In 2020 Bonn celebrates the 250th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven. Check-in presenter Lukas Stege visits Bonn's most important locations in the life of the famous composer.
I remember visiting Beethoven's house in Bonn about 50 years ago. It's a distant memory now, but I DO remember being able to pick up the ear-trumpets!! I did, and remember seeing (or hearing!) if they worked. They did! It seemed just a bit of fun at the time; now I realise what an amazing thing I did!
Misinformation Beethoven wasn't a prodigy (in term of performing) though he was a great improviser. His father wanted his son to be prodigious and make a fortune out of him just like Mozart's father had. But Beethoven wasn't as nearly nice playing as Mozart was and insisted on improvising and playing with his distinct style which was very peculiar to the norms of playing a piano. Because of these failures he was often beaten by his alcoholic father. He would Of course become the greatest vitrouso pianist and composer of his time (and in my opinion of all times) but he didn't start out like that. Nature conceived him as a natural composer and a rebel as opposed to a musical prodigy who performs.
SHAME on BONN. Beethoven got beaten up by his father and later was not allowed to improvise music. When 22, he left Bonn and never ever came back! This is a historical fact. Without Austria, he would not have made it. The people in Vienna supported him, finally, and even were delighted by his improvised play style. Now only, when he is famous all over the world, Bonn wants to sell him as "their son", their product, so to say, trying to attract tourists and fools who not know the story. Its, again, all about money. By the way, The Beethoven House society (NPO) received 12 million Euros from the government to celebrate Beethoven and to tell the world about "their" famous composer, while in fact it was Vienna that made him famous. Richard, Frankfurt
Everybody knows Bonn is not the center of the music world during his time (even today). One should try Paris, London, and Vienna for exposure. A royal clan who supported music and the arts across Europe for hundreds of years had its HQ in Vienna. Yes, now, local politicians and entrepreneurs are proclaiming proudly to the world about their most prized export. If Beethoven is alive today, will he be proud of Bonn?
