"Ode an die Freude"
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Yes, indeed. Music alone can change the world? Not just a Beatle-view, it's ancient and part of our cultural blood.

It certainly can change a mood and bring happiness for a short while. Sometimes, that's enough. Sometimes, it's a gift from above the starry fabric.

7/23/2008 7:30:41 PM [ Report Abuse ]

All men are brothers united in music, it needs no translation only feeling my friend, his enduring music tells the tale, happiness is not a constant is it, how would you know it, if there were no moments of sadness, in his case there was plenty, he certainly brought a lot of happiness to millions and still is doing so........today, and will in the future to come.....

7/23/2008 4:42:41 PM [ Report Abuse ]

The metronome was new, and the inventor gave van Beethoven one to play with. He hated the constant tick-tick, but saw the value in standardizing tempos, so he had a mixed feeling about it. The scherzo (second movement?) of the 8th Symphony has a constant "tick-tick" in it as a parody of this new device.

The tympani is used heavily in the 9th symphony because van Beethoven was totally deaf - but could feel the tympani. That allowed him to conduct the performance even though he couldn't hear a thing (but there was another conductor that the orchestra really followed).

Those are the jokes in the Beaker thing. Very cute stuff.

7/23/2008 7:07:17 AM [ Report Abuse ]

Erik, you have to tell us more about the "inside jokes"!

7/23/2008 6:41:50 AM [ Report Abuse ]