2020 Goldsmiths Shortlist - Mr Beethoven

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Home from work?

That is like so 2019.

[WndyJW]

Thank you for correcting me. A woman’s work is never done and now we have to do our housework and our paid work while keeping the children on task, make lunches and snacks, all while keeping the children quiet so our husbands can work in peace in their home office. At the end of our work day our demanding husbands want dinner on the table, then a highball and their newspaper and we women have to clean up the dishes while we try to keep the children away so he can relax.

Whenever would we read?

I hope it’s obvious that I am joking.

[John]

I'm so very much looking forward to reading Mr Beethoven. Have ordered it with my local library here in Brisbane Australia and they now have four copies on order. I'm number one on the reserve list so hopefully will turn up soon!

[WndyJW]

4 copies? That’s great. I’ve read a few chapters and it is really good, funny, warm, smart, and of course inventive.

I cannot wait until I can lose myself in that world and other challenging books. The last two weeks I can only handle Alice Hoffman, and Twitter. I might manage Dopamine City or Malarky (to prepare for Bina,) tonight.

[But_i_thought_]

This XXer is currently reading it! Review to follow. The book took a while to arrive in my country (South Africa).

[Paul Griffiths]

Good to know. Thank you. Let me repeat here what I wrote in another place, that I've been really touched and helped by the support of this group.

[Paul Griffiths]

Look, I keep saying "thank you," but maybe I can do something more concrete. Here's the deal, for anyone who's expressed support for "Mr. Beethoven" thus far. I'll send you a signed, personalized copy of the last novel of mine to be published, "let me tell you," at the price given by amazon.co.uk (nine pounds) or amazon.com (thirteen dollars forty-one). Postage on me. The amazon.co.uk page shows a whole chunk of the text. Of course, I'd need names and postal addresses, which maybe is against GR rules. You can email me at paul@disgwylfa.com. If you'd prefer a copy of "Mr. Beethoven," I could do that alternatively. Finally, here, free and for nothing, is a very short story of mine, based on a noh play: https://www.thewhitereview.org/fictio...

[Paul]

Is that the one with Ophelia 's story using only Ophelia's words? That sounds great - have mailed you

[Paul Griffiths]

It is indeed.

[WndyJW]

Wow, that’s so thoughtful! I just emailed you as well.

[WndyJW]

I couldn’t find your story with that link, Paul. What is the title?

[Neil]

Paul (Griffiths), here's a story that might amuse you. Other Paul here already knows, as will become apparent.

When I read Mr Beethoven, I got to the end and for some reason (probably my sticky fingers or something like that, although the book still looks pristine), two crucial pages got stuck together so I didn't see the Notes page. I didn't know at that stage about your Oulipian constraint, so I stared for ages at pages 292 onwards and could not make any sense of them. I ended up making a fool of myself by asking Paul & Gumble's Yard what was going on. Of course, they explained it immediately and it all made sense when I found the pages I'd managed to skip over.

[Paul Griffiths]

Ha! The Henninghams do that deliberately to one in ten books in order to spread a little confusion.

[Abby]

I see I can order a paperback on US Amazon but would prefer an ebook or even (oh no!) an audiobook. Will either format be released in US?

[Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer]

Neil wrote: "Paul (Griffiths), here's a story that might amuse you. Other Paul here already knows, as will become apparent.

When I read Mr Beethoven, I got to the end and for some reason (probably my sticky fi..."

It remains the only time I have explained a book I have not read (and did not own) to someone who has just read it!

[Paul Griffiths]

Hello, Abby. There will be a U.S. edition next year, from NYRB in October. I expect this will be available as an ebook right away. If you want a beautifully made book, though, you have to go for the HFP.

[Ang]

Paul wrote: "There will be a U.S. edition next year, from NYRB in October."

NYRB! Now that's impressive. I might have to get that edition too.

[WndyJW]

I talk too much; I sent Paul my address and explained that if it’s too much bother to ship to US I understand. He responded to my comment on his piece in The White Review, I replied and told him again that if it’s too much bother he can just send me an inscribed postcard, that I have postcards from Ben Myers, Niall Griffiths, and the cards from indie press publishers authors and translators. Then I got the email with PayPal instructions and the notice that we will each get our own Ophelian message so now I want the book! I had to send poor Paul a third message telling him to ignore the first two and send me a book.

[Paul]

I'm really looking forward to Let Me Tell You

I remember reading this wonderful interview with Paul and Scott Esposito (now Veronica Scott Esposito) on the novel:

https://lithub.com/writing-a-novel-li...

[Paul Griffiths]

Ang wrote: "Paul wrote: "There will be a U.S. edition next year, from NYRB in October."

NYRB! Now that's impressive. I might have to get that edition too."

I know. I'm pretty pleased about this. But the inside will be done from the HFP setting.

[Paul Griffiths]

WndyJW wrote: "I talk too much"

Please do not apologize. It's all fine.

[Paul Griffiths]

Paul wrote: "I'm really looking forward to Let Me Tell You."

Thank you. The Esposito interview is also available here - https://www.musicandliterature.org/is... - along with a couple of other things.

[WndyJW]

I wondered if you came across any of the evidence reported by the Guardian that Beethoven wasn’t completely deaf, that he retained at least a bit of hearing in his left ear, Paul G.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/202...

[Paul Griffiths]

WndyJW wrote: "I wondered if you came across any of the evidence reported by the Guardian that Beethoven wasn’t completely deaf, that he retained at least a bit of hearing in his left ear, Paul G.

https://www.t..."

Thanks for raising the point.
One of my tasks for 2020 was to review all the new Beethoven books for the TLS (the review should appear in the week before Christmas), and so I'm aware that Theodore Albrecht, of your very own state, is an extremely serious and thorough scholar. But note that he has Beethoven hearing something only until March 1826; we're talking about seven years later….
Also, it didn't matter to me in writing Mr. Beethoven™ whether Beethoven could hear a little or not at all. He'd been using a conversation book since 1820, so evidently had difficulty following speech, even up close, by then.
At first I had him receiving surgical attention such as I imagined might have been available in Boston but not in Vienna. The more I looked into this possibility, though, the less I found. And Beethoven's ailment could well have been as much in the brain as in the ear.
Then I was in Peru with my son Rupert and he told me about Martha's Vineyard. The rest is non-history.

[WndyJW]

I hope it’s true that Beethoven was able to hear a bit, although since he was certainly severely hearing impaired he probably couldn’t have heard all the high and low notes of his work anyway.

So, is it accepted among scholars that Beethoven retained some hearing until much later or is it still a theory?

[Paul Griffiths]

WndyJW wrote: "I hope it’s true that Beethoven was able to hear a bit"

I would trust Albrecht to have the best opinion on this. And I think we have Beethoven's own testimony that he lost the higher frequencies first, as I believe is common. Of course, his powers of imagining sound were not affected (possibly even heightened).

[WndyJW]

It is amazing to me that anyone could write music and hear the notes so clearly in his head that he could write corresponding music for other instruments to play at the same time and have it all create something so moving. Beethoven not only had to hear what the music would sound like on the strings, but how the music being played on horns at the same time would sound together! That is truly genius.
How many people had and have that ability? It can’t be many.

I finished Mr. Beethoven. 5 enthusiastic stars! I’ve not ordered Tilted Cup. I’m a fan.

[Paul Griffiths]

I think the skill is one all the great composers have had - certainly where the sound is clear and organized. Of course, it gets even more remarkable with the more varied instrumentation of music since Debussy

[WndyJW]

How many great composers have there been dozens, hundreds?

[Ang]

WndyJW wrote: "How many great composers have there been dozens, hundreds?"

So many that we'll never hear about. Talent is separate from reknown.

[Paul Griffiths]

Ang wrote: "So many that we'll never hear about. Talent is separate from reknown."

But I'd say there are probably about fifty everyone should have some acquaintance with - though you could spend your life quite happily only listening to Haydn, or Schubert, to name two super-achievers in terms of quantity as well as quality.

[Paul]

I'd be pretty miserable if I spent my life only listening to Haydn or Schubert - where's the death metal or the 사물놀이!

The standard definition of "great composers" (google's first response is this list - https://www.classical-music.com/featu...) seems to be very white, male, European/Americans playing a very particular niche of music, mostly from a relatively narrow era.

[Hugh, Active moderator]

How many great writers? In both cases there are a small number who are almost universally agreed but many more that some might argue a case for.

[WndyJW]

I plead innocent of ranking composers! I don’t know enough about them.

The ability to write symphonies, to compose for multiple instruments, each instrument having its own score, for them all to play together and having it be something like Beethoven’s ninth seems to me such a unique talent that I would be surprised if even a dozen people a generation could do it.
The composer is not writing a beautiful piece for the piano or for the cello, they are composing for piano and cello and other strings, and horns, and wind instruments and percussion, they have to know how each and every instrument sounds and how A minor on the piccolos coming in during the B flat on the cellos, will sound with the violins playing an F sharp and just when to throw in some big drums and so on. It blows my mind that even one person had that ability.

I’ve listened to classical music my whole, my parents took us to Albuquerque symphony when we lived there and Cleveland Orchestra, and played classical music in the house, but I’ve never studied it. I don’t have a favorite composer, but I’ve always been in awe of that talent.

[Paul]

I looked in vain for Kurt Cobain
On that list, he seemed to have been missed
To stop its time, as I can't think of anything else that will rhyme
Or scan either

Though for a bit of heavy metal combined with Korean traditonal music (what more could anyone want) I would strongly recommend 잠비나이 (Jambinai)

https://youtu.be/dEuSHgI-pk8?t=81

[Stephen]

Thanks Paul, Amongs other things, I'm a Mogwai fan and appreciating this.

[Paul]

Received my copy of 'let me tell you'

And the personalised dedication in Ophelia's own words is wonderful. Mine is - consistent with the thread below:

"What is that music you speak of?
(I know a little of Coldplay)"

[Paul Griffiths]

Paul wrote: "Received my copy of 'let me tell you'

Glad to know you have it. Thanks.

[Paul]

MR. BEETHOVEN
LIVESTREAM WEBINAR
Thursday, January 20, 2022
12:00 Noon ET – 1:00 PM ET

Join us for a livestream webinar conversation about the acclaimed Mr. Beethoven, Paul Griffiths' new historical fiction novel which "finishes" the story of Beethoven's unfulfilled commission request from the Handel and Haydn Society in 1823. Imagine a world where Beethoven wrote a work for H+H and traveled to Boston to oversee the premiere!

Join our livestream webinar panelists:

Paul Griffiths, the author of Mr. Beethoven
Michael Patrick Brady, webinar moderator, and literary critic for The Boston Globe who recently reviewed Mr. Beethoven (read the review here)
David Snead, President and CEO, Handel and Haydn Society
Dr. Teresa Neff, H+H Historically Informed Performance Fellow
Don't miss this exciting opportunity to ask your questions directly in the livestream chat during the webinar. The webinar is free, but you must register in advance for the link.

https://handelandhaydn.org/mr-beethoven/

H/T Alan Teder

[WndyJW]

Thanks, Paul! This sounds very interesting.