastoral Schmastoral! LVB's back, baby!
Is the second movement a funeral march? Not quite - it's got sort of a "Climb Every Mountain" vibe, but with horns instead of nuns - a switch that would have dramatically improved my childhood.
In the third LVB cheers up, picks up the pace, and adds a rather snappy rhythm.
In the fourth, he takes it up another notch but keeps things from getting too crazy. He must be on his meds. Ah, but then towards the end they wear off and he's his old crazy self as if to say it's the summer of Ludvig!!
He conducts it the following year to celebrate the Brits kicking Nappy's ass.
A
1813: The Eighth Symphony:
Having proved he was no sissy last time, he's a little less of a dick now, but still thrashing when necessary.
In the first movement, he tries to sound "stately" as if he owns a thousand acres, which he kind of does by now. But it still moves.
The second is short and mellow. I can see putting this on for dinner guests.
The third gets regal, like he thinks he's the king. He was smart enough to not tell the actual king, though.
The four is customarily fast - the typical Beethoven charge at the gates - nice but nothing amazing.
And before you know it, it's over. It's his shortest. All in all, it feels like this one is made up of the parts that didn't make the last symphony.
B+
1814 - 1823: Me and LVB Take a Break From Each Other, Part Two:
Then the man drops out for a while, taking a break from Symphonies and lots of other things.
Was it a Clapton break, involving substance abuse followed by long years of mediocre music? Nah. More like a Dylan motorcycle accident break where he (eventually) does the basement tapes once he gets better.
But what was going on? Oh, let's see: his brother dies, he gets into a custody battle over his nephew and becomes very ill.
By 1820 he's finally composing more, including three piano sonatas, and he's already started on the Ninth Symphony.
1824: The Ninth Symphony
He just HAD to go back to five movements. Not only that, each one is loooooonnnnng. The whole thing runs about SIXTY-FIVE Minutes - at least half again as long as anything before it.
We're in double album territory. Not The Beatles, mind you, which was over 90 minutes long. More like London Calling or Exile on Main Street. You know - double albums that come up a bit short time-wise but are great nonetheless. (Speaking of London Calling, what if LVB - instead of having that 5th movement - just had a hidden track at the end?)
And speaking of the Stones, do you find it as odd as I do that he finishes this with a chorus, kind of like "You Can't Always Get What You Want"? Typical of the Stones to take something meant to be so positive and shitting all over it just before heading on out to Altamont.
Two seconds in and it already feels bigger! (now, there's a sentence I never expected to write...) It moves - rhythmically, melodically, and dynamically - all over the place, and yet it holds together. It reminds me of "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" in the sense that it takes its time to make its point and expects you to sit there and wait.
It's like listening to a drunk guy in a bar who you think might take a slug at you. He's had a tough life and he's got to take it out on somebody.
You finally get to rest in the third movement. The drunk has calmed down and LVB is taking his time. And after years of personal turmoil, he's got a lot to say. Who? Both of them.
The fourth grabs you again. You thought he'd mellowed out, didn't ya? No, he's still drunk and still knocking shit over. And still upset. But then he finally hits that happy stage and loves the world.
And in the fifth, not only has he started singing, he wants the whole bar to sing with him, too. And they do!
I've gotta admit the singers are really wailing by the end of this one. And the orchestra keeps up with them. The ending combines the orchestral and vocal into what must have been an overwhelming climax. But that's also how I feel about "You Can't Always Get What You Want" which I'll admit I still prefer.
He conducted it at the premiere, even though he was totally deaf. When it was over, one of the singers had to turn him around so that he could at least see the audience going nuts.
A-
1825 - 27: "...the love you take/make, etc..."
He continues to compose, even starting a tenth symphony. But he's getting ill again and family issues are taking their toll.
When he passes away the funeral attracts 30,000, and among the pallbearers was that suck-up Franz Schubert. (We'll get to him eventually.)
So after all of this, I must REALLY LOVE Beethoven, right? Not exactly.
