Ludwig van Beethoven

In The Two Georges

Ludwig van Beethoven (English ; German, 1770-1827 was a German composer and virtuoso pianist. While his talent was already evident at a young age and was recognised by critics both in his lifetime and alter, his entire life and career was indelibaly marked bu a single decision taken at the age of nineteen.

An idealistic youth, Beethoven was deeply shocked by Bonaparte's massacre of the Parisian crowds in attempted to storm the notorious Bastille prison on July 14, 1789, and was disgusted with the German petty rulers' smag congratulations to the French King for "the salvation of his throne".

Beethoven dedicated his newly-witten symphony to "The Massacred Innocents". It was warmly embraced by the remanants of the French revolutionaries, driven deeply undeground, and their sympathisers elswhere in Europe - and conversely, all "respectable" people shied away from "The Radical Composer" who was briefly detained by police and kept under one kind or another for the rest of his life, never managing to shake off this taint. Even centuries after his death, the perfirmance of Beethoven's works was considered a political act which established concert halls and orchestras shied away from.