Beethoven is already a popular icon. He fell from the great composers altar to the popular culture stand. His image and music have gone beyond the classical music scope. It is a pop reference, a historical celebrity.
He’s not alone, Mozart follows closely. Bach is fighting for it. We listen to their music everyday, they inspire companies, artists, designers, lifes … Their melodies are easy to identify, some have even become ringtones. Books, movies… and what about Chopin? His life makes up for a couple of good movies at least.
But nevertheless, Ludwig seems to be one step ahead. He has become something else. Probably because his cultural references have been more and greater. And more importantly, more open and widespread. It is of course his legacy, but also what we built or wanted to build with it.
For instance, no biopic surpasses “Amadeus”, but it is no more than a fantasy movie. Mozart’s life seen through Salieri’s eyes, a portrait of its time. But on the other hand we cannot conceive the Clockwork Orange without Alex’ pasion. It is not only his music, perfectly transformed for the occasion. But without being the leading role, Ludwig becomes an essential part of the story.
Disney drew his music, Chuck Berry talked about him, and Alicia Keys used Moonlight Sonata as her cover letter. Walter Murphy introduced him to the club, and once again, it didn’t sound strange to us. The first four notes of the 5th Symphony are a powerful riff.
Have you ever heard “Because”? Yeah, Yoko Ono plays a Moonlight Sonata arrangement; she turns it upside down as for Lennon request.
The first four notes from the 5th Symphony resemble the morse code for victory in WWII: “… -“, which is V from victory (Also to close the circle, V is five in roman numbers) Even the European Union anthem is The 9th Symphony. The truth is that it is difficult to find an area without Beethoven references. And that is exactly what differentiates him from other classical composers beyond musical and stylistic matters.
He’s probably not the best or most important composer of all times. Hard to reach an agreement on that respect. But he’s definitely the most well known, the most universal. It is of course a result of his amazing music, but we also have something to do with that.