Trivia / Ludwig van Beethoven

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• Creator Backlash:
  • Beethoven is said to have been exasperated with the success of Moonlight Sonata, saying "Surely I've written better things". He would not be pleased to learn that it remains among his most popular pieces to this day.
  • Beethoven hated that his Septet overshadowed his First Symphony, which premiered the same night. To his further chagrin, it became one of his most popular pieces, with ensembles all across Europe performing it (violinists loved it because it showed off their skills) and it cast a long shadow over his career. Beethoven made no secret of his wish to burn every copy and passionately turned down a commission later in life to compose another piece in a similar vein. He would be pleased to know that the Septet has, over the years, become one of his more obscure pieces.
  • Wellington's Victory became a source of shame for Beethoven as well, though at first he defended it from its critics, telling one "What I shit is better than anything you could ever write!" Over time though, he grew to share their distaste for it, agreeing that it was a case of style over substance. Still, because it was a battle piece, Wellington's Victory became extremely popular, practically resolving Beethoven's financial woes overnight, but he still hated that it was performed as often as it was.
  • On the flip side, he was quite fond of the Grosse Fugue finale to his String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat major, op. 130, but his audience was less enamored by it. When he heard that they had applauded the Presto and Alla danza tedesca at the premier instead, to the point where they had to be encored, he reportedly snapped, "Yes, these delicacies! Why not the Fugue?" and then called the listeners a bunch of "Cattle!" and "Asses!"
• Money, Dear Boy: The notorious Wellington's Victory was hardly his greatest work, but Beethoven took the commission knowing the martial theme would be a popular hit and help pay the bills.
• What Could Have Been: Beethoven did some work on a Symphony No. 10 in C minor, sketching some main themes and even drafting the first movement, but he never completed it. Several amateur composers stepped up to the challenge, completing a 10th symphony based on Beethoven's drafts, each version as unique as the different characters of their creators.
  • Barry Cooper composed a movement based on Beethoven's first movement draft.
  • Hideaki Shichida built an entire symphony from core motifs found in Beethoven's sketches.
  • Gerd Prengal completed a symphony in a similar manner, though he took more liberties by adding more of his own voice into the work.
  • Szabolcs Millye integrates the ideas of every composer before him.
  • Even AI got in on the action, composing a scherzo and rondo.

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