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Here's some fun stuff -- truly! Speaking of Beethoven, I was listening to his magnificent Piano Sonata No.32, Op. 111 this morning, which contains one of my favourite bits of his music, and although I may have shared this before (years ago, perhaps), it is so absolutely fabulous that it bears repeating! Beethoven had a fun and rollicking side to himself, which shines in this part of his Sonata (the excerpt in the video is one of several variations in a much longer piece).

It is remarkable to think that Beethoven wrote this in 1821-1822 -- it sounds like it could easily have been written in the 20th century, for it is often (almost always!) compared to boogie-woogie, jazz, swing, ragtime, but of course, it was composed a good 100 years earlier than the advent of those styles of music! (Don't worry Geoffrey, I'm sure you'll like it regardless of its jazzy sound!).

The wonderfully enthusiastic pianist (Fazil Say) is not exaggerating: he is playing exactly what Beethoven wrote, exactly how he wrote it -- it is a joy to behold!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2pKgwKpkTU

Cheers!

LisaLCFan wrote:
>It is remarkable to think that Beethoven wrote this in 1821-1822 -- it sounds like it could easily have been written in the 20th century, for it is often (almost always!) compared to boogie-woogie, jazz, swing, ragtime, but of course, it was composed a good 100 years earlier than the advent of those styles of music! (Don't worry Geoffrey, I'm sure you'll like it regardless of its jazzy sound!).
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my word! yes, that truly was remarkable - as if the composer had drunk one too many cups of black coffee! beethoven is often described as a moody, irritable guy, but here one receives a different side of his personality. i don't remember having seen or heard this before, so thank you for sharing

the year 1822 is etched into my mind as the year shelley drowned, so this uplifting piece of music helps put a plaster over that association - so appreciated

Geoffrey wrote: ↑Wed May 29, 2024 7:44 pm my word! yes, that truly was remarkable..., so thank you for sharing

the year 1822 is etched into my mind as the year shelley drowned, so this uplifting piece of music helps put a plaster over that association - so appreciated

It is always my pleasure to share Beethoven's music, and I am glad that this particular piece now gives you something wonderful to associate with 1822! Cheers!

how the light gets in

today's pencil sketch

G, your May 30 and May 31 submissions are nice!

4

its4inthemorning wrote:
>G, your May 30 and May 31 submissions are nice!
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occasionally lady luck smiles in my direction, and causes my pencil to create something not totally useless. perhaps those were a couple of instances. in any case, your message is nice too. thank you for brightening my day a little!

"you can never be wise and be in love at the same time" -dylan

woman leaning in her darkened door.

Geoffrey wrote: ↑Sun Jun 02, 2024 1:50 am woman leaning in her darkened door.

I like the way you did the light in the above sketch -- totally gives the impression of the woman standing in the shadows, very cool! Am I correct that you used blue paper? It's a great sketch!

LisaLCFan wrote:
>I like the way you did the light in the above sketch -- totally gives the impression of the woman standing in the shadows, very cool! Am I correct that you used blue paper? It's a great sketch!
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thank you so much, lisa. no, the sketch is on dark grey (size A4) 120g recycled paper. i used the paint.net 'hue/saturation' feature to make it blue. the pencil used was a koh-i-nor hardtmuth toison d'or 1900 2b, highlighted with a derwent chinese white (72) watercolour pencil. i used my imagination to guess where the light would hit the woman, and surprised myself at how well it turned out. start to finish took about 15 minutes or so, but getting the idea is what takes the longest time.

am traveling around the district at the moment, hence the silence. in an hour am driving with a friend down to stranda to hang up posters for a concert. will be back this evening, and by tonight hopefully have another picture in my head

beethoven conducting one of his more violent pieces

Geoffrey wrote: ↑Wed Jun 05, 2024 3:05 pm beethoven conducting one of his more violent pieces

I think you've captured him quite well!

LisaLCFan wrote:
>I think you've captured him quite well!
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i couldn't decide whether to put the baton in his left or his right hand, so was prepared to take some criticism. thank you for being positive!

here is more of a standard sketch, the type that everyone does. he still doesn't look too happy, but he was never the type of guy who would compose something like 'dance of the sugar plum fairy'

Geoffrey wrote: ↑Wed Jun 05, 2024 9:54 pm i couldn't decide whether to put the baton in his [Beethoven's] left or his right hand, so was prepared to take some criticism. thank you for being positive!

here is more of a standard sketch, the type that everyone does. he still doesn't look too happy, but he was never the type of guy who would compose something like 'dance of the sugar plum fairy'

As far as I know, there is no incontrovertible evidence regarding Beethoven's handedness -- reports seem to be mixed. Perhaps he was ambidextrous!

I think you might be surprised (again!) about old Beethoven: there were times when he was, indeed, the type of guy who would compose something sweet and spritely -- music to which one could easily imagine a fairy dancing about! I give you the first movement from his Serenade in D Major, Op. 25, for Flute, Violin, and Viola:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9nzPqYKp30

And, the whole Serenade, for those inclined to hear more!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZRLwP1 ... rt_radio=1

LisaLCFan wrote:
>As far as I know, there is no incontrovertible evidence regarding Beethoven's handedness -- reports seem to be mixed.
>
>I give you the first movement from his Serenade in D Major, Op. 25, for Flute, Violin, and Viola
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i presume there exists original handwritten letters and compositional scores? there is a difference between being ambidextrous and being mixed-handed. as an example, i hold a pencil in my right hand but cut food with my left, so i fall into the latter category. a competent graphologist should be able to determine whether beethoven switched hands when holding a quill. if he did not, it would suggest that he favoured the one hand for writing, and that would likely remove any question about him being ambidextrous.

thank you for the links! a relaxing section of music. quite a contrast to beethoven's thunderous pieces. i have also read about the difference between a violin (small) and a viola (big). apparently they can both be called fiddles, depending on the style of music being played. good to learn something new!