| Beethoven was BLACK! |
| Thursday, 27 September 2007 | |
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Beethoven as a Black composer It is time to put to rest the belief/theory/hope that Beethoven had African ancestry, a factor somewhat implied during his life and intensified by Joel Augustus Rogers. When Rogers published a picture of Beethoven the portrait was darkened. On the facing page was a picture of Clarence Cameron White, as I remember, whose picture was very lightened by contrast. The work of Rogers should not be belittled but, unable to interest publishers he approached, he was forced to publish his own works, thereby not having these reviewed in advance by an outside jury. In 2005, Cecil Adams of the Chicago Reader stated that, as far as he was aware, “no one in a position to know has taken the idea of Beethoven’s being Black seriously, but the story survives. Too bad.” (cited at http://www.straightdope.com/columns/050527.html). I have searched all scholarly literature that might be relevant in German, Dutch, Flemish, Italian, and English. It is not at all uncommon for European musicologists to dedicate monographs to such matters as a composer’s physicians or ancestry, and I have not found even a single suggestion that Beethoven had any Caribbean, Moorish, or Spanish heritage. Rogers did locate Frederick Hertz’ Rasse und Kulture from 1925, which includes the statement “Man kann in Beethovens Physiognomie leicht negerähnliche Zuge finden,” but this, to which Beethoven’s friends observed obliquely, offers no more proof than the 15 other sources Rogers consulted. Darryl Pickney, at Harvard University’s Alain LeRoy Locke lectures, dismisses the theory (published in his Out There; Mavericks of Black Literature, New York: Basic Civitas Books, 2002). On his father’s side, the great grandfather was Henry Adelard, a tailor who died in 1745. His son, Louis van Beethoven (born in 1712), a tenor, moved from Louvain to Bonn and was appointed Kappelmeister to the Elector in 1733. His wife was Maria Josepha Poll. The youngest of their three children, Johann (born about 1740) was Beethoven’s father. He was married in 1767 to Maria Magdalena Keverich who was the widow of Johannes Leym, of Trier. Maria’s mother had the maiden name of Westorff. When confronted with these facts advocates of the “Black Beethoven” theory argue that Beethoven’s mother was from the Caribbean. This was not so. If it were, and it would certainly have been fully documented, it would be reason for extraordinary discomfort on the part of the Nazis, who regarded those of African ancestry as half apes. This would also certainly have been noted by Maud Cuney-Hare in her study of her own people in 1936, Negro musicians and their music. There is certainly no doubt that, despite his fervent romanticism, Beethoven was heir to the age of enlightenment and that his musical pun of including a Turkish march in the finale of his last symphony must be allied with the text, “Alle Menschen werden Brüder.” In spirit, Beethoven is united with the African concept of the community and the spiritual, like John Coltrane, but we are richly blessed by authentic Black heroes. Having Beethoven as an in-law is quite sufficient.  No. 6 : I heard that story about Beethoven being part black from the Oprah Winfrey talkshow. People heard that for years. No. 5 : opinion It's nonsense!!! In one of the books at http://www.ebook-search-queen.com/ his detiled biography is given. Read carefully!
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'>  Submitted by Guest User • 2009-06-30 06:59:18 No. 4 : In the original German, I have seen Beethoven referred to as 'der Schwarze', which some have interpreted as meaning 'the Black man'. However, it could just as easily (and more logically) mean 'the black-haired man'. Sometimes the stretch we try to take to 'discover' black heritage in every nook and cranny demeans our very real and inherent contribution to global culture. Period.
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'> Submitted by Tinneke • 2009-04-17 14:11:17 No. 3 : Black moors were from Ethiopia. They conquered as far as Crete and even southern coast of Italy for a time. Arabic is a language not a religion (as everybody but you knows). Arabs are the ethnic race you are looking for. Beethoven being black... by American Standards who knows, there was more mixing going on then people generally give credit. He may have Moorish roots somewhere... And whoever said Beethoven was Carribean? I agree that is idiotic?
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'> Submitted by Guest User • 2008-07-07 03:47:30 No. 2 : This is idiotic. Sub-Saharan Africa also includes South Africa. In context, anyone would know "African" is restrictively used. I know northern Africa is predominately Arabic (as we all know), but I am not sufficiently knowledgeable to say Black people or elements are alien. No. 1 : It's evasive of you to think in terms of "African" as today African is being used in different ways. It would be more honest of you to use the term Sub-Saharan or Black, in order not to mislead your readers and yourself. The Spanish and the Moors, despite depictions that were seeped in Medieval beliefs of good and evil and efforts to demonize others, were not Black. There were Black Moors, who were the slaves of White Moors, but it is inaccurate to claim that Moors were Black by dishonestly labeling them African, and therefore treating two alien cultures and worlds, in the same vein. It is also wishful thinking. The truth is that Blacks never achieved the kind of civilization or culture that others did. It is absurd to claim that they are responsible for Andalusia, Athens, Cairo etc. when in THEIR world, the Black, sub-saharan world, nothing of note exists or has ever existed.
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'> Submitted by Anon • 2008-03-15 11:11:53 |
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