The cultural heritage of Beethoven – Popular Beethoven

A master, a giant, an extraordinary talent, the Messiah of music, a genius, the best, the most influential. Some labels that are likely to describe Ludwig van Beethoven, when we read articles about him. What was he? How important was this composer in the line of remarkable musicians? This article is about Beethoven’s footprint he left behind on music and musicians.

Ludwig van Beethoven was indeed a very important cornerstone in the history of music. After him, in music nothing was the same again. He lived in an age, when music was considered to be inferior art form compared to singing, literature or painting. A musician was nothing more than a profession, a person who happens to make music, nice and balanced lovable tunes, just as a shoemaker is making shoes. No more, no less!

For Beethoven, music was the highest form of art. For him music comes from heaven, to change and elevate the audience and make all humanity better. He was a man on a mission from God! Even in his Heiligenstadt Testament, he writes about this calling to be the sole reason to live on. As soon as he arrived in Vienna and started making public performances he acted as a representative of this highest calling. He demanded full attention to his music, something never seen before. Even, when playing for the high aristocracy in Vienna, if audience would not behave properly, he would interrupt his playing, call them pigs and leave the room. Here was a man, treating them as equals on his own terms! Music was no longer just a tune in the background, making chatter more convenient. Music and listening to music became an art, almost religious like activity, where audience rightly expected to be touched, have emotions and ascent to spiritual dimensions above.

One very important heritage of Beethoven is the raise of the musician, the Artist. A rock star – as modern people would say. He is a figure like the prophets in the Old Testament, complete devotion to the calling, struggle against ignorant audience and critics, touching the souls with the message in form of music. Hence, the heroic, romantic music was born through him.

Beethoven, being deaf is another factor that played to this romantic hero figure. He is like a Biblical character, receiving such a big talent, such great revelation that God touched his ears, a thorn in the body (just as Paul), to keep the flash and blood in check against pride.

It is remarkable to observe how profound his impact on musicians is. Rossini visited him in Vienna, reporting “I stood before him, like a butterfly before a lion!”. Franz Schubert said on his deathbed listening to a Beethoven quartet, “Who can ever do anything, after Beethoven?” Johannes Brahms refused to make a symphony for 21 years (!), saying to his friends and supporters “I shall never write a symphony, you have no idea how the likes of us feel when we hear the tramp of a giant like him [Beethoven] behind us!” Ever since musicians are both inspired and somehow intimidated by this musical hero and his presence, even today!

In summary it is proper to say that after Beethoven no musician approached his craft as before. His ghost is standing there behind all composers, all performers demanding no less, than to serve the highest call of music creation. No half work, no nearly done or almost perfect quality is acceptable! Music itself has a different role, it is supposed to have effect on the audience, if needed breaking the forms of compositional rules unleashing creative energy in its own ways. Being a listener of music also changed. Audience is supposed to focus on the music, feel it with heart, get carried away with emotions.