‘I detest him’… ‘The most sublime music ever’… 11 of the best quotes about Beethoven

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Published: Sunday, 24 November 2024 at 10:00 AM

Read on to discover 11 quotes about Beethoven – from those who admired and loved him, to those who despised him…

Most big personalities divide opinion, and Beethoven was no exception. He was, after all, a figure known as much for his passionate, sometimes difficult, temper as for his equally passionate – and often difficult – music. Add to this his huge impact on the story of classical music, helping to usher in the Romantic era, and it’s unsurprising that his peers and critics developed strong opinions about him.

Below you will find 11 quotes about Beethoven by those who loved – and hated – the man and his music…

Quotes about Beethoven… Johannes Brahms, composer

‘You can’t have any idea what it’s like always to hear such a giant marching behind you!’

Igor Stravinsky, Russian composer in 1922

‘I detest Beethoven!’

Igor Stravinsky… again in 1962

‘At 80, I have found new joy in Beethoven’

Quotes about Beethoven… EM Forster, English author

‘It will be generally admitted that Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is the most sublime noise that has ever penetrated into the ear of man’