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Musicologists, historians, and physicians have speculated that Beethoven experienced cardiac arrhythmias, and that they manifest in specific compositions. Based on what is known about Beethoven’s medical issues, this seems a reasonable assumption to make. This essay strengthens the hypothesis that Beethoven suffered from cardiac arrhythmias by placing Beethoven’s music in its historical context, and by identifying several compositions that may reflect Beethoven’s experience of an arrhythmia.
RE: Beethoven & his abnormal heart r... (in reply to rombsix)
I read it, I don't think it's very substantive. All through the paper, in almost every paragraph there is the passive voice writing a variation one or more of these tropes: "Some have said", "It's been speculated..." or "Some posit that.."
I think it's a reach and one of those kinds of papers that comes out of someone trying desperately to come up with an original dissertation subject. One could probably make case for Gitanos having heart beats in bulerias compas if they tried hard enough.
RE: Beethoven & his abnormal heart r... (in reply to rombsix)
Napoleon was found to have arsenic poisoning and he suffered the symptoms over a long period of time. It was determined that the green pigment in the wall papers of the Empire period were formulated with inks that contained trace amounts of arsenic. But enough to become airborne when the paper became dried and brittle when the servants swept or dusted the furniture and walls.
Other household and industrial environmental poisonings including lead were common. All these things could make someone sick. Paganini's doctors wrote a forensic analysis of him after he died in an attempt to figure out why he played so well. He was just good, but the doctors kept reaching for things like double jointedness, his tall stature.
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It would be interesting if they applied the same analysis to Haydn, Clementi and Mozart to see if they had the same problem and how their sense for asymmetric rhythm gave Beethoven any ideas.....But the line in the paper: Is Beethoven showing us music electrocardiograms? Is pretty funny.
And it Beethoven had heart problems, Bartok should not have even been able to walk down the street.
RE: Beethoven & his abnormal heart r... (in reply to rombsix)
This might make sense to someone who has never been exposed beyond regular 4/4 and 3/4 meters but I think everyone else will see this as a totally biased interpretation of opinions.
Anyways, the heartbeat in music is supposed to be the pulse, not the rhythm.
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