About the Story
Like a Rock Star
Life gets crazy for 10-year-old Christoph when none other than Ludwig van Beethoven (pronounced LOOD-vig VAHN BAY-toh-ven) moves in to his house. The composer (writer of music) makes lots of noise, scatters papers everywhere, and acts angry. Christoph writes letters to his uncle looking for help. But as time passes, he begins to see Mr. Beethoven and his music differently.
Beethoven once said, “There are and there will be thousands of princes. There is only one Beethoven.” Beethoven might not be someone you would think of as a rock star, but in his time, he was. Just like today’s stars, he became famous for breaking rules and trying new things—like adding new instruments, increasing the size of the orchestra, and creating music that “painted” pictures of nature. People listened, liked it, and wanted more.
About the Performance
Greatest Hits
The performance includes two actors telling the story and a lot of Beethoven’s music performed by the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO). The story is fiction—that means it’s made up—but it includes very real facts about the very real Beethoven.
Starting Small, Thinking Big Beethoven was born in a small city (Bonn) in Germany in 1770. He started playing the piano when he was very small—so small he had to stand on a bench to reach the keys. He gave his first public piano performance when he was only 10 years old. At age 11, he quit school to study music full-time. Later, Beethoven moved to Vienna, Austria, to study and live. He went on to become one of the greatest composers of all time.
Beethoven’s Challenge The story takes place from 1822 to 1825 in Vienna, Austria — t hat’s about 4,500 miles from your seat in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.
When he was only 27 years old, Beethoven noticed he could no longer hear high notes (like the sounds of birds singing). Over the next 20 years, Beethoven slowly became completely deaf, meaning he could not hear any sounds. No one knows what caused Beethoven’s deafness. During the performance, learn what Beethoven did to his piano so he could “hear” his music.
Beethoven wrote all kinds of music, but he became most well-known for the long works called symphonies (SIM-fuh-neez) that he wrote for orchestras. His Fifth Symphony includes one of the most famous openings of all time. See whether you recognize the “da-da-da-DUM” when you hear it. During the performance, you’ll also hear parts of his famous Ninth Symphony (including “Ode to Joy”), plus Moonlight Sonata, Für Elise, and many other works.
Listen foicrth…at you
us thoven’s m s, or ny of Bee a TV, concert , s ie v o m om recognize fr tones ng ri e rm cell phon ater or a sto w e k li , re tu of na ) n sounds loved nature o (Beeth ven story, elp tell the h t a th ts c effe n sound bells u h like c rch
n
Photo © Classical Kids Live; Classical Kids LIVE! performance of Beethoven Lives Upstairs with the Cleveland Orchestra. Actor pictured: Natalie Berg
At first Christoph (shown here) is upset by the “madman” upstairs. But he soon learns a few lessons about what happens when you get to know someone — especially Beethoven.