Ludwig van Beethoven in 1818, by Friedrich August von Kloeber (1793-1864). Owing to ill health and money problems, Beethoven never visited England, but was very pro-British, especially in the light of Britain’s stout resistance towards Napoleon Bonaparte’s dreams of European empire. Beethoven wrote variations on ‘God Save the King’ and ‘Rule, Britannia!’, and composed settings for several Scottish songs. His pupils included Ignaz Moscheles, who settled in England.
Introduction
Ludwig van Beethoven is unquestionably one of the greatest and most influential of all composers, and it was natural that visitors wanted to know whose music he admired most. Towards the end of a tragic life afflicted by deafness, loneliness and financial worries, one composer’s music brought him more solace than any other.
A QUESTION many people asked Beethoven was ‘Who is your favourite composer?’
Englishman Edward Schulz recalled hearing Beethoven say over dinner, ‘Handel is the greatest composer that ever lived’, and Johann Stumpff, a London-based instrument-maker who visited Beethoven in 1824, received the same reply. ‘To him I bow the knee,’ Beethoven added, and promptly did.
Stumpff was shocked to find Beethoven could not afford copies of Handel’s works, and silently resolved there and then to send him a complete set, if such a thing existed. It did, all forty volumes of it. Two years later it arrived from London.
‘He was more delighted with this present’ wrote Beethoven’s secretary Anton Schindler ‘than if he had received the Order of the Garter’.* Beethoven was by now in great pain from dropsy, but throughout his last days he lay on his bed rapturously turning the pages, all grief forgotten. ‘Handel is the greatest, the ablest composer that ever lived’ he exclaimed.
‘I can still learn from him.’
Based on ‘The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven’ Vol. 3 by Alexander Wheelock Thayer, and ‘Life of Beethoven’ by Anton Schindler, edited by Ignaz Moscheles.
See Order of the Garter: Royal Family Website. Beethoven repeatedly made arrangements to visit England, but ill health or lack of funds always conspired against him. One of his lasting regrets, however, was that his symphony celebrating Wellington’s Victory at Vitoria in 1813 was never acknowledged by the English court — some kind of royal award would evidently have rather pleased him.
Précis
Ludwig van Beethoven was often asked to name his favourite composer, and his answer was consistently ‘Handel’, yet he could not afford Handel’s music in full score. On discovering this, London instrument-maker Johann Stumpff sent a comprehensive edition to Beethoven, who in the few remaining months of his life derived great solace from losing himself in its pages. (58 / 60 words)
Ludwig van Beethoven was often asked to name his favourite composer, and his answer was consistently ‘Handel’, yet he could not afford Handel’s music in full score. On discovering this, London instrument-maker Johann Stumpff sent a comprehensive edition to Beethoven, who in the few remaining months of his life derived great solace from losing himself in its pages.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: because, despite, just, may, ought, since, unless, whereas.
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Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Knee. Live. Turning.
2 Composer. Copy. Present.
3 Last. Lay. Learn.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
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0
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