For the exhibition Beethoven. Welt. Bürger. Musik, currently on view at the Kunsthalle in Bonn, Klassiek Centraal no longer needs to do any publicity. That has already been done sufficiently. Our unanimous advice remains unchanged: go see it! This exhibition is not only a must for Beethoven enthusiasts, but also for every true music lover.
By the way, the exhibition catalog is also in a class of its own. Rarely have I seen a catalog that provides such a complete picture of an exhibition, unless it was the catalog of Music and Painting in the Golden Age, an exhibition held in 1994 at the Hessenhuis Museum in Antwerp. That was also such a book that transcended the exhibition through its extensive documentation and beautiful execution. I remember going to that exhibition just to buy the catalog.
This catalog falls into the same category and therefore deserves extra attention. Like every good catalog, you can use it as a reference work to revisit the exhibition at home. All the paintings, documents and objects on display are depicted in it. Well, almost all of them: I searched in vain for an image of that magnificent double bassoon by Viennese bassoon maker Koch, but that's probably not something the average visitor will worry about.
The curators of Beethoven. Welt. Bürger. Musik. Agnieszka Lułinska and Julia Ronge have chosen to expose the traditional image of Beethoven. Instead of opting for the usual overview of Beethoven perception, they boldly reach for the feather duster, for modernization.
They present the composer as an artist who is inextricably linked to the living world and the socio-historical conditions of his time.
Away with the myth of Beethoven as a revolutionary, as a Titan or as a struggling and tormented genius!
Beethoven as pure as possible
We see Beethoven as a human being with feelings and needs, with his good but also less pleasant sides. As a professional musician who occasionally had to be shamelessly opportunistic, simply to make a living, connected by a fine network with his contemporaries. A network that enabled him to get so far and ultimately transcend all the musical boundaries in effect. Everything placed in the historical context of the continuous wars, the politically extremely unstable times. The negative influence of the French Revolution in Bonn. The economic crisis, the peace of 1814/1815. The horrors of war that were also visible in Vienna. All of this must have influenced Beethoven profoundly.
The added value of this catalog lies in the fact that Lułinska and Ronge used it to further deepen and reinforce their innovative vision of Beethoven. To do so, they invited a number of leading specialists, including our own Jan Caeyers, to write an essay on one of the facets of Beethoven's life, work and time.
Thus the catalog has simultaneously become a collection of scholarly essays.
In contrast to the usual three-part division of Beethoven's life, they distinguish five periods: Professional musician in the making, youth and education in Bonn; Vienna, new horizons; the road to success; fame and its price; limitless Beethoven. The titles speak for themselves.
Each period is approached from different angles. The reader thus gets a very thorough and complete picture of Beethoven's life, work and time. No aspect is left in the dark. Everything you might not yet know about Beethoven can be found here.
This is no longer an exhibition catalog in the classical sense of the word, but a beautifully illustrated and very comprehensive book about Beethoven, which supplements the already richly documented exhibition.
With its clear, understandable content, timelines, short clear and very readable essays, this is a jewel of a book. Beautifully designed as well.
The love for Beethoven shines from every page!
Anyone who has the opportunity to visit the exhibition is making a mistake if they don't buy this catalog. You're guaranteed to regret it! Don't let the price stop you: for thirty-five euros this is a bargain!
Of course, not everyone has the opportunity to travel to Bonn. For those unlucky souls, this catalog is an excellent opportunity to experience the exhibition at home and thoroughly immerse yourself in Beethoven's life, comfortably nestled in an armchair by the central heating, leafing through this very attractively designed book. The Germans call this schmökern.
Highly recommended!
- WHAT: Catalog Welt. Bürger. Musik.
- DESIGN: Studio Pandan, Berlin - 264 pages with approximately 282 color and 8 black and white illustrations, hardcover, 30.5 x 24.0 cm
- MUSEUM EDITION: € 35
- BOOKSTORE EDITION: published by Wienand, Köln for € 39.80
