Why did Ludwig van Beethoven idolise Napoleon Bonaparte

and how did Beethoven react to

Napoleon’s coming into power as French Emperor and afterwards?

Olivia Dawkins

Evolving Title1st - How important was Beethoven in German music, culture and politics?

2nd - Was Beethoven's music significant in conveying his own political views and political occurrences in Germany? How?

3rd - Why did Ludwig van Beethoven idolise Napoleon Bonaparte and how did Beethoven react to Napoleon’s coming into power as French Emperor and afterwards?

Why did Ludwig van Beethoven idolise Napoleon Bonaparte and how did Beethoven react to Napoleon’s coming into power as French Emperor and afterwards?

Project Planning

• What I want to find out• Structure• Time Management• Finding Resources• What I found out

Why did Ludwig van Beethoven idolise Napoleon Bonaparte and how did Beethoven react to Napoleon’s coming into power as French Emperor and afterwards?

What I want to find out

• Why did Beethoven idolise Napoleon Bonaparte –

what actions of Napoleon were particularly

significant?

• How did Beethoven come to disapprove of his idol?

• How are feelings towards Napoleon reflected in

some of Beethoven’s works?

Why did Ludwig van Beethoven idolise Napoleon Bonaparte and how did Beethoven react to Napoleon’s coming into power as French Emperor and afterwards?

Structure• Why was Beethoven able to relate to Napoleon?

• Beethoven's character

• For what reasons and due to what actions of Napoleon did Beethoven (and

the German population) admire the Frenchman?

• How and why did Beethoven come to disapprove of Napoleon?

• Accounts of Beethoven’s overall feeling towards Napoleon

• In what way was does Napoleon feature in Beethoven’s musical works?

• [Conclusion]

• [Bibliography]Why did Ludwig van Beethoven idolise Napoleon Bonaparte and how did Beethoven react to

Napoleon’s coming into power as French Emperor and afterwards?

Time management

Why did Ludwig van Beethoven idolise Napoleon Bonaparte and how did Beethoven react to Napoleon’s coming into power as French Emperor and afterwards?

Log book earlier on

Finding resources

• Online documentaries• Google library (online search) – books –

Scholar - relevant sources• Listening – classic fm – John Suchet’s interests

– led to research• Websites when looking for

something more specific

Why did Ludwig van Beethoven idolise Napoleon Bonaparte and how did Beethoven react to Napoleon’s coming into power as French Emperor and afterwards?

e.g. B’ portrayed as stubborn? Account of refused to see nephew on ‘kennedycentre.org’

What I found out

• Why did Beethoven idolise Napoleon Bonaparte –

what actions of Napoleon were particularly

significant?– Sense of connection therefore sense of hope

• Background

• Age

• Achieving success in capitals

• Views…

– Political ideas – bringing of order and liberty• Education system

Why did Ludwig van Beethoven idolise Napoleon Bonaparte and how did Beethoven react to Napoleon’s coming into power as French Emperor and afterwards?

• How did Beethoven come to disapprove of his idol?– Power as French Emperor (1804 – 1815)

– Scribbling name off Eroica Spript – personal betrayal

– Bust of Caeser’s assassin

Why did Ludwig van Beethoven idolise Napoleon Bonaparte and how did Beethoven react to Napoleon’s coming into power as French Emperor and afterwards?

• How are feelings towards Napoleon are reflected in some of

Beethoven’s works?– ‘In memory of a great man’ [Sinfonia Eroica] – a dead hero now living in power

– ‘Forgiveness – Dona Nobis Pacem (grant us PEACE) reacts to Napoleon’s

success and death:• Title of belief in peace

(major key)

• Drumbeats – Napoleon’s army marching

• Distant trumpet fanfares – reflecting on ‘distant’ past

• Contralto anguished cry - grievance

Why did Ludwig van Beethoven idolise Napoleon Bonaparte and how did Beethoven react to Napoleon’s coming into power as French Emperor and afterwards?

1.44-1.55

Evaluating my sourcesBroadcasting Radio and Television:

ClassicFM.com – John Suchet - his life & comparing to Bonaparte’s

Fascination - "Beethoven - The Man Revealed"Honorary fellowship for work on Beethoven (from Royal Academy of Music) in 2001

Why did Ludwig van Beethoven idolise Napoleon Bonaparte and how did Beethoven react to Napoleon’s coming into power as French Emperor and afterwards?

• BBC Beethoven Documentary – A perfect exploration by Charles Hazlewood – Part Two – “Love and Loss”

• BBC Beethoven Documentary – A perfect exploration by Charles Hazlewood – Part One – “The Rebel”

Won the European Broadcasting Union conducting competition Long list of directorships in music theatre Strong knowledge of the subject of music. ……however, less specific.

Why did Ludwig van Beethoven idolise Napoleon Bonaparte and how did Beethoven react to Napoleon’s coming into power as French Emperor and afterwards?

• Conversation Book sources:– Beethoven’s Letters Journals and Conversations

• e.g. diary entries – freely written and honest• Baron de Tremont – 2nd hand evidence • Beethoven’s character, ideas and feelings

Beethoven, Michael Hamburger.

• Other sources:– Education and the French Revolution. Cambridge, 1969 by C H Bernard.

• Education system – Napoleon beliefs• True academic professor from Cambridge university.• Topic specialty.

Why did Ludwig van Beethoven idolise Napoleon Bonaparte and how did Beethoven react to Napoleon’s coming into power as French Emperor and afterwards?

Evaluating myself• Problems

– Reading dense sources of literature – concentration –read ‘parts’– Management– Title – could have formed earlier

• Good– Structuring of the written project– Sources relevant to my topic– Time plan – basis future t.m. skills

• Improvements– Should have recorded more sources that I disregarded due to lack of reliability– Could have gone further in reviewing the presenters - interview– Particular interest --> Look further into how Beethoven reflected feelings in

musical works

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