An Abundance of Caution

Born Glorious

    This year Ludwig van Beethoven would have been 250 years old.  Born in December, 1770, his actual birthday is not completely certain.  His date of baptism, December 17, is used as his date of birth.  He was a crucial figure in the transition between the classical and romantic eras in classical music and is considered one of the greatest composers of all time.  No greater example of this transition exists among his compositions than the Symphony Number 3 in E-flat major, composed in 1803 during his so-called Heiligenstadt Testament period and regarded as a turning point in musical history.  The "Eroica" raises fascinating issues: the personal circumstances of its genesis at a crucial juncture in Beethoven's life; its relationship to the political events of the day, specifically to Napoleon; and the ways in which audiences of his time first received what many found to be a "horribly long" and "most difficult" piece of music. 

       In 1801 Beethoven first began to divulge to close friends the deterioration in his hearing. The next summer, at the suggestion of his doctor, he moved to the suburb of Heiligenstadt to escape the heat and hassles of Vienna. It was there, in early fall 1802, that he penned the remarkable "Heiligenstadt Testament," addressed to his brothers, in which he poured out his heart about his rapidly progressing deafness.  He wrote: "O you men who think or say that I am hostile, peevish, or misanthropic, how greatly you wrong me. You do not know the secret cause that makes me seem so to you. From childhood on, my heart and soul were full of tender feelings of goodwill, and I was always inclined to accomplish great deeds. But just think, for six years now I have had an incurable condition, made worse by incompetent doctors, from year to year deceived with hopes of getting better, finally forced to face the prospect of a lasting infirmity..."  Out of this state of mind, at times suicidal, came the Eroica.  Originally dedicated to Napoleon Bonaparte, Beethoven withdrew the dedication when Bonaparte declared himself emperor in 1804, and the work was given the title it still carries today.  Often referred to as his heroic period, the years from 1803 to 1812 that gave us the Eroica were some of the most productive of the composer's life.

    You can celebrate this 250th year of Beethoven's birth and the Eroica with the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra's performance of the Symphony No. 3, Opus 55 on May 2, 2020.  Tickets here.   Click here.

One More Bug Thing

   In the wake of the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the Commonwealth, as of 3/13/2020, Governor Ralph Northam has closed all public schools, K-12, through March 27, 2020.  Since the Rockbridge Youth Chorale follows local and state school closings, rehearsals of the youth choruses will be suspended through March 30.   At that point, we will reassess our options as to whether to resume rehearsals or cancel the April 14 concert.  We will continue to closely follow the guidance of the Virginia Department of Health, www.vdh.virginia.gov, and keep parents informed through Lacey Lynch, artistic director for our youth choruses.  Lacey will be in direct contact with singers and parents/guardians as to the resumption of rehearsals.  So, for now our young singers will stay home, continue learning their music, practice their elbow bumping skills, and hope to perform as planned.    Watch this space for updates and if you have any questions feel free to contact Lacey via her email : thelynchcrew4@gmail.com.