Beethoven and Lennon
Ludwig van Beethoven was one of the greatest musicians in the 19th century. John Lennon was one of the greatest musicians in the 20th century. Although there is a period of about 200 years between them, they are quite similar in certain ways.
Both men expressed the spirit of their time in their music. Beethoven lived in the period of rising capitalism. At that time, people were trying to break the shackles of feudalism, and they were pursuing freedom, equality, and universal love. This social trend, especially the French revolution, greatly inspired Beethoven. His music was very active, passionate, and vigorous. Some of his works praised heroism, some conveyed the love for nature, and some extolled harmony among people. Similarly, Lennon's music revealed his time. In the 60s and 70s, the youth in America were deeply frustrated by the discrimination and injustice in the society and were longing to build a new one. Most of Lennon's songs expressed the ideas of the youth. In one of his songs entitled "Imagine, " he sings, "Imagine all the people, living under peace," and "The world will be together as one." These words show his
anti-war attitude and his hope for peace, and reflect the spirit of the 60s and 70s.
Both men were social rebels to some extent. They refused to bow to social conventions and power. Beethoven was a devoted republican. When Napoleon I was in power, and claimed to be a defender of republicanism, Beethoven admired him so much that he dedicated his Symphony No. 5, the theme of which is heroism, to him. But then Napoleon crowned himself and became an emperor. Beethoven was so angry that he openly declared he took back what he had said about Napoleon, regardless of • possible persecution. Lennon was also considered a trouble-maker by the authorities because of his support for youth movements. For a time he was not even allowed to give public performances. But he ignored all this and stuck to his belief.
As musicians, both men brought about great leaps in the history of music. Beethoven's main contribution to music was his symphonies. It was he who clearly defined the form of symphony and fully developed it, which marked the end of the classical period and the beginning of the romantic period. His nine symphonies, especially No. 5, No. 6 and No. 9, are as highly regarded today as they were 100 years ago. Lennon's achievement was his rock-and-roll music. He and his band, the Beetles, successfully combined rhythm and blues with rock music, which laid the foundation for modern rock-and-roll music.
Although they had many things in common, Beethoven and Lennon belonged to different ages and thus were different in many ways. Beethoven's life was full of disaster and struggle. At the age of 29, when he was at the climax of his career, he lost his hearing, which was not very different from death penalty to a musician. But Beethoven managed to overcome this barrier, and miraculously he composed most of his masterpieces" after he be-came deaf. What amazing willpower! Lennon's life was easier. He was able to live in comparative comfort, for he earned a lot from his discs and concerts. His way to success was not so hard as Beethoven's.
Their endings were also very different. Beethoven died a natural death at the age of 57. But Lennon was shot in 1980 by one of his fans, which shocked the world.
The names of both Beethoven and Lennon are in-scribed on the monument to the history of music. They will always be remembered for their unique styles, great productivity, and indomitable personalities.
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