Beethoven Makes Me Feel a Certain Way
When I listen to Beethoven’s music I feel alive. It also varies from which I piece I am listening to, but regardless of that, his music just makes me think of nature. I feel the need to want to be out in nature and just feel inspiration and motivation to get up and make things happen. I am not entirely sure of why this is… I have a theory that it is because he lived in the outskirts of town after he was diagnosed as deaf by his medic. I am not sure if he was inspired by nature. The fact that he couldn’t hear his own masterpieces really does make me sad. But the fact that he wrote such beautiful music without really listening to it makes it greatly interesting to me. How did he do it?
Did he listen with his heart instead of ears? Because that would make a lot of sense! Because honestly his music is such a marvel. One can truly hear and feel Beethoven poured his heart and soul into his art. I hope that wherever he is right now, he is able to listen to his breath-taking creations.
One of my favorite of those breath-taking creations, Symphony #9. While listening to the first movement, I really found myself paying close attention to the way the musicians and conductor made this piece come to life. I noticed how and what each instrument did to play their part to deliver this grand masterpiece. I noticed how the oboes and flutes were in charge of lowering the intensity to a softer tone. I cannot include the violins along with the oboe and flutes, even though the violins really added that delightful softness to the piece in it’s sweet parts, but the violin and french horns were in charge of the the tension built, they start turning darker as the piece intensifies. The clarinets kind of bring light or sweet highlights through the heavy, intense parts. Cellos and Double Upright basses sort of outline the darkness in a subtle way.. almost as if to let you know when the heavier parts will come on next. The trumpet fanfares delivered a lot weight and boldness along with the timpani drums.The conductor is just really energetic, feeling the piece and completely invested in expressing. I love how they transmitted the energy on to the crowd was just amazing. On minute 42:12, you can notice an audience member really invested in the piece, closing his eyes, almost as if the music takes him to another place. Almost? No, like it DOES take him elsewhere, that’s what Beethoven will do to you…..
