Beethoven's Last Night
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| Beethoven's Last Night | ||
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| Missing image Beethoven's_Last_Night.jpg Beethoven's Last Night | ||
| Album by Trans-Siberian Orchestra | ||
| Released | April 11, 2000 | |
| Recorded | ||
| Genre | Rock opera | |
| Length | 72 min 59 s | |
| Record label | Warner Music Group | |
| Producers | Paul O'Neill (Composer), Robert Kinkel | |
| Professional reviews | ||
| All Music Guide | ||
| RollingStone review | ||
| Trans-Siberian Orchestra Chronology | ||
| The Christmas Attic (1998) | Beethoven's Last Night (2000) | |
Beethoven's Last Night is a concept album by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. It was released in the year 2000. It might be classified as a rock opera, and tells the story of Beethoven on his last night alive.
| Contents |
Story
Late one night in spring 1827 (presumably March 26, the night he died) Ludwig van Beethoven has completed his masterpiece - his tenth symphony (which in reality, was never completed).
Just as this work is finished, Fate and her son Twist arrive in his home, and inform the composer of what he had expected for long before; that this night was the night of his death.
After this explanation, the devil Mephistopheles arrives to claim Beethoven's soul. He offers the composer a deal; Mephistopheles will allow Beethoven to keep his soul if he may erase the memory of Beethoven's works from all mankind. Beethoven is given one hour to consider, and Mephistopheles leaves the room.
Beethoven turns his anger to Fate at having been dealt a hard life, and now this decision. In consolation, Fate allows Beethoven to travel back through his life in order to review it and make any changes that he wishes. Beethoven accepts this, and they begin with Beethoven's experiences as a child.
Beethoven comes into his room while the young Beethoven has just been slapped by a tutor for failing to receive appointment to the Imperial Court. Beethoven turns to Fate and informs her that he did not need the hardships that he had faced, with his mother dead and a painful childhood. He requests that she remove the experience from his life. After being told that such a request would remove the inspiration for his sixth symphony, he changes his mind.
Fate and Beethoven then go to one of Beethoven's happier moments, meeting the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the city of Vienna. Fate then reminds Beethoven of his life, Theresa, and after experiencing a fond remembrance, Beethoven explains his reasons for needing to leave her.
The pair venture to when Beethoven first realizes his deafness, and Beethoven explains that Theresa would not love him were she to know. He is then shown Theresa's reaction to his unexplained absence, and he realizes that his deafness is the cause of all his problems. Fate explains that if she cures his deafness, his music will suffer, as the Muses would not be heard as easily through the everyday sound. He thus withdraws his request.
Beethoven is then shown that Theresa would have loved him forever, and he becomes very sorrowful. But Fate then offers visions of the countless musicians of the future who would be influenced by Beethoven's works. As one last, ultimate vision, he is allowed to improvise with the musicians of the past and future who were inspired by him.
Realizing that removing the hardships from his life would destroy his music, Beethoven informs Fate that he will not change any part of his life. At this point, Mephistopheles returns to Beethoven, who informs the devil that he will not allow his music to be destroyed.
Mephistopheles, desperate to receive the Tenth Symphony, makes another deal: if Beethoven will give over only the Tenth Symphony, then Mephistopheles will not take the composer's soul. After an appearance by Mozart's ghost, Beethoven refuses this offer as well.
As a final tactic, Mephistopheles points out the window to a young orphan, and describes the tortures that she will receive if Beethoven refuses to hand over his music. Heartbroken, Beethoven agrees to hand over his Tenth Symphony. A contract is drawn up by Fate, stating the following:
It is agreed upon this night, March 26, 1827, between the undersigned, that the music of the Tenth Symphony, composed by Ludwig von Beethoven, first born son of Johann and Maria von Beethoven, of the city of Bonn, shall henceforth be the property of Mephistopheles, Lord of Darkness and first fallen from the grace of God. It is also understood that it is his intention to remove any signs of this music from the memory of man for all eternity. In exchange for the destruction of the aforementioned music it is also agreed that Mephistopheles and all his minions will remove themselves from the life of the child presently sleeping in the gutter directly across from the window of this room. This removal of influence is to be commenced immediately upon signing and to be enforced for all eternity.
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Ludwig Von Beethoven
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Mephistopheles
The contract is signed by both the parties, after which Mephistopheles throws the Tenth Symphony into the fireplace. When it does not burn, the fact is revealed that Beethoven is in fact the second-born son of his parents, and thus, the contract does not apply to his music.
After Mephistopheles leaves in a fit of rage, it is revealed that the true destination of Beethoven's soul is actually heaven. Fate tells him to rest, and Beethoven's soul leaves his body for the great beyond.
Track Listing
The notes following certain tracks (following the "|" mark) are the works upon which the TSO's versions are based.
- Overture Moonlight Sonata
- Midnight
- Fate
- What Good This Deafness
- Mephistopheles
- What Is Eternal
- The Moment
- Vienna
- Mozart | Mozart's Marriage of Figaro
- The Dreams Of Candlelight
- Requiem (The Fifth) | Beethoven's Fifth Symphony
- I'll Keep Your Secrets
- The Dark
- Für Elise | Abbreviated Beethoven's Für Elise (Bagatelle in A minor, WoO. 59)
- After The Fall
- A Last Illusion
- This Is Who You Are
- Beethoven
- Mephistopheles' Return
- Misery
- Who Is This Child
- A Final Dream
Characters
- Ludwig von Beethoven - The famous composer
- Fate - The spirit of Fate
- Twist - Fate's son
- Mephistopheles - The devil
- Young Beethoven - Beethoven as a young man
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - (Another) famous composer
- Theresa - Beethoven's true love
- Young Girl - An orphan of the streets
- The Muses - The spirits of artistic inspiration
See Also
External Links
- Trans-Siberian Orchestra Homepage (http://www.trans-siberian.com)
- Official Beethoven's Last Night webpage (http://www.trans-siberian.com/discography/bln.shtml)