One hundred years ago, on his death bed, Ludwig van Beethoven whispered: "Applaud, friends, the comedy is finished." An immortal, it has been said, knows nothing of his immortality.
One century is nothing against the prophecy of genius. But the fact that time witnesses his ever-ascending influence is significant. Musicians set aside a week in which the whole world might applaud-not the finish but only .the prologue of the divine comedy. In 275 U. S. cities, whatever music was sounded, poured forth as a testimonial.
In Vienna where this German lived his...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
