| Schloss Wasserhof | |
|---|---|
 The building in 2017 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Gneixendorf |
| Country | Austria |
| Coordinates | 48°26′28.56″N15°37′20.53″E / 48.4412667°N 15.6223694°E |
Schloss Wasserhof is a privately owned building in Gneixendorf, near Krems an der Donau in Lower Austria. It is known particularly as the property in the early 19th century of Nikolaus Johann van Beethoven, brother of Ludwig van Beethoven; the composer stayed here at one time.
The earliest mention of the Gneixendorf estate is in 1141, when Otto von Machland , having no heirs, bequeathed the estate to Baumgartenberg Abbey . [1] The present building dates from around 1550. [2]
In 1819 Nikolaus Johann van Beethoven acquired the property. [2]
In autumn 1826, his brother Ludwig van Beethoven visited him. During his stay the composer wrote the finale to his String Quartet Op. 130, the last music he completed. It was a replacement, composed at the suggestion of his publisher, of the Große Fuge, the original finale. He began the piece in September, and sent the manuscript to his publisher on 22 November 1826; he left Gneixendorf soon afterwards. [3]
In recent years the building has been restored by the present owner, the architect Ernst Linsberger. [2]
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire and span the transition from the Classical period to the Romantic era in classical music. His early period, during which he forged his craft, is typically considered to have lasted until 1802. From 1802 to around 1812, his middle period showed an individual development from the styles of Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and is sometimes characterized as heroic. During this time, Beethoven began to grow increasingly deaf. In his late period, from 1812 to 1827, he extended his innovations in musical form and expression.
The term string quartet refers to either a type of musical composition or a group of four people who play them. Many composers from the mid-18th century onwards wrote string quartets. The associated musical ensemble consists of two violinists, a violist, and a cellist. The double bass is almost never used in the ensemble mainly because it would sound too loud and heavy.
In music, the opus number is the "work number" that is assigned to a musical composition, or to a set of compositions, to indicate the chronological order of the composer's publication of that work. Opus numbers are used to distinguish among compositions with similar titles; the word is abbreviated as "Op." for a single work, or "Opp." when referring to more than one work. Opus numbers do not necessarily indicate chronological order of composition. For example, posthumous publications of a composer's juvenilia are often numbered after other works, even though they may be some of the composer's first completed works.
This is a list of music-related events in 1802.
Ludwig van Beethoven's Bagatelles, Op. 126 for solo piano were published late in his career, in the year 1825. Beethoven dedicated them to his brother Nikolaus Johann van Beethoven (1776–1848), and wrote to his publisher, Schott Music, that the Opus 126 Bagatelles "are probably the best I've written".
Immortal Beloved is a 1994 biographical film written and directed by Bernard Rose and starring Gary Oldman, Jeroen Krabbé, Isabella Rossellini and Johanna ter Steege. The film narrates the life of composer Ludwig van Beethoven in flashbacks while it follows Beethoven's secretary and first biographer Anton Schindler's (Krabbé) quest to ascertain the true identity of the Unsterbliche Geliebte addressed in three letters found in the late composer's private papers. Schindler journeys throughout the Austrian Empire interviewing women who might be potential candidates, as well as through Beethoven's own tumultuous life.
The String Quartet No. 1 in F major, Op. 18, No. 1, was written by Ludwig van Beethoven between 1798 and 1800, published in 1801, dedicated to the Bohemian aristocrat Joseph Franz von Lobkowitz. It is actually the second string quartet that Beethoven composed.
The String Quartet No. 13 in B♭ major, Op. 130, by Ludwig van Beethoven was completed in November 1826. The number traditionally assigned to it is based on the order of its publication; it is actually Beethoven's 14th quartet in order of composition. It was premiered in March 1826 by the Schuppanzigh Quartet and dedicated to Nikolai Galitzin on its publication in 1827.
Ludwig van Beethoven's late string quartets are:
Ferdinand Ries was a German composer. Ries was a friend, pupil and secretary of Ludwig van Beethoven. He composed eight symphonies, a violin concerto, nine piano concertos, three operas, and numerous other works, including 26 string quartets. In 1838 he published a collection of reminiscences of his teacher Beethoven, co-written with Beethoven's friend, Franz Wegeler. Ries' symphonies, some chamber works—most of them with piano—his violin concerto and his piano concertos have been recorded, exhibiting a style which, given his connection to Beethoven, lies between the Classical and early Romantic styles.
The Grosse Fuge, Op. 133, is a single-movement composition for string quartet by Ludwig van Beethoven. An immense double fugue, it was universally condemned by contemporary music critics. A reviewer writing for the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung in 1826 described the fugue as "incomprehensible, like Chinese" and "a confusion of Babel". However, critical opinion of the work has risen steadily since the early 20th century and it is now considered among Beethoven's greatest achievements. Igor Stravinsky described it as "an absolutely contemporary piece of music that will be contemporary forever".
The three String Trios, Op. 9 were composed by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1797–98. He published them in Vienna in 1799, with a dedication to his patron Count Johann Georg von Browne (1767–1827). They were first performed by the violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh with two colleagues from his string quartet. According to the violinist and conductor Angus Watson, these were probably Franz Weiss on viola and either Nikolaus Kraft or his father Anton on cello. Each of the trios consists of four movements:
The Schuppanzigh Quartet was a string quartet formed in Vienna in the 1790s by the violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh. It continued, with breaks and changes of membership, for many years. Schuppanzigh was a close friend and admirer of Ludwig van Beethoven, and the quartet gave the first performances of many of Beethoven's string quartets.
Karl Holz was an Austrian violinist. He played second violin in Ignaz Schuppanzigh's string quartet and served as secretary to Ludwig van Beethoven during the last few years of the composer's life. He was also close with Franz Schubert.
Prince Nikolai Borisovich Galitzin (Russian: Николай Борисович Голицын, was a Russian aristocrat of the Galitzin family. He was a military historian, an amateur musician, and is known particularly for his commissioning three string quartets — opp. 127, 130 and 132 — from Ludwig van Beethoven, which are among the composer's group of late string quartets.
Nikolaus Johann van Beethoven was a brother of the composer Ludwig van Beethoven.
The Beethoven House (Beethoven-Haus) is a museum in the village of Gneixendorf near Krems an der Donau in Austria. It is a former residence of Ludwig van Beethoven and it is part of the cultural heritage of Austria.
