DAILY DOSE OF BEETHOVEN (September 14, 2020)

Few people are capable of improving their creative powers over themselves as Beethoven did. He did it out of love, and necessity, for the betterment of mankind.

In his “Mass in C”, Beethoven shows us this love with the setting of this fugue, on the words:

Et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen.
(And the life of the world to come, Amen)

https://youtu.be/2Q8vrDRPYCw?list=TLPQMTQwOTIwMjDcDuc-uataBA

Now compare this fugue with the one at the end of the Crudo section of his later work, the “Missa Solemnis”. Beethoven surpasses himself as he doubles the length as well as making end into a double fugue!

https://youtu.be/wtwSQwtU4GY?list=TLPQMTQwOTIwMjDcDuc-uataBA

Would that we can all improve over ourselves thus!