Chapter 21 Appendix: Beethoven's Works and Its Spirit - Part 1

Fu Lei The birth of Beethoven and the eighteenth century were an era of wars and disasters, an era of singing and dancing, an era of the decline of classicism, and an era of budding new movements—the role of metabolism has never stopped in history: the most chaotic and most Where there is filth, there are bright flowers sticking their heads out.The French Revolution opened the most thrilling page in human history: the nineteenth century!How tragic, how brilliant!It seems that all geniuses were born in one period... From Napoleon to Bismarck, from Kant to Nietzsche, from Goethe to Zola, from David to Cézanne, from Beethoven to the five great masters of Russia; there is one more German in northern Europe; There is one more Italy, the struggle between democracy and autocracy has ended, and the martyrdom of socialism has begun: Humanity has almost traveled such a long way in a hundred years!And at the starting point of this magnificent and overlapping journey, there is a superstar: Beethoven.In the world of sound, he predicted the revival of a nation—the German Confederation——he symbolized the keynote of human activities in the first century—force!

An ancient society has crumbled and a new one is brewing.In the process of being out of touch, the first thing to do is to liberate the individual.This is the beginning and unfinished foundation of the Renaissance.Individualism that resists all constraints and strives for all freedom is the forerunner of the future world.Each has its own era.The first is: me!And then: society. To affirm this "I", liberate individuals before the emperors and nobles, and make them recognize that everyone is an emperor or noble, or that every emperor and noble is a commoner, you must first affirm "power", cultivate it, raise it, raise it, The specific performance makes people have to accept it.Every free "I" wants to command.If he cannot act, at least he can direct artistically.If he cannot conquer kingdoms like Napoleon, at least he will conquer hearts, feelings and sentiments like Beethoven.Yes, Beethoven and force, this is an inherent problem.Without a discussion on this topic, it is difficult to understand his works and their long-term influence.

From the biography written by Romain Rolland, we are already familiar with his athletic physique.Apart from being excessively hard in daily life, there is nothing excessive enough to destroy his health.Health is his most cherished wealth, because it is the resource of all "forces".People who saw him at that time said "he is the incarnation of force", of course, this has both physical and spiritual meanings.We need not hide from him some of his insignificant sexual adventures.The biographies that said he was a lifelong virgin were unreliable, and Romain Rolland had corrected it himself.Beethoven's 1816 diary contains a record of sexual relations.Neither detracted from his lofty ideals of love, nor detracted from his control over sensuality.He said: "If I sacrifice my vitality, what is left for nobility and superiority?" Strength, yes, physical strength, moral strength, are Beethoven's catchphrases. "Strength is the morality of those who are different from ordinary people, and it is my morality." In 1800.This kind of argument is clearly the tone of "Superman".And around the age of thirty, too much power is unfairly abused.Needless to say, his violent character sometimes exploded against noble people, even if it was of no use to his peers or inferiors.He is full of contempt: contempt for the weak, contempt for the ignorant, contempt for the masses, and yet he is a man who loves humanity!He even despises those he loves and worships him.

In his letter to Pastor Amenda, there are two words that slander a friend who is always loyal to him.See "Letter Collection".The mother of Princess Lichnosovsky, who had helped him a lot in his youth, once knelt down for begging him to play the piano, and he not only refused, she even refused to stand up on the sofa.Later, he turned against Prince Lichnosovsky, and left a note before leaving: "Prince, you are you because of accidental birth; I am me because of myself. Prince We have now, and we will have. As for Beethoven, there is only one.” This proud rebellion is not only against another class and people of the same class, but also against the laws of music:—“According to The rule is that these chords are not allowed to be used together..." He told him.

— "But I allow it," he replied. However, readers must not misunderstand, and must not confuse the arrogance of ordinary people with the self-confidence of geniuses, and must not equate the performance of excess power with unreasonable arrogance.The above is but one aspect of Beethoven's inner energy, which is too full to be expressed in action; and this aspect, - let us be honest - is not the best aspect.Flaws and faults are still faults and faults in great men.Moreover, although Beethoven was arrogant to the world and others, he was humble to himself.When he talked about his shortcomings and lack of education to Czerny, he sighed: "But I am not without musical talent!" read.In his later years, he even said: "I just started to learn something..." In his youth, friends mentioned his fame to him, and he replied: "Boring! I never thought of fame and honor to write. Something in my heart I want to come out, so I write!" This is Czerny's record - this paragraph hopes that readers, especially young musicians, will use it as a motto.

But the strength of his spirit still needs us to explore further. Everyone says that Beethoven was the last classicist and the first romanticist.A romanticist, yes, in performance first and form second, in not avoiding violent emotional outbursts, in extreme individualism, he is.But the sentimental air of Romanticism was completely out of his league, the most misogynistic man he ever was.Most incompatible with his character are illogical and over-the-top fantasies.He is the most masculine of the musicians.Romain Rolland couldn't even stand a woman playing Beethoven, with very few exceptions.His piano improvisation has always been considered magical.Both Reiss and Czerny, the excellent pianists at that time, said: "In addition to the peculiarity and beauty of thought, there is another unusual element in the expression." ri" called the genie to "the peak".The audience was crying, and his friend Reichardt shed a lot of hot tears, and no pair of eyes were wet... When he saw these tears after playing, he shrugged and laughed loudly: "Ah, madman!" You are really not artists. Artists are fire, and they don’t cry.” See Czerny’s records for all the above.Another time, when he sent a friend on a long trip, he said: "Don't be emotional. In everything, perseverance and bravery are the true qualities of a man." This kind of power to control emotions is rarely recognized by everyone! "People want to regard this oak tree as Xiaosha's poplar, but they don't know that Xiaosha's poplar is the audience. He can control his emotions with strength." Roman Roland said.

A musician, just to be a musician, needs to have the power to concentrate on an idea, and needs the iron fist of control and action unique to Westerners: because music is a moving structure, all parts must be grasped at the same time.His mind must move like lightning in immobilite.Clear eyes, tense will, and all spirit should be superimposed on the entire dream.Well, at this point, there is probably no musician who can compare with Beethoven in grasping ideas so tightly, so persistently, and so superhumanly.Because there is no musician as strong as he.Once he holds onto an idea, he will never let go until he possesses it.He called it a "chasing the devil". ——This power to control the mind and control the spirit can also be cited from a more superficial aspect.Seyfried, who lived with him in Vienna in the early years, once said: "When he listens to someone else's music, it is impossible to guess the approval or disapproval on his face; he is always cold and motionless. .The mental activity is internal and timeless; but the body is like a piece of marble without a soul."

If we go further in this exploration of the soul, we can also discover a deeper and more divine face.As Romain Rolland said: One cannot mention Beethoven without mentioning God.Note: The so-called God here refers to the God in the pantheism of the eighteenth century.Beethoven's power is not only to control lust, emotion, thought, and works, but also to challenge fate and wrestle with God. "He may see the god as his equal, as his partner in life, whom he abuses; as a tyrant to torment him, whom he curses; A friend, a strict father... and no matter what, as long as he dares to face Beethoven, he will never be separated from it. Everything will pass away, but he is always in front of it. Beethoven whines to it, complains to it, Intimidate it, question it. The inner monologue is always two voices. From his early works, Allegro for the trio, Op. 9 no. 3, the first movement of the quartet, Op. 18 no. 4, And "Pathetic Sonata", etc. We hear the dialogues of these two souls, sometimes concording, sometimes arguing, sometimes fighting, sometimes embracing...but one of them is always the voice of the master, and you will never be misunderstood." Above To quote Romain Rolland.Without such persistent and unyielding perseverance in "chasing the devil" and holding on to God, how could he have written "Heroic Symphony" and "Symphony of Destiny" after "Hellingenstadt Testament"?How can we overcome the deadliest of all diseases-deafness?

Deafness is the death of a part of the world to the common man, and the death of the whole world to the musician.The whole world is dead and Beethoven is not dead!And he recreated the dead world, the kingdom of sound, not only for himself, but for mankind, for "poor mankind"!Such a supernatural and creative force can only be compared with the nameless and primitive force in nature.In the middle of the great desert where death surrounds everything, only the force of nature can give you a piece of water and grass! 1800, nineteenth century, first page.The art world then, like the world of action, was one of the strong rather than of the subtle wit.Whoever dares to preserve his true colors, whoever dares to assert and order majestically, the society will follow him.Personal strengths always have the potential to swallow everything; what's more, individuals need to dissolve themselves in the masses and in the universe.So Romain Rolland wrote about the relationship between Beethoven and God so heroically, it is by no means a mysterious article, but a glimpse into the deep consciousness of individualism.The artist stands on the highest peak of the "unconscious world", he speaks his heart, and the result is singing the emotions of the masses.Beethoven did not work hard to understand the consciousness of the times, and the consciousness of the times was in his own thinking.Napoleon traveled across Europe under the guise of freedom, equality, and fraternity, but in fact he acted as a spokesperson for the "unconscious world" of the entire era.The feeling has long spread in people's hearts. Although there is tradition and blind idol worship, it is futile to try to suppress it. Artists will come to unveil sooner or later!