BEETHOVEN
Beethoven’s music is both stirring and powerful. It is difficult to conceive that this German musical titan had any space in his life for a personal God. Yet he did. Beethoven was a sincere believer.
Beethoven openly expressed gratitude to the Creator for his musical success. He wrote in a letter: "At the moment, the competition to secure my works is very keen. And for this I am very grateful to the Almighty" (Marek, 1969, 557).
The period from about the winter of 1818 to the spring of 1824 is the period when Beethoven focused on the spiritual side of life. During this time he composed his "Ninth Symphony" and his "Missa Solemnis."
In the "Ninth" he points the way toward a philosophy of daily and communal life, while in the "Missa Solemnis" he seeks to probe, "The undiscovered country" and occupies himself with the questions which each man asks in solitude. In the "Ninth" we hear the Creator who dwells above the stars, and in the "Missa" we hear the wars through which Beethoven had suffered.
(Ibid, 545)Beethoven remained faithful to his Lord, until the end of his life. "As the business of the will had been settled... there remained for us one ardent wish, to get him reconciled to Heaven, in order that the world might be shown that he ended his life as a true Christian" (Kalischer, 1926, 391).
Beethoven was without doubt a musical genius, yet he did reflect upon and glorify God for His greatness, for he knew he was only "a part of the universe," and that God alone was "The Greatest" (London, 1970, 278).
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