If we are to believe the Beethoven mythology, which is based mostly on his letters and reports from his inner circle, Beethoven had an unshakeable sense of his own importance. Unlike Mozart and Haydn he refused to defer to nobility, asserting that a composer is of greater value, in the cosmic scheme of things, than a prince. (FULL ARTICLE: Allan Kozinn, The New York Times)
Art News
Don’t Scowl, Beethoven, You’re Loved
December 19, 2011