Oh Beethoven...
On my way to swimming this morning, a familiar piece of music was playing on the radio. I hummed along, knowing each note and trying to retrieve a picture in my head. I felt sure I had played it, and yet it was a piano piece - and I don’t play the piano. As it reached the climax of a rather dramatic section I realised that I was listening to a transcription of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony and relaxed a little having solved the puzzle. I arrived before it finished, so missed out on the final coda and my favourite bit.
I didn’t think any more about it until lunchtime, when I mentioned to my Hero how “reduced” a piano transcription sounds and how much a grand, majestic piece of music such as Beethoven’s 5th loses in the process. He agreed, commenting that it was probably Liszt’s arrangement, which meant that it was completed by someone with considerable understanding of the piano as well. As we finished the washing up after lunch, I looked at the schedule from the programme this morning and checked the details of the last piece played. Sure enough, Beethoven’s 5th transcribed for piano by Franz Liszt.
(Sorry, no photos of Beethoven here, so I chose a photo of the flowers on the kitchen table right now)
Anyway, having got Beethoven’s 5th on my mind, I did the “Hey Google” trick and asked for it to be played on Spotify, realising too late that I hadn’t spoken the full details of the piece I wanted to hear. Both my Hero and I waited with some amusement to see what might come on the speaker.
Now, I don’t want to be disparaging about the Ohio State University Marching Band - New Era’s interpretation of the symphony, but this wasn’t exactly what I was expecting to hear.
My Hero headed downstairs and knew what I’d like him to do without needing to be asked. He sat at his computer, found the best orchestral version of Beethoven’s 5th and cranked up the Sonos to play it in the garden room, where I was sitting with my cup of tea and my latest jigsaw. I put the last pieces into this one yesterday and am at that rather dull, getting going stage of this one. Progress is slow but boosted by tea and the opening bars of Beethoven, I managed to complete the bowl of oranges.
And then the music stopped.
Like the old days, I wondered if it was time to turn over the record? Rewind the cassette? Find the second CD? I came down to the studio to find my Hero listening to something else altogether and when that finished, he switched to Beethoven’s 3rd Symphony.
You know, in some respects, it was so much easier when we just found the LP and put it on, wasn’t it?
