What must be?: A poll on the topic of our old friend, Ludwig Van
So, I must confess that there are string quartets out there that bore me to tears. However, as I type this, I'm listening to Beethoven's string quartet No. 16 in F, Opus 135, and it does not bore me to tears. It's too much fun.
And now, stand back, because I'm going to tell you why. :o)
At the top of the score of the last movement of this quartet, Beethoven wrote the words "The Difficult Decision" (except he wrote them in German). Then, he wrote the words, "Muß es sein?" ("Must it be?"). The cello and viola open the movement with three notes that seem to be asking that question: "Must it be?" As the movement continues, you can hear the violins and the cello/viola repeating the question, sometimes passing it back and forth to each other. All the instruments sound very worried about it, very full of angst.
Then, a bit later on, right where the piece jumps back into happy, cheerful F major, Beethoven seems to have made his decision, for he wrote the words "Es muß sein!" into the score. ("It must be!") The whole sound of the movement changes, and you can hear the two violins answering, yes, "It must be! It must be!" Yay!
If you listen to it here on youtube, you'll hear the "Must it be?" at the very beginning, and then listen for "It must be! It must be!" at 1:52 exactly.
This was the last string quartet Beethoven ever wrote -- in fact, I believe it's the last composition of any kind he ever completed, though if I'm wrong about that, please correct me -- and he died before he ever got to see it performed. I wish he could go to a performance today, his hearing restored, and hear what a beautiful thing he did. The first three movements are also wonderful, of course. I'm particularly partial to the second (I tend to like fast movements, and this is one of the most fun ever). Here are one, two, and three by the same performers, the Hagen Quartet. (What I like about whoever filmed this performance is that you can really see the way Beethoven has all the instruments talking to each other.)
The funny thing is that no one knows what Beethoven was talking about with all that "Must it be? It must be!" stuff. What did he insist so passionately must be? Angst? Suffering? Unicorns? Beef and barley soup for dinner? What must be?
No, really, I'm asking you. In your opinion, what, in life, must be? (If you're reading this post somewhere other than my actual site and don't see the full poll below, please click here.)
Finally, a friendly reminder that I don't see comments posted in LiveJournal, on Amazon, or anywhere other than my blogspot.
And extra points today if you recognize what movie I'm referencing in my post title :o)
Comments
Thanks for your funny entries!!
I discovered you, your hilarious bio and your book last week ^*^
Tomorrow I'll start Graceling. When I eat the novel, I'll tell you!
Good night and kisses!
PD: Here at Spain it is 5:18 a.m xDD
PD: You can see my englisth is not so perfect, sorry ^//^
See you!
~rustmoon, via LJ.
So, I must add how impressed I am that you are so knowledgeable about music. You must play an instrument of some sort. What is it? I LOVE music of all kinds and always wanted to learn the piano when I was little but never did. So sad.
PS I love A Clockwork Orange. My best friend and I watched that movie when we were probably 14 or 15 under some crazy circumstances. Oddly enough, my mom is the one who recommended it to us. Whenever anything is drilled into us to the point we just cant stand it anymore we use the reference "to be clockwork oranged".
The meaning of "The Difficult Decision" is tricky. The music behind the question has a sense of dread, almost as if the person asking doesn't want to know the answer. But when the answer comes, it's a positive affirmation. Yes, it must be, and that's a good thing. What would you dread coming, but celebrate arriving?
The thought that comes to mind is that the Brahms Requiem is also in F major. It's possible that "it" is death, with the Lutheran understanding of death as a release from the suffering of life.
Videos of music have a major advantage over audio recordings because you can see the interactions between the players. You can clearly see the members of the quartet reacting to and playing off of each other, which goes a long way toward making the music easy to follow.
Perhaps what must be is an indescribable form of happiness or life or love?
Great things, inventions, ideas, all come from agony. Greatness comes only after suffering. I don't think anyone has ever created something beautiful without suffering through pain first. That's where it all comes from because you wouldn't see some beautiful work of art dealing with happiness, you need conflict and tragedy.
It's something you always put off, but then feel better after going.
Hahaha. :D A little less serious than all the other comments, but it applies!
I love the way the players move when they play. I used to think it was weird, but now I do it too. (Oh no, I'm becoming a musician..)
To me this song sounds like an on again off again romance. Like young, fickle lovers. Who knows. For some reason that is the visual I get when listening...
Thank you mrmorse for the words of encouragment! My husband bought me a keyboard for xmas about 2 years ago so I could try to learn some of the basics, but then "borrowed" it for his band and I havent seen it since! Hmph! :)
I think the answer is love. What must be? The difficult decision? To love something, someone, somewhere unselfishly and expecting nothing in return but hoping for it nonetheless.
I voted a brass quintet! :-D
I agree with tinkandalissa - you must play something to know so much or love someone who does.
Who else here plays an instrument?
Alba, your English is great, and I'm thrilled to hear from someone in Spain!
rustmoon gets the points! :o)
Alissa, I studied piano for 9 years when I was a kid. But the reason I know about the Beethoven piece is that I took a class on Beethoven in college -- and then went to concert a couple of weeks ago where it was played, reminding me of what I'd learned! I vaguely remember that the whole "Must it be?" thing makes an appearance in Milan Kundera's gorgeous book The Unbearable Lightness of Being, too, though I haven't read that for 10 years.
Kelly, living in Florida, I dread spring (because really what spring means here is the beginning of the unbearable 7-month-long summer) -- but next winter, after my move, I'll definitely be thinking that spring must be! :o)
Charly and Angie, lest you think everyone is very solemn on the question of what must be, imo, in my life right now, what must be in about *checks watch* 12 minutes is How I Met Your Mother and a chocolate chocolate-chip cranberry cookie. And I voted for strawberry shortcake -- but could have easily voted for a brass quintet. (Or a pastrami sandwich! Dammit, where's a pastrami sandwich when you need one?)
its himself.
beethovan, that is.
remember, he became crazy (and died) of lead poizoning.
i think.
that was interesting.
Only when the musicians have fully lived the music and the piece bursts into life can those listening or watching get something from it. When performed like this, each member of the audience should be able to find their own lives woven into the melodies.
Secret Violist
For the record, I voted for strawberry shortcake. But you know how I feel about food... You can't get more seasonal, delicious, and pure than strawberries. It's like you whittle life down to its basic beauty and you have...a single red strawberry. Add cream and shortcake? Bonus! 8-)
Angie suggested love. Given Beethoven's difficulty with his love life, that also strikes me as a plausible answer, particularly if it is taken as unrequited love. The question could contain the resentment that love is not reciprocated, but the answer could be that the act of loving is its own reward, even if the recipient is indifferent or even hostile.
Pastrami was a close second except I don't like pepper so I would have preferred a good corned beef on rye. But I think strawberry shortcake would still have won.
Of course, I'd also say "love" must be. Whether it is love for strawberries, or love for a cute 2 1/2 year old, or love for the smell of rain or of wrinkles in time.... take your pick... it must be. But it wasn't an option so I'm sticking with my shortcake. Damn, now I'm hungry.
When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me,
speaking words of wisdom, it must be.
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me,
speaking words of wisdom, it must be.
it must be, it must be, it must be, it must be.
Whisper words of wisdom, it must be.
Dac, aka Apocalyptica, no one is more delighted and astonished than I am to see flying squirrels pulling away from the pack! Of course, *I* knew that flying squirrels must be, but I didn't realize that it was so obvious to the rest of the world! (Please give my regards to Best Friend.)
I think things have gotten to the point in the comments that I actually need to go *find* some strawberry shortcake, or at least some strawberries. Or cheesecake. Or, mmm, corned beef.... :o)
Oh delectable, piquant, lusciously sinky CHEESE, the sort that makes your mouth water and causes your jaw to clench slightly where your tongue is attached!!!! Ahh cheese...
PS I've totally got some Apocalyptica songs on my iPod.
It must be.
Olivia