A tribute to Beethoven

“The Last Master of resounding song, the tuneful heir of Bach and Handel, Mozart & Haydn’s immortal fame is now no more. The harp is hushed. He was an artist – and who shall arise to stand beside him? He was an artist – thus he was, thus he died, and thus he will live to the end of time.”

– Franz Grillparzer, in a tribute to Beethoven (read as at Beethoven’s funeral, just before the coffin was taken into the cemetery [non-sacred text was forbidden on sacred ground]).

Source: Madaboutbeethoven.com


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