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| The Rotterdam Phil giving it laldie in their bedrooms |
It reminded FB that today is the 193rd anniversary of the death of Ludwig van Beethoven. Beethoven is already getting a lot of air time this year, it being the 250th anniversary of his birth. That is quite alright with Fantasy Bob who can never ever have too much Beethoven.
Longstanding, not say long suffering, readers might pause here. They might think, 'Is this the FB who has wittered endlessly about Gustav Mahler, and the mysteries of his bowling action, and who apparently would always ask Richard Wagner to open the bowling? How can this be?'
FB is sorry for any confusion. Beethoven has always been his first love ever since at the age of 12 he was taken to a schools concert by the Scottish National Orchestra, as it then was, in the Music Hall Aberdeen and heard parts of the Pastoral Symphony. This was a transcendental, transformative experience not unlike his first fully powered cover drive. Both experiences live with him still. He can repeat the Pastoral Symphony any time, but that cover drive is increasingly elusive if not unrepeatable.
Now Beethoven's sad demise is hugely significant for cricketers, who might think otherwise that the year 1827 was notable only for the first University match being played at Lords that summer. It is true that Beethoven was no cricketer. But his music is wholly about and inspired by his intuitive understanding of the game. Readers may be sceptical, but FB will illustrate with some examples from the better known works.
As a batsman LVB shows the soft hands necessary when playing forward on a dodgy surface in the opening movement to the Moonlight Sonata. Any edge will never carry to slip. He rocks onto the back foot to slam the ball backward of point in the coda to the Egmont Overture (which also invented rock and roll - go to 9.01). He imperiously slots the ball between cover and extra cover in the opening to the Archduke Trio. He pulls viciously to the boundary in the finale to the Emperor Piano Concerto. Nor is he limited to the conventional coaching manual - he ramps in the slow movement of the Piano Sonata Op111 (and he was unafraid of Nelson) - a movement which is as near jazz as it can get - go to 4.45 for the boogie-woogie section.
And when he takes the ball, his change of pace in the coda (9.20) to the finale of the Waldstein Sonata will have any batsman playing at thin air. He shows his mastery of flight in the Cavatina from String Quartet Op130 (reputedly the only piece that reduced him to tears as he wrote it - a vision of heaven from afar he said). But express pace was also his weapon - as in the scherzo from the Eroica Symphony. Make the batsman jump.
Who can doubt what cricket meant to him. His final symphony said it all - an expression of the brotherhood across the world that cricketers feel. Every time they take the field is an occasion for an Ode to Joy.
Longstanding, not say long suffering, readers might pause here. They might think, 'Is this the FB who has wittered endlessly about Gustav Mahler, and the mysteries of his bowling action, and who apparently would always ask Richard Wagner to open the bowling? How can this be?'
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| Ludwig van - he's the man |
Now Beethoven's sad demise is hugely significant for cricketers, who might think otherwise that the year 1827 was notable only for the first University match being played at Lords that summer. It is true that Beethoven was no cricketer. But his music is wholly about and inspired by his intuitive understanding of the game. Readers may be sceptical, but FB will illustrate with some examples from the better known works.
As a batsman LVB shows the soft hands necessary when playing forward on a dodgy surface in the opening movement to the Moonlight Sonata. Any edge will never carry to slip. He rocks onto the back foot to slam the ball backward of point in the coda to the Egmont Overture (which also invented rock and roll - go to 9.01). He imperiously slots the ball between cover and extra cover in the opening to the Archduke Trio. He pulls viciously to the boundary in the finale to the Emperor Piano Concerto. Nor is he limited to the conventional coaching manual - he ramps in the slow movement of the Piano Sonata Op111 (and he was unafraid of Nelson) - a movement which is as near jazz as it can get - go to 4.45 for the boogie-woogie section.
And when he takes the ball, his change of pace in the coda (9.20) to the finale of the Waldstein Sonata will have any batsman playing at thin air. He shows his mastery of flight in the Cavatina from String Quartet Op130 (reputedly the only piece that reduced him to tears as he wrote it - a vision of heaven from afar he said). But express pace was also his weapon - as in the scherzo from the Eroica Symphony. Make the batsman jump.
Who can doubt what cricket meant to him. His final symphony said it all - an expression of the brotherhood across the world that cricketers feel. Every time they take the field is an occasion for an Ode to Joy.
Thy magic binds again
What custom strictly divided;
All people become brothers,
Where thy gentle wing abides.
Which takes FB back to where he started.
PS - FB apologizes for the ads at the start of some of the links. Modern living. He hopes you enjoy the music.
PPS - readers may safely deduce that Alfred Brendel is FB's favourite pianist.
To misquote Alex in A Clockwork Orange, there's nothing quite like a bit of Ludwig Van
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