Workbook,Unit 1,Reading task,Ludwig van Beethoven, a major composer of the nineteenth century, overcame many personal problems to achieve artistic greatness.,A Good Master Remembered,Reading,1 Read the passage and discuss the questions in pairs. Then get together with another pair and compare your answers.,In what ways does the servant admire Beethoven?,He admires his persistence in composing and the way be included his feelings about his deafness into his music.,2 Give two examples of how Beethovens deafness affected him.,Beethovens deafness affected him personally because he had to stop being a concert pianist and concentrate on composing music. It affected him musically because he was able to use his emotions in his music and write even greater music.,3 What might Beethoven have done if he had net gone deaf?,If he had not gone deaf, Beethoven would still have been famous as a great pianist.,4 What would you concentrate on if you were to go deaf?,5 Many people were frightened whenthey first met Beethoven. Why?,His moods were changeable and could grow wild and angry. He sometimes appeared like a wild man. In addition he was often so involved in his music that he forgot to brush his hair or wear appropriate clothes.,Listening Task,Read these phrases before listening to the tape for the first time. Tick them if you hear them mentioned.,_Fifth Symphony, First Movement _“Choral“ Symphony _Ninth Symphony _“Pastoral“ Symphony _“Fate“ Symphony _Sunlight Sonata _Moonlight Sonata _Fifth Symphony, Third Movement,第五交响曲,第九交响曲,“命运”交响曲,月光奏鸣曲,“田园”交响曲,“圣诞”交响曲,2 Listen a second time and fill in the chart.,No 5,His attitude to his problem of deafness,No 9,No 6,Love of nature,Hope and joy,HOW BEETHOVEN USED HIS DEAFNESS TO MAKE GREAT MUSIC In 1802 Beethoven became very upset when he realized that he would never hear accurately again. Because he was unable to share his feelings with others, he poured all his feelings into his music. His fifth symphony was the first where,Listening Text,these powerful feelings were expressed. In the first movement Beethoven introduces a strong beat, which is repeated to make a rhythm, it has been described as “fate knocking at the doer”. It shows Beethovens attitude to his problem of deafness. (Extract of music from fifth symphony first movement),But his mood changes as the symphony continues. In the third movement his despair was transformed into something much more exciting and challenging. It is as if he was refusing to be defeated by his deafness. Listen to the power of the music. (Extract from fifth symphony third movement),Beethovens love of nature was well-known. The countryside calmed and relaxed him and also found its way into his music. On many occasions when he was struggling to finish a piece of music he would go for a long walk to sort out his ideas.,He described this as “working while he walked“. These walks found their way in his sixth symphony, called the Pastoral symphony or countryside symphony, which is one of his most popular compositions. ( Extract from the pastoral symphony),After 1812 his hearing became so bad that he became severely upset. Maybe he felt that nothing good would happen to him again. His musical output almost stopped. But strangely enough, this produced some of his most emotional music. His ninth and last symphony,called the choral symphony, was his greatest composition. He used a poem by a German poet to express his feelings of hope and joy. (Extract from last movement of Beethovens ninth symphony),But Beethovens music was not always grand and important. Many of his pieces for the piano are personal and gentle. So we will finish with one of his best-loved piano pieces, the Moonlight Sonata. The first movement describes a peaceful,quiet and beautiful moonlight night when all troubles have disappeared and only the beauty of nature remains. (Complete Moonlight Sonata),Many people think that Beethoven was always a genius. Other people think he would never have been such a great composer but for his deafness.,Speaking task,Step 1: In pairs discuss:,whether you think a genius is born or is made by circumstances; whether you think adversity makes one wise or not.,Step 2: Have a class debate.Use the ideas and examples you have collected to help you with your arguments.,Beethovens life Born: 1770 Died:1827 Career: 1795: already an important pianist, teacher of music, composer, and giver of concerts 1798: deafness began to interfere 1802: concentrated only on composing 1817: totally deaf 1823: last symphony composed,S1: Do you think Beethoven was always have been a genius or was he made into one by circumstances? S2: I think he was always a great musician. Lets look at his life before he went deaf. He was already a,Sample discussion,already a famous pianist and he did do some composing. But his composing was not the most important part of his work before he became deaf. So I think circumstances made him a great composer.,