NEWS
Ludwig van Beethoven: Unprecedented Scale and Intensity of Music
This year, all progressive humanity and anyone even somewhat familiar with masterpieces of classical music celebrate the 250th anniversary of the great German composer Ludwig van Beethoven’s birth. He achieved wide recognition, fame and popularity in his lifetime far beyond the borders of Austria and Germany. As years go by, the number of those who admire his prodigious talent has been increasing.
Beethoven, the son of a singer in the court chapel, was born in Bonn. His first musical instruction came from his father and later he was taught by Neefe, a court organist, whom Ludwig occasionally deputized for in this post when he was about 12 only. At the time, he also composed and published his 9 Variations for piano on a March by Ernst Dressler.
Beethoven moved from Bonn to Vienna, which boasted a flourishing music scene at that time. The young pianist, then better known for his brilliant piano playing, met Mozart, whom he greatly admired as a virtuoso pianist. In Vienna he was mentored by Haydn, but they had a somewhat rocky relationship. To hone his skills, Beethoven later began studying with Salieri, who was, despite the myth, a very pleasant man and a fine musician.
Beethoven made his first public appearance as a pianist in Vienna in 1795, and soon after, he became one of the most fashionable salon pianists. According to witnesses, in that period Beethoven played with the combination of an ardent and lively temperament, virtuoso technique and vivid imagination. In the middle of his career, marked by his only full ballet The Creatures of Prometheus, opera Fidelio and a huge number of sonatas, Ludwig van Beethoven lost his hearing. Hearing loss is a big personal tragedy for any individual, but for a musician, it also means the inevitable end of his/her career. But the history of music shows something totally unbelievable – Beethoven continued to compose, winning the admiration of his contemporaries and descendants…
On November 27, the Maya Kulieva Turkmen National Conservatory’s Big Hall played host to a concert in celebration of Ludwig van Beethoven. The evening of music, which proved a big success, opened with Violin Romance in F major, performed by fourth-year student Merdan Charyev. The tender and wonderfully expressive romance sounded like a vocal piece, making the name of the work perfectly clear.
The announcement “performed for the first time” always captures the audience’s attention and the concert featured two pieces announced like this: The Glory of God in Nature and 12 Variations on a Russian Theme.
Bakhar Durdyeva sang two songs from the first piece: May Night and Tender Love. Emir Bayramgeldyev, a fourth-year student played the second piece on the flute. One of the variations really surprised the listeners: it sounded very much like a popular Ukrainian folk song called “You Have Lied to Me”. The second variation was a siciliana and the third was a march. The rest of the variations revealed Beethoven’s uniquely distinctive style. Why did the composer call the composition “Variations on a Russian Theme”? Apparently, Ukrainian songs were regarded as Russian at the time.
Beethoven’s most popular and recognizable piano composition – The Moonlight Sonata – is enjoying continuing popularity all over the world. It is always eagerly anticipated by audiences. Performing on stage was
Honored Artist of Turkmenistan Vladimir Mkrtumov. Vladimir Sergeevich gently touched the keys and the familiar-sounding and truly wonderful music of ethereal beauty filled the air.
Winners of international competitions Aybolek Mukhieva and Stella Faramazova performed the first movement of the Sonata No. 9 for violin and piano, commonly known as the Kreutzer Sonata. Beethoven had dedicated it to his friend – violinist and composer Rodolphe Kreutzer. Sonatas require the highest level of perfection and they are the best way for students of the Conservatory to sharpen their skills.
The audience listened spellbound as Bakhram Dolyev (violin), Kakageldy Khojalekov (cello) and Vladimir Mkrtumov (piano) magnificently performed the Concerto for Violin, Cello and Piano in C major (Triple Concerto). The piece features the three instruments engaging in musical conversation like close friends, sometimes arguing with each other, but ultimately achieving harmony.
Musicians of the String Orchestra under Takhir Ataev brought the concert program to a spectacular close, playing the third and fourth movements of Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 9.
The tribute concert won the hearts of Ashgabat classical music enthusiasts, and as usual, helped to attract new fans of the music by Ludwig van Beethoven. The evening culminated in flowers, congratulations, interviews and selfies with the brilliant performers of the composer’s music.