Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: americanbychoice2
I saw it and hated it. Thanks to the hard work of Maynard Solomon, we now know that Beethoven's Immortal Beloved was Antonia Brentano, the wife of a diplomat from one of the Italian city states.

I would recommend Paul Morrisey's "Beethoven's Nephew" from 1986. It's much darker, and it gives a glimpse into the mind of a genius who lacked almost all social skills.

22 posted on 12/16/2006 12:08:05 PM PST by Publius (A = A)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies ]


To: Publius

Beethoven's perceived lack of social skills was a result of his profound hearing loss in his late 20's. I know first hand about this having lost much of my hearing in my early 40's. Hear are some of his writings about his hearing loss which are well known by hearing loss sufferers.

"Forgive me when you see me draw back when I would have gladly mingled with you. My misfortune is double painful to me because I am bound to be misunderstood; for me there can be no relaxation with my fellow men, not refined conversations, no mutual exchange of ideas. I must live almost alone, like one who has been banished. I can mix with society only as much as true necessity demands. If I approach near to people a hot terror seizes upon me, and I fear being exposed to the danger that my condition might be noticed."

"Oh you men who think or say that I am malevolent, stubborn, or misanthropic, how greatly do you wrong me. You do not know the secret cause which makes me seem that way to you. Oh how harshly was I flung back by the double sad experience of my bad hearing."

"Yet it was impossible for me to say to people, 'speak louder, shout, for I am deaf.' Ah, how could I possibly admit an infirmity in the one sense which ought to be more perfect in me than others, a sense which I once possessed in the highest perfection, a perfection such as few in my profession enjoy or ever have enjoyed."


23 posted on 12/16/2006 12:30:33 PM PST by crymeariver (Good news...in a way)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson