MUSIC AND WORSHIP

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
As we consider the spiritual lives of great composers, we come to Ludwig van Beethoven, considered by many the greatest composer who ever lived. He was a devoted admirer of Handel and his music and on his deathbed he claimed, “Handel is the greatest, cleverest composer. From him, I can still learn.” It is no wonder Beethoven felt a special kinship with his predecessor; both men continued their artistic endeavors in the face of great adversity. Handel struggled against an intermittent series of external misfortunes, however, while Beethoven’s conflict was internal.

From the time of his birth in 1770, Beethoven faced overwhelmingly difficult circumstances. His alcoholic father proved irresponsible and harsh, and his loving mother remained frail and sickly until her death at age 40. Beethoven’s talent for music presented itself when he was a young boy, yet his father was not successful at exploiting it in the same way as Mozart’s father.

When he was a young man, Beethoven moved to Vienna, the musical capital of Europe and began performing for the nobles who gathered there. His virtuosity at the piano made him extremely popular with the aristocracy, even when his crude manners left them aghast. Beethoven’s mannerisms and general appearance were notoriously rough and clumsy, yet he was not the least bit intimidated by his refined patrons. He made no attempt to impress them or change his uncultured ways.

Beethoven matured at a time when all of Europe was in an uproar. Revolution was in the air and all forms of establishment were being challenged. Napoleon was on the march, relentlessly conquering every nation in his path. At first, Beethoven admired the might of this new conqueror and planned to dedicate his third symphony to him. But when he learned that Napoleon had proclaimed himself Emperor, Beethoven flew into a rage and tore up the title page.

He had many devoted friends, yet Beethoven’s life was characterized by loneliness and misunderstanding. He remained a bachelor, though not by choice. He proposed to several different women all of whom admired his genius, but not his erratic personality. The defining tragedy of his life was his growing deafness.

As Beethoven’s deafness increased, he withdrew more and more into the work of composing and into his intimate and unorthodox relationship to God. On his deathbed, he reassured his brother of his “great readiness” to make peace with God. One of the last acts of his life was to receive communion.

Beethoven was born and baptized into a Roman Catholic family. His diaries, letters and conversation books (with which he communicated after he was deaf) contain dozens of devout references to God giving evidence of a personal relationship with God. He composed some of the most profound Christian masterpieces of history with his oratorio Christ on the Mount of Olives, and The Mass in C and his greatest sacred work, Missa Solemnis.
Dennis Bucher

LADIES LUNCH
Tuesday, October 26, 11:45 AM
Restaurant location TBA
Ladies, please notify Linda Manners by Sunday prior to the luncheon if you plan to attend.

BOOK EXCHANGE
New members, if you are not aware of our Book Exchange at the rear of the sanctuary, please stop by and browse. This is a mini-library of fiction, biographical and devotional books and Bible study aids. There are no due dates or overdue fines. If a book calls to you, just pick it up, then return it later when you have finished reading it. If you have read something you feel would be appropriate for our shelves and enjoyed by others, consider donating it to the Book Exchange.
Elaine Hardy


THE CHURCH ETERNAL
Bill Steen
September 23, 2010


“Shall we Enter a Float in the Port Orange Christmas Parade?”There has been some initial discussion of entering a float in the Christmas parade to give New Hope more recognition in the community. The theme this year is “What I Want for Christmas.” If you are interested in helping, either in securing a flatbed trailer, brainstorming ideas for decoration or in building the float, please let Dr. Mulkey know of your interest.