What makes Beethoven a European composer? -
Salut à tou.te.s,
Comme beaucoup d'artistes de son époque, le compositeur allemand Ludwig von Beethoven, grand fan de Napoléon (jusqu'à ce qu'il tente de conquérir le continent), a beaucoup voyagé à la recherche de financements pour son métier. À la fin de sa vie, il compose sa 9e symphonie, si parfaitement européenne qu'elle fut choisie comme hymne de l'Union européenne en 1970.
Like many artists of his time, the German composer Ludwig von Beethoven, a big fan of Napoleon (until he tried to conquer the continent), traveled widely in search of fundings for his craft. At the end of his life, he composed his 9th symphony, so perfectly European that it was chosen as the anthem of the European Union in 1970.
Preparation:
watch this week's 4-min episode about Beethoven: https://youtu.be/IG65OsOUGXg (Subtitles are available in French and English by clicking on the CC button on the YouTube control bar).
(optional) watch Arte's documentary about the 200th anniversary of Beethoven's 9th symphony: https://www.arte.tv/fr/videos/119406-001-A/beethoven-symphonie-n-9/
(optional) listen to any of Beethoven's music
prepare one or two questions
Join us in this week's sessions:
Tuesday May 14, 2024
Sunday May 19, 2024
Bonne semaine et à bientôt,
Rafaël
Sources:
🔗 European anthem: https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/symbols/european-anthem_en
🔗 Beethoven and Napoleon: https://www.historytoday.com/archive/music-time/beethoven-and-napoleon