Beethoven's Ritterballet...

[Preston]

I was wondering if anyone had any information on Beethoven's Ritterballett? For instance what is it, when did he write it, etc.? Many Thanks.

[Joy]

I was wondering if anyone had any information on Beethoven's Ritterballett? For instance what is it, when did he write it, etc.? Many Thanks.

Hi Preston, Beethoven's "Ritterballet" music is a rarely heard gem and I love putting it on in the car while driving to my destination, it's such a pleasant and uplifting tune. Here's some stuff I found after its 1791 premiere, it was attributed to Count Ferdinand Waldstein, one of Beethoven's benefactors, and only some time later did Beethoven receive credit for his work.
A report found in Bonn tells us that this ballet dealt with favourite pastimes of that time such as the hunt, the battle, etc. There's a march, a hunting, song, a romance, a battle song, a drinking song, etc.

[Preston]

Hi Preston, Beethoven's "Ritterballet" music is a rarely heard gem and I love putting it on in the car while driving to my destination, it's such a pleasant and uplifting tune. Here's some stuff I found after its 1791 premiere, it was attributed to Count Ferdinand Waldstein, one of Beethoven's benefactors, and only some time later did Beethoven receive credit for his work.
A report found in Bonn tells us that this ballet dealt with favourite pastimes of that time such as the hunt, the battle, etc. There's a march, a hunting, song, a romance, a battle song, a drinking song, etc.

Thanks a lot Joy. I am going to be hearing the piece in concert in September, that is why I was curious about it. I have the a complete Beethoven set so I will have to listen to it. Once again, thank you very much.

[Hofrat]

Preston;

Beethoven also did a piano arrangement of the Ritterballet (WoO 1, Hess 89). It has been recorded by Steve Beck on the Monument Records label, which also publishes the New Hess Catalog. See their website: www.monument-records.com

[Michael]

Preston;

Beethoven also did a piano arrangement of the Ritterballet (WoO 1, Hess 89). It has been recorded by Steve Beck on the Monument Records label, which also publishes the New Hess Catalog. See their website: www.monument-records.com

The piano arrangement as well as the original are included in the "cheap" (Amado) complete edition which a few of our members bought last year.

[Preston]

I will have to give the Ritterballet and the arrangement a listening. I have the Brilliant set and I imagine that they are both on there.

[Angel]

Ritterballet??!!!... Never heard of it. O_o

[Preston]

Ritterballet??!!!... Never heard of it. O_o

It was a work written by Beethoven, one of the greatest masters of music (if not the greatest), in his younger years around the age of 20, Beethoven was born in 1770. Did you know that Beethoven's father was a drunk, in his later years, and used to beat Beethoven and his brothers. Beethoven lived a very hard life with many challenging obstacles that he had to overcome. He had tinnitus (which can be a true terror in your ear), went deaf (and still wrote some of the greatest music ever), suffered unimaginable physical illnesses, and was very eccentric, etc. Did you know any of this? Did you know that Beethoven was an unimaginably great musician, who was truly touched by the deity, whose music was beyond anything most musicians can even begin to think of and whose music has lived on strong for over 200 years? I ask you this because you haven't said anything about Beethoven, you have congratulated Philip several times but that is about it.

[Michael]

I will have to give the Ritterballet and the arrangement a listening. I have the Brilliant set and I imagine that they are both on there.

Sorry to disappoint you, Preston, but the piano arrangement is not included in the Brilliant set. You're not missing much as it is a very basic arrangement with none of the little changes and additions that you get in Beethoven's other adaptations. He must have arranged the piece while it was still attributed to Waldstein and he probaly didn't want to give the game away.
The original version is included in the Brilliant edition and it's a very good recording, too.

[Michael]

Ritterballet??!!!... Never heard of it. O_o

I don't blame you for never having heard of it, Angel. It is one of Beethoven's most obscure pieces and you will usually find it only in complete editions. It's also only about ten minutes long so it hardly qualifies as a ballet.

[Preston]

Sorry to disappoint you, Preston, but the piano arrangement is not included in the Brilliant set.

That isn't the biggest disappointment. Seeing as the Brilliant set is pretty good, I think, well, at least I have almost all of Beethoven's works! Thanks for the information Michael.

[Quijote]

It was a work written by Beethoven, one of the greatest masters of music (if not the greatest), in his younger years around the age of 20, Beethoven was born in 1770. Did you know that Beethoven's father was a drunk, in his later years, and used to beat Beethoven and his brothers. Beethoven lived a very hard life with many challenging obstacles that he had to overcome. He had tinnitus (which can be a true terror in your ear), went deaf (and still wrote some of the greatest music ever), suffered unimaginable physical illnesses, and was very eccentric, etc. Did you know any of this? Did you know that Beethoven was an unimaginably great musician, who was truly touched by the deity, whose music was beyond anything most musicians can even begin to think of and whose music has lived on strong for over 200 years? I ask you this because you haven't said anything about Beethoven, you have congratulated Philip several times but that is about it.

Thank you, Preston, for your synopsis. May I disgagree with you, regarding B being "truly touched by the deity, whose music was beyond anything most musicians can even begin to think of [...]? Leaving aside "the deity", there are (in my humble atheist's view) many other composers whose music goes beyond anything you have begun to think of, and whose music will live on strong for many, many years.

It is true that Angel has said nothing about Beethoven. She (or he?) has (seemingly) congratulated me several times. Does this annoy you? Tell me something insightful about Beethoven before you criticise others.

[Preston]

Thank you, Preston, for your synopsis. May I disgagree with you, regarding B being "truly touched by the deity, whose music was beyond anything most musicians can even begin to think of [...]? Leaving aside "the deity", there are (in my humble atheist's view) many other composers whose music goes beyond anything you have begun to think of, and whose music will live on strong for many, many years.

It is true that Angel has said nothing about Beethoven. She (or he?) has (seemingly) congratulated me several times. Does this annoy you? Tell me something insightful about Beethoven before you criticise others.

I know that there are many great classical musicians that compare to Beethoven's music, that is why I used "one of the greatest" and "some of the greatest". I was talking about the majority of musicians, not really the great classicist. Such as modern music- funk, rock, electronica, new age, etc. I do not feel that the majority of these type of musicians, if any, come anywhere close to Beethoven's understanding and writing of music, not that it isn't good, and I do enjoy listening to a lot of new age.

Philip, personally, I do not believe in a deity, although it is something that I think about often, if there is some type of a deity or not. I do feel that there are unimaginable things happening, that are greatly spiritual, though. I messed up and used the wrong word, I should have said that he was a very spiritual man. I didn't mean to use deity as if there was a deity, but just to say that he was a deeply spiritual man.

It was not a synopsis, I was just pointing out some key elements of Beethoven's life, that most people probably learn when they first start studying Beethoven, to see if Angel new anything about Beethoven. I am well aware, with my feeble skills, that there are so many composers whose music is beyond anything I have begun to think. I wasn't trying to say that I was on par with these composers thoughts, by any means, because I am anything but. All I was doing was asking, maybe to boldly, if Angel, knew any of the things I posted about. I did find her posts a little odd, and wondered if she knew about Beethoven, that is why I posted. I was not criticizing others, as you have done to Cetto.

[Quijote]

I know that there are many great classical musicians that compare to Beethoven's music, that is why I used "one of the greatest" and "some of the greatest". I was talking about the majority of musicians, not really the great classicist. Such as modern music- funk, rock, electronica, new age, etc. I do not feel that the majority of these type of musicians, if any, come anywhere close to Beethoven's understanding and writing of music, not that it isn't good, and I do enjoy listening to a lot of new age.

Philip, personally, I do not believe in a deity, although it is something that I think about often, if there is some type of a deity or not. I do feel that there are unimaginable things happening, that are greatly spiritual, though. I messed up and used the wrong word, I should have said that he was a very spiritual man. I didn't mean to use deity as if there was a deity, but just to say that he was a deeply spiritual man.

It was not a synopsis, I was just pointing out some key elements of Beethoven's life, that most people probably learn when they first start studying Beethoven, to see if Angel new anything about Beethoven. I am well aware, with my feeble skills, that there are so many composers whose music is beyond anything I have begun to think. I wasn't trying to say that I was on par with these composers thoughts, by any means, because I am anything but. All I was doing was asking, maybe to boldly, if Angel, knew any of the things I posted about. I did find her posts a little odd, and wondered if she knew about Beethoven, that is why I posted. I was not criticizing others, as you have done to Cetto.

OK, Preston, no hard feelings. When I said there are many other composers whose music goes beyond anything you have begun to think about, I didn't have in mind funk, rock, new age or anything like that. I had in mind composers such as Cage, Boulez, Stockhausen, Ligeti and so on.

Preston, the music of Beethoven was written at a specific point in history. This in no way detracts from any perceived "value" that it has today. However, we need surely to consider the music of "today" (by which I mean, let us say, post 1900 to today), no?

For example, I admire the works of Thomas Hardy and Charles Dickens. They are widely recognised as "great" 19th century writers. Do I always want to read literature from that period? No. I also want to read what is being written today. Why should it be different with music?

All I'm trying to say is, don't put "all your eggs in the Beethoven basket".

[Preston]

No hard feelings Philip. Yes, in my first post to Angel, who I hope post again, I was talking about most musicians. Which would mean, rock, pop, new age, etc. I didn't mean the great classicist, I should have been more clear.

As I said, I do listen to some modern music. Although, I do have the deepest respect for Beethoven, as I am sure all the members of the forum do.