The deaf composer who couldn't hear his own masterpiece's premiere
In short: Watch how music educator Rick Beato explores the dramatic 1824 debut of Beethoven's 9th Symphony, a performance defined by a composer who could not hear the music he created.
On May 7, 1824, Ludwig van Beethoven premiered his Ninth Symphony at Vienna’s Theater am Kärntnertor. Despite having almost completely lost his hearing by 1814, Beethoven remained a prolific composer, eventually creating a work that required his largest orchestra to date and featured the unusual addition of human voices.
During the debut, Beethoven stood on stage and appeared to conduct, though the musicians were instructed to follow the actual conductor, Michael Umlauf, because of Beethoven's deafness. He was several bars out of sync by the end. Because he could not hear the audience, singer Caroline Unger had to turn him around to face the five standing ovations.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Greatest concert in history: Beethoven's 9th Symphony | Rick Beato and Lex Fridman
- Also: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 debuts | May 7, 1824 | HISTORY
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