Was Beethoven left-handed?

[Beethoven1]

Does anyone know whether Beethoven was left-handed? I have seen Beethoven included on a few lists of left-handed celebrities, but others, he was left out.

[Rod]

Originally posted by Beethoven1:
Does anyone know whether Beethoven was left-handed? I have seen Beethoven included on a few lists of left-handed celebrities, but others, he was left out.

He was right handed I'm sure. look at the portrait of him holding the Missa Solemnis score, he holds a pen in his right hand!

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Joy]

Every picture I've ever seen of him holding a writing utensil has been in his right hand. I'm sure if he was left handed they would have written that specifically about him in the many books I've read as they do tend to point out the fact when someone is left handed.

[PDG]

The Missa Solemnis painting was not posed for so one can't take it as read from that that Mr B was right-handed. In those days, though, it was considered "incorrect" to be left-handed, and judging by his father's rigid discipline, I think that if not to begin with, at least in his later piano training, Ludwig certainly ended up being right-handed.

Slightly related for trivia buffs: Van Gogh's famous self-portrait shows his right ear as being damaged; but in fact, he cut off his left ear - he was using a mirror to paint himself, and didn't correct the image.

[Joy]

You're right about the Van Gogh painting. Maybe the sme thing happened with Beethoven's portrait. We'll never know for sure however I do think that if he was left handed someone would have mentioned that already in the many books written about him if it was a known fact which, of course, it's not. It's true many 'lefties' were forced to be 'righties' even up into the 20th century. Only 4 out of 100 are left handed.

[~Immortal Beloved~]

Originally posted by Beethoven1:
Does anyone know whether Beethoven was left-handed? I have seen Beethoven included on a few lists of left-handed celebrities, but others, he was left out.

Hi! Your answer is Beethoven is right handed.

[Claudie MICAULT]

Fortunately he was able to use both hands at the piano... but well known to be unable to keep something fragile in his hands without breaking it : it could be that he was originally left handed but "contrarié" like it was usual to do with children till 30 years ago... anyway... Left of right handed he did a good job ! (signed : a left-handed).

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Claudie

[vonerlac]

Beethoven was left-handed

If you study Beethoven's signature, you can see very clearly that he wrote with his LEFT hand. (Follow the flow of the signature. He breaks, curves, and finishes to the LEFT, as only someone PUSHING a pen, ie: a left hand, does).

Portraits from his lifetime would undoubtedly portray him as right-handed (or dextral), because of the negative connotations of being left-handed (or sinistral, from which we charmingly derive the word "sinister"). In the 18thC and well into the 20thC, to be sinistral was seen to be evil, or in league with the devil (Satan is a lefty).

[Hofrat]

Does anyone know whether Beethoven was left-handed? I have seen Beethoven included on a few lists of left-handed celebrities, but others, he was left out.

This must be the zillionth time this question was raised on this forum and others. These left-hander websites are notorious for including on their celebrities' list names of non-left-handers that were suggested by their members without an iota of verification. I have confronted many of these sites about the validity of their lists, I received the following answer:

"We are here to help the public of left-handers, and we have no time to verify their candidates for the celebrity list."

Let me now say once again, BEETHOVEN WAS RIGHT-HANDED!!

[PDG]

Was that an even-handed response, Hofrat?

[PDG]

And whatever happened to Claudie? I'm in a BRS-reminiscing mood this evening, be warned...