Reading task and writing

A Good Master Remembered Workbook P55 A Good Master Remembered

Ludwig van Beethoven, a major composer of the nineteenth century, overcame many personal problems to achieve artistic greatness.

Read the passage and discuss the questions: In what ways does the servant admire Beethoven? He admires his persistence in composing and the way be included his feelings about his deafness into his music.

2 Give two examples of how Beethoven's deafness affected him. Beethoven's deafness affected him personally because he had to stop being a concert pianist and concentrate on composing music. It affected him musically because he was able to use his emotions in his music and write even greater music.

3 What might Beethoven have done if he had net gone deaf? If he had not gone deaf, Beethoven would still have been famous as a great pianist. 4 What would you concentrate on if you were to go deaf?

5 Many people were frightened when they first met Beethoven. Why? His moods were changeable and could grow wild and angry. He sometimes appeared like a wild man. In addition he was often so involved in his music that he forgot to brush his hair or wear appropriate clothes.

Listening Task on P56

Read these phrases before listening to the tape for the first time. Tick them if you hear them mentioned.

___Fifth Symphony, First Movement ___"Choral" Symphony 第五交响曲 ___Fifth Symphony, First Movement ___"Choral" Symphony ___Ninth Symphony ___"Pastoral" Symphony ___"Fate" Symphony ___Sunlight Sonata ___Moonlight Sonata ___Fifth Symphony, Third Movement “圣诞”交响曲 第九交响曲 “田园”交响曲 “命运”交响曲 月光奏鸣曲

2 Listen a second time and fill in the chart. Symphony number Nickname What it is about "Fate" Symphony His attitude to his problem of deafness No 5

"Pastoral" Symphony "Choral" Symphony Love of nature No6 Hope and joy No 9

HOW BEETHOVEN USED HIS DEAFNESS TO MAKE GREAT MUSIC In 1802 Beethoven became very upset when he realized that he would never hear accurately again. Because he was unable to share his feelings with others, he poured all his feelings into his music. His fifth symphony was the first where

these powerful feelings were expressed these powerful feelings were expressed. In the first movement Beethoven introduces a strong beat, which is repeated to make a rhythm, it has been described as “fate knocking at the doer”. It shows Beethoven’s attitude to his problem of deafness. (Extract of music from fifth symphony first movement)

But his mood changes as the symphony continues But his mood changes as the symphony continues. In the third movement his despair was transformed into something much more exciting and challenging. It is as if he was refusing to be defeated by his deafness. Listen to the power of the music. (Extract from fifth symphony third movement)

Beethoven's love of nature was well-known Beethoven's love of nature was well-known. The countryside calmed and relaxed him and also found its way into his music. On many occasions when he was struggling to finish a piece of music he would go for a long walk to sort out his ideas.

He described this as "working while he walked" He described this as "working while he walked". These walks found their way in his sixth symphony, called the Pastoral symphony or countryside symphony, which is one of his most popular compositions. ( Extract from the pastoral symphony)

After 1812 his hearing became so bad that he became severely upset After 1812 his hearing became so bad that he became severely upset. Maybe he felt that nothing good would happen to him again. His musical output almost stopped. But strangely enough, this produced some of his most

emotional music. His ninth and last symphony, called the choral symphony, was his greatest composition. He used a poem by a German poet to express his feelings of hope and joy. (Extract from last movement of Beethoven's ninth symphony)

But Beethoven's music was not always grand and important But Beethoven's music was not always grand and important. Many of his pieces for the piano are personal and gentle. So we will finish with one of his best-loved piano pieces, the Moonlight Sonata. The first movement describes a peaceful, quiet and beautiful moonlight night

when all troubles have disappeared and only the beauty of nature remains. (Complete Moonlight Sonata)

SPEAKING TASK Many people think that Beethoven was always a genius. Other people think he would never have been such a great composer but for his deafness.

whether you think a genius is born or is made by circumstances; Step 1: In pairs discuss: whether you think a genius is born or is made by circumstances; whether you think adversity makes one wise or not.

Step 2: Have a class debate. Use the ideas and examples you have collected to help you with your arguments. Beethoven's life Born: 1770 Died:1827

Career: 1795: already an important pianist, teacher of music, composer, and giver of concerts 1798: deafness began to interfere 1802: concentrated only on composing 1817: totally deaf 1823: last symphony composed

Sample discussion S1: Do you think Beethoven was always have been a genius or was he made into one by circumstances? S2: I think he was always a great musician. Let's look at his life before he went deaf. He was already a

already a famous pianist and he did do some composing already a famous pianist and he did do some composing. But his composing was not the most important part of his work before he became deaf. So I think circumstances made him a great composer.

S1: Yes, but I suppose he must always have had it in him to be a great composer and the deafness gave him an opportunity to concentrate on it. It doesn't mean he wasn't born a genius -- it just means he did not develop that skill fully at first.

S2: OK. What other evidence is there? His compositions were good but not outstanding until the Fifth Symphony when be put all his feelings about his deafness into his music. It was this ability to express his emotions in music that made him a genius. That was the result of circumstances.

S1: Of course you're right but his compositions were already well- known. He had the ability. Concentrating on it made it greater. That's all. Anyway let's hear what the others have to say in the class debate, shall we?

WRITING TASK Write a newspaper article putting forward your point of view about Beethoven. Remember to: * begin by describing your idea of a genius;

* collect your ideas about whether Beethoven fits this description or whether he became a genius as a response to disaster in his life. Make each idea a new paragraph and set out a reason for each;

* finish by repeating what you said in the first paragraph. Make it clear whether you believe Beethoven showed perseverance to become a genius in the face of terrible difficulties or whether he was a born genius.

Some useful words and expressions Describing the effect of deafness Describing the effect of composing

lonely alone isolated different awkward strange scared terrified desperate perseverant relief calm release success conquering concentrating overcoming demonstrating showing accepting

WHAT MAKES BEETHOVEN A GENIUS Sample writing WHAT MAKES BEETHOVEN A GENIUS

My idea of a genius is someone who has a great talent but must develop this talent through hard work until it become good enough to produce the work of a genius.

Beethoven was certainly a man like that Beethoven was certainly a man like that. He had great talents as a composer of music. He played the piano and was a famous pianist of his day. He had also already begun to compose before he

became deaf. His deafness forced him to concentrate on his composing and that produced some very profound and important music. It made him into a real genius.

The perseverance of Beethoven in the face of his deafness made him into a composer far more important than he would have been without it. Indeed it has been

suggested that his terrible difficulties pushed him into becoming a genius. I would agree with that and so I suggest that geniuses are made not born.

HOMEWORK Write an article on the research of you own about the five people on page 58, Workbook. Review the whole unit and check your studies.