Van Beethoven's Greatness...

1. VAN BEETHOVEN:
THE GREAT HUMAN HEART.

2. B e e t h ove n’s a r t fe at u r e s d e s i g n , ch a r m ,
wit, pathos, and expressivity; but what is
t h e r e a l e s s e n c e o f i t s g r e a t n e s s ?

3. The greatness of Beethoven’s ar t is in its
c o n t i n u o u s r e v e l a t i o n o f n o b l e v i r t u e s
o f t h e h u m a n c o n d i t i o n .

4. From his earliest work (late-18th C), to his latest work (c. mid-19th C),
Van Beethoven’s muse and ethos continuously unfolded themes
of noble stoicism and depths of understanding in tandem
w i t h u n s u r p a s s e d p u r i t y o f t e c h n i c a l e x p r e s s i o n .

5. Though Beethoven
suffered terribly
the torments of
physical illness and
p a i n c o m b i n e d
w i t h t h e
l o n e l i n e s s o f
social isolation,
his faith in noble
q u a l i t i e s o f
h u m a n i t y
r e m a i n e d
u n d i m i n i s h e d .

6. F r o m b e g i n n i n g t o e n d , d e s p i t e
d i f f i c u l t i e s o f t h e h u m a n c o n d i t i o n ,
B eet hoven’s a r t expr ess es qu al i ti es of
u n d e r s t a n d i n g , r e s i g n a t i o n , v a l o r ,
s a n i t y a n d f a i t h f u l n e s s
o f a n e l e v a t e d h u m a n s o u l .

7. T h e e f f e c t o f
B e e t h o v e n ’ s
u n d e r s t a n d i n g
e n g e n d e r s
solace and hope.

8. © Tully Atkinson, 2019