 | Godowsky plays Beethoven Sonata opus 81a (1/2) Part I Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): Piano Sonata no. 26 opus 81a, "Les Adieux" (Sonate caractéristique: Les Adieux, l'absence et le retour) I Das Lebewohl (Les adieux) Adagio - allegro Leopold Godowsky (1870-1938), piano Recorded in 1929. Composition 1809 - 1810 Rudolph Erzherzog von Österreich gewidmet Beethoven composed the piano sonata op. 81a under the influence of the Napoleonic wars. On April 1st, 1809 Austria declared war on France. At the end of the month, French troops crossed the Austrian border and marched towards Vienna. On May 4th, the imperial family, among them Archduke Rudolph, Beethoven's student, patron and friend, decided to leave Vienna and flee to Hungary. Seven days later on May11th, the French bombed Vienna and Beethoven allegedly spent the night with pillows over his ears in the basement, wailing and complaining as the roar of the cannons hurt his already impaired hearing. The following morning, French troops conquered Austria's capital. In October 1809 the war parties signed the peace treaty of Schönbrunn but Archduke Rudolph did not return until January 30th, 1810. On the occasion of his most important patron's departure (Rudolph was a good piano player himself) Beethoven composed a piano sonata. The autograph of the first movement of the sonata bears the following inscription: "The Farewell / Vienna, May 4th, 1809 /on the departure of His Imperial Highness, the revered Archduke Rudolph." It may be possible that Beethoven had started the composition already in April and not on Rudolph's departure day. The other movements, "Abwesenheit" (absence) and "Wiedersehen" (return) were definitely written after September 1809. Beethoven called op. 81a "characteristic sonata", referring to it not so much as programme music but more as an expression of a, namely his state of mind and feelings with musical means. However, Beethoven always called the sonata itself "The Farewell, absence and return" and was quite enraged when he realised that the publisher of the original also printed the title in French. "I have just received the Farewell etc. and must notice that there are other copies with a French title, why so? Farewell is quite different from "les adieux", said only to one with the warmest affection, the other to a whole gathering, whole towns" (BGA 523). No other person did Beethoven dedicate so many works to than Archduke Rudolph. The musical description of his feelings during Rudolph's absence was certainly the most beautiful and intimate way for Beethoven to express his friendship with the Archduke. Source: http://www.beethoven-haus-bonn.de/sixcms/detail.php//portal_en |
 | Godowsky plays Beethoven Sonata opus 81a (2/2) Part II Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827): Piano Sonata no. 26 opus 81a, "Les Adieux" (Sonate caractéristique: Les Adieux, l'absence et le retour) II Abwesentheid (L'absence) Andante espressivo III Das Wiedersehn (Le retour) Vivacissisamente Leopold Godowsky (1870-1938), piano Recorded in 1929. Composition 1809 - 1810 Rudolph Erzherzog von Österreich gewidmet Beethoven composed the piano sonata op. 81a under the influence of the Napoleonic wars. On April 1st, 1809 Austria declared war on France. At the end of the month, French troops crossed the Austrian border and marched towards Vienna. On May 4th, the imperial family, among them Archduke Rudolph, Beethoven's student, patron and friend, decided to leave Vienna and flee to Hungary. Seven days later on May11th, the French bombed Vienna and Beethoven allegedly spent the night with pillows over his ears in the basement, wailing and complaining as the roar of the cannons hurt his already impaired hearing. The following morning, French troops conquered Austria's capital. In October 1809 the war parties signed the peace treaty of Schönbrunn but Archduke Rudolph did not return until January 30th, 1810. On the occasion of his most important patron's departure (Rudolph was a good piano player himself) Beethoven composed a piano sonata. The autograph of the first movement of the sonata bears the following inscription: "The Farewell / Vienna, May 4th, 1809 /on the departure of His Imperial Highness, the revered Archduke Rudolph." It may be possible that Beethoven had started the composition already in April and not on Rudolph's departure day. The other movements, "Abwesenheit" (absence) and "Wiedersehen" (return) were definitely written after September 1809. Beethoven called op. 81a "characteristic sonata", referring to it not so much as programme music but more as an expression of a, namely his state of mind and feelings with musical means. However, Beethoven always called the sonata itself "The Farewell, absence and return" and was quite enraged when he realised that the publisher of the original also printed the title in French. "I have just received the Farewell etc. and must notice that there are other copies with a French title, why so? Farewell is quite different from "les adieux", said only to one with the warmest affection, the other to a whole gathering, whole towns" (BGA 523). No other person did Beethoven dedicate so many works to than Archduke Rudolph. The musical description of his feelings during Rudolph's absence was certainly the most beautiful and intimate way for Beethoven to express his friendship with the Archduke. Source: http://www.beethoven-haus-bonn.de/sixcms/detail.php//portal_en |
 | Empress Carlota of Mexico The Empress of Mexico Carlota was born as Princess Charlotte of Belgium june 7 1840 (Princess Marie Charlotte Amélie Augustine Victoire Clémentine Léopoldine of Belgium)only daughter of Leopold I, King of the Belgians. She married Archduke Maximilian of Austria in Brussel july 27 1857 17 years old.This marrige was not a arranged marrige the couple loved eacother very much.She become the Empress of Mexico in 1864 at the age of 24 and she become widow in 1867 because of the collaps of the Emperial Mexcio and her husband was executed. She went back to Europe as a devestaing person she had lost everything she had and she started to be mad. The Emperial of Austria did not understand her and locked her in their summer castle in Triest in Italia. She was locked in there untill 1918 for 51 years she was away she then arrived back to Laeken the Royal palace in Belgium where she lived the rest of her life. The King of Beligum annonced in 1927 that his Aunt the Empress of BElgium had died but infact she was moved to a Castle in the country side where she lived 2 more years untill she really died in 1929. Carlota never got any children and she testament her magnificent jewellery to diffrent family members in Europe. Today her jewellery are in Austria,Belgium,Norway and Sweden. |
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