My Favorite Beethoven

Public domain photo of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) painted by Willibrord Joseph Mähler (1778-1860) in 1815, two years after the premier of his 7th Symphony.

My favorite of all Beethoven's music is the second movement of his 7th symphony.  198 years ago today, December 8, 1813, this symphony premiered in Vienna at a charity concert benefiting wounded soldiers.   Beethoven began writing Symphony No. 7 in A, Op. 92 in 1811, 200 years ago, and completed it in 1812.  What I didn't know is that the second movement was encored at the first performance, and was so popular that it was often performed separately from the other movements.

Which is your favorite of Beethoven's compositions, and why?

Thanksgiving in Germany, Austria, & Switzerland

Photo of church altar Erntedank display
courtesy Elena Kortels and German-Way.com

Thanksgiving celebrations in Germany and other German-speaking countries occur in September or October, sometimes as late as November, and are not "official" holidays like they are in the United States.  In both large cities and small towns, Thanksgiving, called Erntedankfest (Harvest Thanksgiving Festival), is a celebration hosted by Christian churches.  In rural towns there may also be a parade and a country-fair type of celebration, including dancing and the crowning of a harvest queen.  Unless they live in rural areas or are church-goers, many Germans only experience Erntedankfest by seeing it on television.

For more information, see the German-Way.com website, and the German Holidays page of the Tulane University website.