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Файл:Meet The Famous Composers. Part 1. Учебно-методическое пособие по английскому языку
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Ludwig van Beethoven
e death of Beethoven’s brother Caspar in 1815 sparked one of the great trials of his
life, apainful legal battle with his sister-in-law, Johanna, over the custody of Karl van
Beethoven, his nephew and her son. e struggle stretched on for seven years during
which both sides spewed ugly defamations at the other. In the end, Beethoven won the
boy’s custody, though hardly his aection.
Acclaimed Works and Death
Somehow, despite his tumultuous personal life, physical inrmity and complete
deafness, Beethoven composed his greatest music— perhaps the greatest music ever
composed— near the end of his life. His greatest late works include Missa Solemnis,
a mass that debuted in 1824 and is considered among his nest achievements, and
String Quartet No. 14, which contains seven linked movements played without abreak.
Beethoven’s Ninth and nal symphony, completed in 1824, remains the illustrious
composer’s most towering achievement. e symphony’s famous choral nale, with
four vocal soloists and achorus singing the words of Friedrich Schiller’s poem «Ode to
Joy,» is perhaps the most famous piece of music in history.
While connoisseurs delighted in the symphony’s contrapuntal and formal complexity,
the masses found inspiration in the anthem-like vigor of the choral nale and the
concluding invocation of «all humanity».
Beethoven died on March 26, 1827, at the age of 56. An autopsy revealed that the
immediate cause of death was post-hepatitic cirrhosis of the liver. e autopsy also
provided clues to the origins of his deafness. While his quick temper, chronic diarrhea
and deafness are consistent with arterial disease, acompeting theory traces Beethoven’s
deafness to contracting typhus in the summer of 1796.
Recently, scientists analyzing a remaining fragment of Beethoven’s skull noticed
high levels of lead and hypothesized lead poisoning as apotential cause of death, but
that theory has been largely discredited.
Ludwig van Beethoven is widely considered the greatest composer of all time. He is
the crucial transitional gure connecting the Classical and Romantic ages of Western
music. Beethoven’s body of musical compositions stands with Shakespeare’s plays at the
outer limits of human accomplishment.
And the fact Beethoven composed his most beautiful and extraordinary music
while deaf is an almost superhuman feat of creative genius, perhaps only paralleled in
the history of artistic achievement by John Milton writing Paradise Lost while blind.
Summing up his life and imminent death during his last days, Beethoven, who was
never as eloquent with words as he was with music, borrowed atag line that concluded
many Latin plays at the time. «Plaudite, amici, comoedia nita est,» he said. «Applaud
friends, the comedy is over».
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MEET THE FAMOUS COMPOSERS
Text 2
WHAT IF BEETHOVEN GAVE YOUR COMMENCEMENT
1
SPEECH?
Ludwig van Beethoven, Commencement Address, Salzburg
A& M(Art & Music)
I am honored to be with you today, although it might have
occurred to someone at A& Mto front me the money for the
trip from Vienna. Generally speaking, Idon’t do freebies, which
is the rst and best piece of advice I can give you. And for
heaven’s sake, don’t fall for that line the fat cats so love, «Ooh,
Herr Beethoven, you’re so lucky to be doing what you love. I’ll
bet you’d do it for free!» Bad bet, Kimosabe. Does anyone ever use that line on his
barber? Do you expect free stu from your wig maker, your gardener, from the cable
guy? No. Point in fact: you’re worth whatever you say you’re worth.
Anyway, I’m thrilled to be here. Personally, Inever graduated from college. Inever
even went to college. It wasn’t an option when Iwas growing up, although Ihave done
extensive course work at the school of hard knocks. You don’t actually graduate from
that school; you just survive and move on. So this is the closest I’ve ever come to areal
college graduation.
Today I’m going to tell you three stories from my life. at’s it: just three stories.
e rst story is about growing up hard.
My dad beat used to the crap out of me. Iwas something of a musical prodigy,
and my father — who was a singer, atenor — gured, whoa, here’s money-in-thebank waiting to happen. So he did everything he could to make me practice, including
physical abuse and sleep deprivation. Now my grandfather Ludwig— for whom Iwas
named— there was areal musician. But my dad was adrunken mediocrity. He wanted
me to be the next Mozart, but all he did was make me hate him and, looking back,
anyone or anything Imight identify as an authority gure. When mom died of TB
in 1787— Iwas just 16— Ibecame head of the household and guardian of my two
younger brothers because my dad was too sloshed to do so himself. Me and my brothers
used to hunt for him at night. We’d nd him passed out somewhere and carry him back
home and put him to bed.
is is what passed for my domestic life as achild. Nevertheless, Ihad my musical
talent, ahecka work ethic and, eventually, the support of some local heavyweights. It
all combined to buy me what turned out to be aone-way ticket to the big time— to
Vienna— in November of 1792. I’ve lived in Vienna ever since, despite the fact that the
Viennese are absolutely worthless, total losers. Yes, Isaid that. Iknow Vienna gave me
my fame, but if that jerk Napoleon hadn’t made such amuck of Europe I would have
moved out long ago.
1
День присуждения университетских степеней / церемония вручения
дипломов вКембридже идр. учебных заведениях
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Ludwig van Beethoven
What can we take from my abbreviated description of my childhood? is: life is
astruggle; astruggle with which you must engage if you want to grow and survive. Selfpity and victimization will get you nowhere; frankly, the world doesn’t give arat’s rump
about your needs and life is unfair. e sooner you gure that out the better o you’ll
be. You’re on your own, compadres. Deal with it.
Story number two: hearing loss and reinvention.
Okay: so I’m living and working in Vienna. Iinitially built my rep as apiano player,
but soon enough Ibegan to attract afollowing as acomposer as well. Life was good.
And then life started being not good. Sometime in 1796— Iwould have been around
25½ years old— Istarted hearing abuzzing and crackling in my ears and Ibegan losing
my hearing from the highest sounds down. By 1802 Ihad come to realize that this thing
was incurable and Iwas probably going deaf. Well, Ifreaked. In October Iwrote out my
will, thought about suicide, the whole depressive nine yards.
And then Iput two and two together. Iwas living in aNapoleon–inspired environment
where most all undertakings took on an air of grandeur and heroism. Ihad also come to
believe that my talent ennobled me and that my only creative limits were ones Iplaced
on myself. Irealized that the ideal of fateful struggle and victory over fate that had
empowered me since my childhood could be portrayed in musical terms. Isaw my
«new path» before me: as an artist for whom heroic struggle and redemptive victory
would be the expressive gist of anew, highly personalized sort of music. Talk about
anew lease on life! e next «big» piece Icomposed was my ird Symphony, which
Ieventually dubbed the Eroica, the heroic symphony. It is along and gnarly piece, and
most folks didn’t get it. But I knew Ihad found my voice and Iran with it for all it was
worth.
Kids, Ibuilt abetter musical mousetrap, one that allowed me to channel my own joys
and demons as well as those of my environment into amusic the likes of which no one
had ever heard before. It was, in the end, amatter of self-expression: Ihad to compose
for myself. Igured that the rest of the world would catch up when it was ready, and in
this Iwas correct.
Story number three: you’re going to need to decide whether you want afamily or are
best o living entirely for your art.
Growing up, Ihad a pretty miserable example of «wedded bliss», as my parents’
marriage was anightmare. Nevertheless, Iwanted to be married for the longest time,
though in the end things didn’t work out that way.
Much as Ilove the ladies, Iwill admit that I’ve had my problems with them. I’m not
much of afashionista; my pals tell me that Ioen look downright shabby, which you
can’t tell right now because I’m wearing this fancy graduation robe. Despite the fact that
Ican play the piano like nobody’s business, Iam incredibly uncoordinated, areal klutz.
Ibump into chairs; Iknock over glasses and inkwells; I’m an awful dancer; Icut my
hands when Isharpen my pencils, and Icut my face while shaving. To tell you the truth,
Iavoid shaving whenever Ican, which means that Ican get pretty scruy looking. Ialso
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MEET THE FAMOUS COMPOSERS
speak— as I’m sure you’ve noticed— with astrong Rhineland accent, which drives the
snotheaded sophisticates in Vienna absolutely loony. I’m pretty short; I’ve got small-pox
scars on my neck and chin; well, there you have it: I’m not going to attract awife based
on my good looks or charming disposition.
I found to my dismay that most chicks only dug me as amusician, and as soon as
Ishowed them alittle personal sugar, they backpedaled faster than Deion Sanders. For
example, soon aer Iarrived in Vienna I was smitten by asinger named Magdalena
Willmann. Iadmit, Imight have taken things abit fast when one day, out of the blue,
Iproposed to her. She stared at me and told me Iwas «ugly and half crazy».
(Ishould have asked her «which half?», but at moments like that you never think of
the right thing to say.)
I had this unfortunate tendency to fall in lust with tall, blonde cheerleader types:
engaged or married aristocratic ladies who, when push-comes-to-shove (ifyou know
what Imean) would never consider mixing their uids with mine. No doubt these
crushes were adefense mechanism to avoid any genuine romantic entanglement. So
imagine my surprise when one of these ladies actually returned my love back in 1812.
No, Iwon’t tell you her name, but Iwill tell you that Iwas crazy about her. She oered
to leave her husband and her children in order to shack up with me in Vienna. Dang.
It was show time; it was the toughest decision of my life. And what did Ido? I«Dear
Johned» her; Ibroke her heart; Ijust couldn’t pull the matrimonial trigger. Ihad my
freedom and my art, and Iunderstood that in the end all we would do was make each
other miserable.
I grieved for my «Immortal Beloved» for the next seven, eight years, easy. at’s
the main reason why Iwrote so little music in the late eighteen-teens and why Iwent
so crazy what with my nephew and such between 1816 and 1820. But I emerged from
my funk, and have been writing some of my best music since, including my Ninth
Symphony, the Solemn Mass and some very cool piano sonatas and string quartets. e
message here is clear: you MUST follow your gi. It will oen take you places you don’t
want to go and force you to make decisions you’d rather not make. But even more than
your school, you must be true to yourself.
Let’s put this all together, from my lips to your ears.
If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will.
Change is good. Run with it. Embrace it. Make it your own.
When opportunities arise, always say «yes». e word «no» is the refuge of the fearful.
UNIT 8
Frederic Chopin
Frederic Chopin was born in asmall town near Warsaw, Poland,
in 1810. His father, ateacher, was French and his mother was
Polish. Frederic grew up in a cultured, educated family.
When he was six years old he began studying piano and he
played aconcerto in public at the age of eight. While still
young, Frederic performed in many German cities.
Frederic developed apassionate love for Poland even
though he lived most of his adult life in Paris, France. When
he le Poland, he took with him agoblet lled with the soil of
his beloved native land.
In 1817, when Chopin was seven, his rst work, Polonaise in GMinor, was published.
He attended the Warsaw Conservatory of Music. In 1829, he began aconcert tour to
London by way of Vienna, Munich and Paris. He was so successful in Paris that he
did not go to London. At this time, the Russians invaded Warsaw, making it dicult
for Chopin to return to Poland. Chopin remained in Paris the rest of his life where he
became friends with Franz Liszt and other famous musicians living in Paris at that time.
Chopin preferred to perform for small gatherings of friends and society people in
private homes. In 1839, Robert Schumann wrote aglowing review of some of Chopin’s
piano works saying, «Hats o, gentlemen! Anew genius!»
Chopin met awoman, the French writer George Sand, and fell in love with her
(she was the talk of Paris because although she was awoman, she dressed as aman).
She did much to inspire Chopin. It was at this time that Chopin composed some of his
most famous compositions such as «Raindrop» Prelude, Op. 28, No. 15, the Polonaise
Militaire, Op. 40, No. 105 and the «Minute Waltz», Op. 64, No. 1. Later, he ended his
relationship with George Sand and in 1848 le for London. In need of money, he gave
concerts in Glasgow, Manchester, Edinburgh and London. He was exhausted when he
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MEET THE FAMOUS COMPOSERS
returned to Paris and died there in October of 1849. e soil from Poland that he had
kept with him was sprinkled over his grave.
Chopin helped make the piano asuccessful solo instrument. Most of his delicate,
poetic compositions were written for solo piano. His beautiful melodies sang with
his feelings of love, sadness and longing. His lively, happy mazurkas and polonaises
expressed his love for his native land.
1. Read and translate the text using adictionary if necessary.
2. Match the following Russian words and phrases with the English
equivalents.
1. концерт (музыкальное произведение) a. to attend the Conservatory
2. страстная, пылкая любовь b. the talk of
3. горячо любимая отчизна c. to sprinkle over one’s grave
4. посещать консерваторию d. to remain in Paris the rest of his life
5. вторгаться вПольшу e. exhausted
6. остаться вПариже на всю оставшуюся
жизнь
7. блистательное ревю g. to end the relationship with
8. «Честь ислава, джентльмены!» h. to dress as aman
9. влюбиться i. aconcerto
10. увсех на устах j. sadness and longing
11. одеваться как мужчина k. to express
12. вдохновить l. abeloved native land
13. завершить отношения m. delicate, poetic compositions
14. нуждающийся вденьгах n. alove for one’s native land
15. измученный, изможденный o. «Hats o, gentlemen!»
16. разбросать над могилой p. to inspire
17. тонкие, поэтические композиции q. apassionate love
18. печаль итоска r. in need of money
19. выражать s. aglowing review
20. любовь кродной земле t. to invade Poland
f. to fall in love with
3. Give synonyms and antonyms.
Words and word combinations Synonyms Antonyms
1. educated
2. passionate
3. to ll
4. native
5. friend
6. private
7. to fall in love with
8. to end the relationship
9. solo
10. sadness
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Frederic Chopin
4. Complete the table.
Innitive present Past Simple Participle II
1. to grow
2. began
3. le
4. to take
5. said
6. fallen
7. to give
8. felt
9. sought
10. to think
5. Unscramble the following words.
1. ucededat
2. sotisapena
3. datul el
4. nosepoial
5. woligng verewi
6. penisri
7. hesutaxed
8. olso tenuinsmrt
9. zarukam
10. myloed
6. Check your comprehension by lling in the blanks with suitable words or word
combinations.
1. Frederic Chopin was born in asmall town near __________, in 1810.
A. Munich, Germany B. Warsaw, Poland
C. Bonn, Germany D. Paris, France
2. Frederic developed a______ love for Poland even though he lived most of his adult
life in __________.
A. deep; Berlin, Germany B. negative; Paris, France
C. passionate; Paris, France D. awful; Warsaw, Poland
3. Having nished his concert tour in Paris, he could not return to Poland because
__________ .
A. he got married B. he got ill
C. he had to go to London D. the Russians invaded Warsaw
4. Chopin fell in love with __________ .
A. the French writer George Sand B. the polish girl
C. his cousin D. the polish princess
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MEET THE FAMOUS COMPOSERS
5. Having ended his relationships with George Sand, he le for London, where
__________ he gave concerts.
A. just for fun B. in need of money
C. helping the poor D. teaching small children
6. When Chopin died __________ was sprinkled over his grave.
A. the sand from the Sahara B. the money
C. the water from Poland D. the soil from Poland
7. Chopin’s compositions expressed __________ .
A. his love for George Sand B. his love for the Polish princess
C. his love for his native land D. his love for his parents.
7. Choose the correct form.
1. Frederic Chopin __________ in acultured, educated family.
A. grew into B. has grown up C. grew up D. was grown up
2. Frederic developed apassionate love for Poland __________ he lived most of his
adult life in Paris, France.
A. even though B. despite C. therefore D. and
3. In 1830s the Russians invaded Warsaw, __________ it dicult for Chopin to return
to Poland.
A. made B. make C. making D. having made
4. In 1839, Robert Schumann wrote aglowing review of some of Chopin’s piano works
___________, «Hats o, gentlemen! Anew genius!»
A. say B. saying C. said D. has said
5. He was __________ when he returned to Paris and died there in October of 1849.
A. exhausting B. exhaust C. exhaustable D. exhausted
6. e soil from Poland that he had kept with him was __________ over his grave.
A. sprinkled B. sprinkling C. being sprinkled D. been sprinkled
7. Chopin helped __________ the piano asuccessful solo instrument.
A. making B. made C. make D. to have made
8. Complete the sentences with necessary prepositions.
1. Frederic Chopin was born _____ asmall town _____ Warsaw, Poland, _____ 1810.
2. Frederic developed apassionate love _____ Poland even though he lived most _____
his adult life _____ Paris, France.
3. When he le Poland, he took _____ him agoblet lled _____ the soil _____ his
beloved native land.
4. _____ 1829, he began aconcert tour _____ London _____ way _____ Vienna, _____
Munich and _____ Paris.
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Frederic Chopin
5. _____ this time, the Russians invaded Warsaw, making it dicult _____ Chopin to
return _____ Poland.
6. Chopin remained _____ Paris the rest _____ his life where he became friends _____
Franz Liszt and other famous musicians living _____ Paris _____ that time.
7. Chopin preferred to perform _____ small gatherings _____ friends and society
people _____ private homes.
8. Later, he ended his relationship _____ George Sand and _____ 1848 le _____
London.
9. e soil _____ Poland that he had kept _____ him was sprinkled _____ his grave.
10. Most _____ his delicate, poetic compositions were written _____ solo piano.
9. Complete the sentences.
1. Chopin’s rst public performance was ___________________________________ .
2. Chopin’s passionate love _____________________________________________ .
3. He studied _______________________________________________________ .
4. Aer complited his concert tour, Chopin could not __________________________ .
5. Chopin preferred to _______________________________________________ .
6. Chopin fell ______________________________________________________ .
7. Having ended his relationships with __________________________________ .
8. When he died ____________________________________________________ .
9. Chopin composed a lot of ________________________________________ .
10. His compositions _________________________________________________ .
10. Translate the following sentences into English.
1. Уже вдетские годы Шопен проявил необыкновенные музыкальные способности.
2. Окончив консерваторию в Варшаве, Шопен начинает концертную деятельность.
3. Гастроли вДрездене, Вене, Мюнхене были успешными и,в1831 году Шопен
приезжает вПариж.
4. ВПариже Шопен знакомится сфранцузской писательницей Жорж Санд.
5. Жорж Санд вдохновила Шопена на создание многих величайших произведений.
6. После разрыва сЖорж Санд в1848 году Шопен уезжает вЛондон— концертировать ипреподавать.
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MEET THE FAMOUS COMPOSERS
7. Вернувшись вПариж, Шопен умирает 17октября 1849года.
8. Произведения Шопена отражали его большую любовь ксвоей родине, Поль-
ше.
9. Шопен является одним из основных композиторов врепертуаре многих пиа-
нистов.
11. Retell the story:
a) in the name of Frederic Chopin
b) in the name of George Sand
12. Make up adialogue:
a) Between Frederic Chopin and George Sand (you, etc.).
b) You have played Chopin’s works and is to explain to your fellow-student the
performance features.
13. Imagine what if …
a) Chopin had lived more. What music style would he have prefered and why?
b) How would he have been dressed? How would our century have inuenced his
disposition?
c) … (make your own assumption)
* For intermediate level students and above: see Supplementary Texts 1, 2
SUPPLEMENTARY TEXTS
Text 1
QUOTES BY CHOPIN
About life and philosophy
«Simplicity is the highest goal, achievable when you have
overcome all diculties. Aer one has played avast quantity
of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the
crowning reward of art».
«When one does athing, it appears good, otherwise one
would not write it. Only later comes reection, and one
discards or accepts the thing. Time is the best censor, and
patience amost excellent teacher».
«Every diculty slurred over will be aghost to disturb your
repose later on».
«I wish Icould throw o the thoughts which poison my happiness. And yet Itake
akind of pleasure in indulging them».
«Sometimes I can only groan, suer, and pour out my despair at the piano!»
«Put all your soul into it, play the way you feel!»
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