"Luderl's Coffee Stains" Bonn by lauriejeanne

Bonn Travel Guide: 309 reviews and 849 photos

While cycling through Europe in the summer of 1983, I spent a few days in Bonn visiting my thesis supervisor (who was doing sabatical work at the Beethovenhaus there). At the time, Bonn was the capitol of Germany. I enjoyed my stay very much and my most fond memory was visiting the Beethovenhaus itself.

The house (where Beethoven was born) is beautifully kept. The rooms are tiny and one room was blocked off with a ribbon. Inside the room, a single vase stood on the floor holding red roses. Next to the room, a sign explained that this was the room where Beethoven was born. In fact, no-one has a clue in which room he was born. My thesis supervisor told me that they just picked any old room (made sure they picked a particularly small one) and decided that would be it. Apparently tourists from all over the world kneel down and kiss the floor.

Next to the museum part of the house are the archives. No-one is allowed in there, but because my professor was researching a book on Beethoven, he had unlimited access. In we went and we poured through Beethoven's sketch books. Now that was an experience that had me in awe.

While Mozart's works formulated themselves completely within his mind, Beethoven agonized over his compositions. His sketchbooks are difficult to follow at first and one must indeed know the music itself very well in order to be able to slip inside of the composer's mind and trace his thought process.

We were looking at works from his later period. His handwriting was messy and most of his ideas were scratched out with pen or smudged with spilled coffee stains. But the excitement of looking through the scratches and stains and discovering themes, partial themes, and motives that indeed do appear in later movements of the same work, thus unifying his movements in amazingly subtle ways was unbelievable.

Last visit to Bonn: Jul 1983
Intro Written Sep 10, 2002
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Please note that the photos on... - Bonn

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Please note that the photos on this page are from the web. I have not been able to scan my slides yet. The Beethovenhaus... more travel advice

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Comments (35)

YanetT Jul 30, 2003 at 4:47 PM Report Abuse

Even though a musician may appreciate this even more, you made seeing Beethoven's house memorable and exciting. You have a flair for writing.
Tolik Nov 18, 2002 at 6:01 PM Report Abuse

Wonderful page, amazing story!
Carmanah Aug 17, 2002 at 3:03 PM Report Abuse

This would have left me in awe too!
matcrazy1 May 29, 2002 at 4:03 PM Report Abuse

Unusual!
pepples46 May 23, 2002 at 10:32 PM Report Abuse

great read..tanx for sharing
Pelourinho May 3, 2002 at 1:15 PM Report Abuse

Fur Lauriejeanne or as locals call it: the 9th Symphony...
Typ88 May 2, 2002 at 6:41 PM Report Abuse

Good info - I`ve never been there
harido Apr 26, 2002 at 1:33 AM Report Abuse

beautiful page,nice tips
Gysi Apr 24, 2002 at 4:44 PM Report Abuse

very nice and interesting
Kodi01 Mar 27, 2002 at 5:56 PM Report Abuse

Very good info and pics!