Beethoven’s Final Sonata Opus 111 Notes by Margaret Scialdone
After completing his 32nd and final piano sonata, Beethoven is said to have made the astonishing remark that the piano is “after all, an unsatisfactory instrument”. This work does indeed strain the limits of both piano and performer, the latter spiritually as well as technically. The second movement, innocuously called “Arietta” (little song), reaches almost other-worldly dimensions of emotional profundity. Although he went on to compose other works for the piano (the Diabelli Variations and Opus 119 Bagatelles), he never contemplated writing another sonata.
András Schiff Plays Beethoven Piano Sonata No 32 C minor Op 111
In remarks delivered yesterday to the summit of G20 heads of state, Russian President Vladimir Putin used his opening words to paint a stark and sobering picture of the crisis facing mankind. “The scope of problems humanity has faced in 2020 is truly unprecedented. The coronavirus pandemic, global lockdown and frozen economic activity have launched a systemic economic crisis the world probably has not known since the Great Depression,” Putin began. “The growth of national economies has been severely undermined. The pandemic claimed dozens, hundreds of thousands of lives while millions of people have lost their jobs and incomes. The main risk, obviously, even despite some positive signals, the main risk remains: mass long-term unemployment, a so-called ‘stagnant’ unemployment with the subsequent growth of poverty and social insecurity. The role of the G20 is to stop this from happening.”
Putin noted that nations around the world had provided “packages of incentives for the world economy totaling $12 trillion” to address the crisis. “The U.S. President has spoken now about the U.S. efforts — indeed, it is a very big contribution to the recovery of the American economy, which also means the recovery of the world economy.” But none of this is sufficient to address the magnitude of the crisis we face.
“We are aware that the developing economies and some emerging market economies objectively lack such resources [to mitigate the crisis]. Their fiscal revenues have plunged while the need to allocate considerable funds for fighting the pandemic is growing practically daily. National currency devaluation carries a big risk, and respectively, the cost of servicing on the state debt, primarily for low-income countries, which have two-thirds of their loans in U.S. dollars.”
He supported the G20 decision made in April 2020 to “install a temporary moratorium on developing nations’ debt payments. That is certainly a much-needed initiative, but it only covers the poorest countries. It does not include their debt to private creditors and concerns less than 4% of the developing countries’ overall costs of servicing state debt in the current year. I believe additional measures are needed to prevent the deterioration of the situation and the growth of economic and social inequality.”
Putin did not present a comprehensive policy to reverse the systemic crisis he had accurately described. He instead focused on aspects of the fight against the pandemic that Russia and other nations are undertaking.
“Undoubtedly, immunization drugs are and must be universal public domain. Our country, Russia, is ready to provide the countries in need with the vaccines developed by our researchers. This is the world’s first registered vaccine Sputnik V, based on human adenoviral vectors platform. The second Russian vaccine, EpiVacCorona from a Novosibirsk research center, is also ready. The third Russian vaccine is coming.
“The scale of the pandemic compels us to engage all the resources and research available. Our common goal is to form portfolios of vaccines and ensure reliable protection for the planet’s population. It means that there will be enough work for everyone, colleagues, and I think it is a case when competition may be inevitable but we must proceed primarily from humanitarian considerations and make it a priority.”
He concluded: “This crisis must become an opportunity to alter the trajectory of global development.”
Rochelle Walensky, the newly appointed director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) appeared on CBS Meet the Press today to discuss the CDC’s new school reopening guidelines. These are more thorough, and, if followed, probably more useful than previous CDC proposals. It is, however, a set of guidelines, not a mandate for action. It includes:
As an “overview,” it presents a table giving brief description of measures taken and identifying them as permitting low to high levels of transmission. They say that schools operating at the high end should not open.
Detailed instructions on the kinds of masks to wear, how to clean & care for them, etc.
Strict 6 foot distancing. They say this is necessary for full return to school, but, of course, without doubling (or more) the size of the schools, there’s no room for full return and 6 ft distancing.
Teachers should be vaccinated (Anthony Fauci told ABC today that that’s not absolutely necessary if the other CDC guidelines are followed.)
Overall increased testing, including genetic sequencing to identify and track mutations. Walensky says that B.1.1.7 strain, now estimated at 4% of the U.S. infections, may be dominant here by next month.
COVID relief package should include funds for improving the safety of our schools. Anthony Fauci said that passing the stimulus bill with these measures is a requirement for school re-opening.
These proposals are clearly not workable in the Great Reset, so it remains to be seen whether there is anything more than pleasant talk in these proposals.
Beethoven’s “DerErlkönig” Notes by Margaret Scialdone
Goethe’s poem “Der Erlkönig” tells the story of a boy riding home on horseback in his father’s arms. He is frightened when he hears the seductive voice of the Erl King, a powerful and creepy supernatural being. The Erl King attempts to lure the child into joining him, promising amusement, rich clothes and the attentions of his daughters. He tells his father, who assures the child that it’s just his imagination. Suddenly the boy shrieks that the Erl king has done him harm! The father breaks into a gallop, and reaches home only to find that the boy is dead.
Der Erlkonig was set to music by several composers, Schubert’s version being the best known. Beethoven’s setting heard here, is WoO 131. Can you hear the four distinct voices?
Who rides so late through the night and wind? It is the father with his child. He has the boy in his arms; he holds him safely, he keeps him warm.
‘My son, why do you hide your face in fear?’
‘Father, can you not see the Erlking? The Erlking with his crown and tail?’
‘My son, it is a streak of mist.’
‘Sweet child, come with me. I’ll play wonderful games with you. Many a pretty flower grows on the shore; my mother has many a golden robe.’
‘Father, father, do you not hear what the Erlking softly promises me?’
‘Calm, be calm, my child: the wind is rustling in the withered leaves.’
‘Won’t you come with me, my fine lad? My daughters shall wait upon you; my daughters lead the nightly dance, and will rock you, and dance, and sing you to sleep.’
‘Father, father, can you not see Erlking’s daughters there in the darkness?’
‘My son, my son, I can see clearly: it is the old grey willows gleaming.’
‘I love you, your fair form allures me, and if you don’t come willingly, I’ll use force.’
‘Father, father, now he’s seizing me! The Erlking has hurt me!’
The father shudders, he rides swiftly, he holds the moaning child in his arms; with one last effort he reaches home; the child lay dead in his arms.
The joint statement from Biden and Putin, reaffirming that nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought, represents a potential for positive change. First, it acknowledges that we have been headed toward a nuclear war, which few are willing to face. Second, it raises the deeper question, how can such a war be avoided? Pronouncements like this are never definitive. Lyndon LaRouche provided the answer, that the commitment of sovereign nation states to sharing the benefits of technological progress, is the key to durable peace. And how do we achieve that? His wife, Helga, has provided the answer: break out of the imperial geopolitical paradigm, with its commitment to predatory neoliberal economics benefitting the private banks, and build a new paradigm of cooperation, to achieve the Common Aims of Mankind. This is the theme of next weekend’s online Schiller Institute conference — click here to register for this historic event!
Beethoven’s humor—“The Test of Kisses” Notes by Fred Haight
This song, “Prüfung des Küssens, WoO 89” (The Test of Kissing), was composed between 1790–1791, for Bonn’s Electoral singer, Joseph Lux. It is for a bass and orchestra. The author of the text is unknown, but this song, in the Italian opera buffa style, is skillfully orchestrated and full of humor.
The text tells of a “wise” mother who instructs her son that to kiss is a sin. The boy does not agree because he gets them free from Doris, and things seem to be fine. They may, however, lead to other woes.
The orchestration is through-composed. There is a surprising amount of variety in the work, including three tempo changes and a shift from 4/4 to 2/2 meter. The orchestra stands independent of the vocal area and doubling the singer only at particular moments such as cadences.
TEXT: Meine weise Mutter spricht Meine weise Mutter spricht: Küssen, Küssen, Kind! ist Sünde! Und ich armer Sünder finde, Doch das Ding so böse nicht.
Mord und Diebstahl, weiß ich wohl, Ist ein schreckliches Vergehen Aber, trotz, den will ich sehen, Der mich das beweisen soll.
Meine Küsse stehl’ ich nicht: Doris gibt von freien Stücken, Und ich seh’s an ihren Blicken, Daß ihr wenig Leid geschicht.
Oft begiebt es sich, daß wir Uns, vor Lust, die Lippen beißen: Aber soll das Morden heißen? Gott bewahre mich dafür!
Mutter! Mutter! Schmäherei! Sünd’ ist Küssen? Ist es eine; Nun, ich armer Sünder meine, Daß sie nicht zu lassen se
TRANSLATION: My wise mother speaks My wise mother says: Kissing, kissing, child, is a sin! Though I do not find the poor sinner As bad as the thing itself Murder and theft, I know Are terrible offenses But in spite of that I want to see It proven it to me.
I do not steal my kisses: Doris gives of her own free will, And I see it in her looks That she has little suffering.
It often happens that we Bite our lips with lust: But should that be called murder? God keep me from that!
Mother! Mother! Abuse! Sin is kissing? They are one; I mean, this poor sinner of mine, Should she even be allowed!
“Prüfung des Küssens” (“Examen de los besos”), aria para bajo y orquesta, WoO 89. L. van Beethoven
While the world remains in the throes of the coronavirus epidemic, with a new surge in both Europe and the United States, the Asia-Pacific region is gearing up for a new spurt of economic growth and development, which will help the world overcome COVID and create a solid restart for the world economy. “The world economy is like the Pacific Ocean around us,” said President Xi Jinping in addressing the APEC Business Leaders’ Meeting on November 20th. “It admits water from various rivers, and connects different parts of the world. As such, it has acquired a vast magnitude and enormous vitality.”
After having resolved its own most serious bout with COVID, China has now committed to concentrate its efforts on reviving its own economy based on the pent up demand of the Chinese consumers, and open up further to the world in order to make its growth a resource for the Asia-Pacific and the world economy. The bywords here are “multilateralism” and “free trade”, but the content of the policy is that of economic cooperation and mutual help. The recent signing of the RCEP treaty by most of the Asia-Pacific countries was a clear sign that they also were in agreement with that policy. With China having the only real economic growth this year, the new mechanisms of cooperation will also help create solid economic growth in the entire region next year.” China is ready to take active and well thought-out steps with all other parties to set up “green lanes”, which will help make customs clearance more efficient, unclog bottlenecks, and reconnect disrupted links,” Xi told business leaders.
We may also promote the creation of international cooperation platforms on industrial and supply chains to ensure the safe and smooth operation of industrial and supply chains in our region and beyond. We need to create greater complementarity among the development plans and connectivity initiatives to different parties to forge a bigger synergy.”
Much of this was incorporated in a Leader’s statement issued at the end of the meeting. President Trump, who has not attended many APEC meetings and had said he would not go to Malaysia for this year’s meeting, did attend by video. He made comments himself, but expressed general agreement on the need for increased trade.
In a meeting today with editors-in-chief of Russian media outlets, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that Russia is working on its own alternatives to the Western dominated internet services, and once such a system is in place, Sputnik reported, Russia “does not rule out the possibility of switching off foreign internet services in Russia in the event of hostile action against the country.”
Putin stated: “And when we do have something of our own, we will curtail, if at all, only taking a particular situation into consideration […] I don’t want to artificially cut anything off, but when some hostile actions are carried out, I do not exclude this. Hostile actions with respect to our country are unacceptable,” Putin said. Sputnik reported that Putin referred to domestic tech services such as Yandex and Sberbank that have good prospects. He added: “Our respectable colleagues, when they see that there is an alternative and they do not have a monopoly in this market, will act differently”.
Putin also said Russia had come under attack and attempted destabilization from abroad. “As soon as we began to stabilize, to get back to our feet — the policy of deterrence followed immediately… And as we grew stronger, this policy of deterrence was being conducted more and more intensely… We have lots of achievements. And this is starting to annoy them,” he said.
That press conference was the most dangerous 1hr 45 minutes of television in American history.” What would prompt Chris Krebs, the recently fired Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in the United States Department of Homeland Security, to say that about the Thursday presentation given by Trump election fraud attorneys Rudolph Giuliani, Sidney Powell and Jenna Ellis? The role of Britain’s Lord Mark “Moloch” Brown, longtime associate and controller of George Soros, and of Brown’s voting machine company, Smartmatic, in the present alleged theft of Trump’s re-election to the Presidency, may soon make clear that all along it was British Intelligence, not Russia, which interfered in the 2016 and 2020 elections.
Beethoven : Creatures of Prometheus Notes by Margaret Scialdone
In 1801 the ballet master Salvatore Viganó was commanded to prepare a performance for Empress Maria Theresa. He chose the subject of Prometheus giving science and the arts to Mankind, and turned to Beethoven to compose a score for his libretto. “Creatures of Prometheus” is Beethoven’s only full-length ballet, with overture, introduction, 15 numbers, and a finale. As the original libretto has been lost, it’s no longer staged as a ballet.
In this 1960 performance, Charles Munch conducts the Boston Symphony orchestra in excerpts from Beethoven’s Opus 43, The Creatures of Prometheus.
