生日快乐，路德维希·凡·贝多芬！
12月16日 星期三 雪
雪天，一杯星巴克在手，听电台里传出的熟悉而美妙乐曲，纪念贝多芬诞辰250周年！
贝多芬为每一种心情都提供了一些东西--在冥想时刻的舒缓旋律，伴随运动的活泼节奏; 有时两种风格在同一作品中酝酿共存。
《月光》奏鸣曲是贝多芬去世后从一位批评家那里获得的名字，这位评论家将其第一乐章的柔和色调与瑞士琉森湖上闪烁的月光进行了比较。然而，在奏鸣曲的最后乐章，沉静的水面上伴随着月光的音乐发生了巨大的变化，仿佛岸上的冥想者被树林中一只熊的出现吓了一跳。疯狂的最后乐章伴随着意想不到但非常有必要的冲刺，朝着通往安全的月光小道前进。
贝多芬为每个人都提供了一些东西。他的创造力不仅仅属于他自己的时代和地域，而且是全世界和所有时代的遗产。他的某些旋律已广为人知，以至于它们似乎永恒。《第五交响曲》的开场白和《第九交响曲》的辉煌的“欢乐颂”大结局是全世界共同音乐遗产的一部分。
对于我，一个几乎没有什么音乐知识的听众来说，辨别哪些乐器对管弦乐作品的综合音色做出贡献是一个巨大的挑战。不过，欣赏交响音乐会的乐趣之一，就是观察乐团不同位置的音乐家演奏，尤其是在聆听演奏熟悉作品的时候。
当大多数乐团成员正在演奏时，尝试辨认来自某一种乐器的音乐很有趣。那些受过音乐训练的人会理解各种乐器如何混合以产生我们听到的交响声音。富有创造力的天才在脑海中听到原始的声音，并且知道如何结合管弦乐队的乐器来产生这种声音。
贝多芬就是这样的大师。他的作品独具匠心，以至于他最有才华的继任者，勃拉姆斯、门德尔松和马勒等伟大的作曲家都对跟随贝多芬的演奏感到胆怯。
由于对音乐、乐曲的长度和所需的乐队规模比较熟悉，在辛村音乐厅聆听贝多芬《第九交响曲》的演出是一次令人着迷的体验。提供作品名称为“合唱”交响曲的合唱出现在第四/最后乐章中。合唱者在舞台上站立了四分之三的时间后，终于等到了他们的发声机会。长号演奏家并不那么显眼。研究表明，此交响曲利用了三个长号，在第二和第四乐章中发出声音。从我的角度来看，我只注意到一个孤独的长号演奏者，直到交响乐的最后乐章才看到他举起乐器。这表明贝多芬想要的声音的特殊性。他知道长号可以做出的贡献，并且知道何时需要它。
贝多芬第九交响曲“欢乐颂”大结局表达的主题之一就是欢乐将人们凝聚在一起。这种音乐经常被用来表达人类的兄弟情谊。音乐本身就是这个主题的一个很好的例子。它令人愉悦的声音已经成为全世界人们都熟悉的主题。当拥有共同的文化试金石时，没有两个人会是完全陌生的人。
关于“欢乐颂”的主题，鲜为人知的是，万民的这种结合是在慈爱的上帝的注视下进行的：
拥抱吧，万民！
这一吻送给全世界！
兄弟们，星空的高处，
定住着慈爱的天父。
万民，可曾跪倒？
可曾认识造物主？
越过星空寻找吧，
他定在星际的尽头！
贝多芬凭借着神似的音乐才能和无所不知的精神，权衡了乐团各个组成部分以及合唱团的贡献，并将它们组合成永恒的艺术品。这为人类提供了一个典范，将他们天赋的才能结合起来，创造一个更美好的世界。
音乐是上天给人类最伟大的礼物，音乐可以解放思想、振奋精神、传播友爱、并温暖人心；生日快乐，路德维希·凡·贝多芬！
Cold and snowy day. A cup of Caffè mocha at hand. Music from the radio, celebrating Beethoven’s 250th anniversary.
Beethoven offers something for every mood - soothing melodies for meditative moments and rousing rhythms to accompany exercise. Sometimes both styles exist within the same piece.
The "Moonlight" Sonata acquired its name after Beethoven's death from a critic who compared the soothing tones of its first movement to moonlight shimmering on Switzerland's Lake Lucerne. But by the end of the sonata's three movements, the music that could accompany contemplation of moonlight upon quiet waters changes quite dramatically. It is as if the meditator upon the shore has been startled by the emergence of a bear from the woods. The frenzied final movement could accompany an unexpected but quite necessary sprint up a moonlit path to safety.
Beethoven offers something for every person. His creative output is a legacy that is for not just his own time and place but for all the world and all time. Some of his melodies have become so well known that they seem eternal. The portentous opening notes of the Fifth Symphony and the glorious "Ode to Joy" finale of the Ninth Symphony are part of the common musical heritage of the whole world.
For a listener with little musical knowledge, it can be a supreme challenge to discern what instruments are contributing to the combined sound of an orchestral work. One of the joys of attending a symphony concert, particularly during the performance of a familiar work, is observing when musicians in different sections of the orchestra play.
It is fun to try to isolate the music originating from a single instrument while most of the orchestra is playing. Those with musical training understand how the various instruments blend to produce the symphonic sound that we hear. It is the creative genius who hears an original sound in his head and knows how to combine the instruments of an orchestra to produce that sound.
Beethoven was such a master. His works were of such originality that even his most talented successors, great composers such as Brahms, Mendelssohn, and Mahler felt intimidated trying to follow Beethoven's act.
Attending a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is a fascinating experience because of the familiarity of much of the music, the length of the piece, and the size of the orchestra required. The chorus that provides the work's name of the "Choral" symphony does not contribute to the performance until the fourth and final movement. For three-quarters of an hour they stand and wait for their opportunity to be heard. Not as conspicuous are the trombone players. Research indicates that this symphony utilizes three trombones that lend their sound during the second and fourth movements. From my vantage point, I noticed only one lonely trombone player - and I did not see him lift his instrument until the final movement of the symphony. This indicates the specificity of the sound that Beethoven wanted. He knew the contribution that the trombones could make and he knew when he wanted it.
One of the expressed themes of the "Ode to Joy" finale of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is that joy brings people together. The music has often been used to express the brotherhood of mankind. The music itself is an example of that very theme. Its joyful sound has become a theme that is familiar the world over. No two people can be complete strangers when they have such a cultural touchstone in common.
What is less well remembered about the theme of the "Ode to Joy" is that this union of all peoples takes place under the watchful eye of a loving God:
Seid umschlungen, Millionen!
Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt!
Brüder, über'm Sternenzelt
Muß ein lieber Vater wohnen.
Ihr stürzt nieder, Millionen?
Ahnest du den Schöpfer, Welt?
Such' ihn über'm Sternenzelt!
Über Sternen muß er wohnen.
Be embraced, you millions!
This kiss is for the whole world!
Brothers, above the canopy of stars
must dwell a loving father.
Do you bow down before Him, you millions?
Do you sense your Creator, O world?
Seek Him above the canopy of stars!
He must dwell beyond the stars.
Beethoven, with his God-like musical talent and omniscience, weighs the contributions of various components of the orchestra, along with the chorus, and combines them into an eternal work of art. This provides a model for humankind to combine their God-given talents to create a better world.
Music is the greatest gift God has given to mankind. Music can free your mind, lift your spirit, spread your love and warm your heart. Happy Birthday, Ludwig van Beethoven！
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