I have grown crustily unmelodical as the years go by, a
symptom alluded to here:
But I still enjoy a bit of chamber music now and then,
especially on the weekends. Last
weekend, indeed, on the local classical station, was “Back to the Baroque”; and
now, so WETA informs us, we are in the “Beethoven’s Birthday Weekend”.
One hopes, for the sake of his parturient mother, that he
did not take an entire weekend to be born; but in any event, one suspects the sort of chronological
latitudinarianism enshrined in the Monday Holidays Bill (as wise a piece of
legislation as our solons ever
crafted). Thus, when, on the
holiday Monday, we say it is “Washington’s Birthday”, we are usually
expressing, not a truth, but a truthitude. And likewise, for radio stations that favor “themed”
weekends, whichever one is closest to the actual historical date, is good
enough.
Now curious, though, I checked to see what was his literal
birthday: it turns out, nobody
knows! What we know is his baptismal date. Now, my own baptismal date
happened over forty years after I was born; but apparently the folks over at WETA assume that the little
crumb-snatcher had been with us about a week before he was shipped off to the
church to be holy-water-boarded.
Fair enough.
Indeed, upon further reflection, we have to say, that back
in Beethoven’s day, they truly had their priorities straight, recording the Taufe rather than the Geburtstag. It is cosmically more momentous, being reborn in Christ,
than simply plopping out onto the receiving-blanket, and enjoying your first
poop.
Anyhow, by all means, enjoy the Big B, at this time or at
any other. And as our own
contribution to the festivities, we point you to an essay that tells you
literally all you need to know about one of composer’s lesser-known works -- an
account that adheres to the highest standards of truthitude:
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