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Ludwig van Beethoven at Praha (Prague) |
Beethoven went in Prague twice: in 1796 and in 1798. During his first visit, he stayed at 285 Lazenska Street. There he composed several works, dedicated
to Countess Josephine de Clary who organized
several concerts: Today, a plaque can be seen on the building where Beethoven stayed... |
Some of the pictures that I took in Teplice. Click on the boxes to see the photos enlarged... | ||
About the traces that Ludwig van Beethoven, left in Prague |
We could follow some of the steps of Ludwig van Beethoven, in Prague. Here we have some clues: While he was there, Beethoven preferred not to lodge in the centre of the city (may be following a personal permanent characteristic) but at the other side of Charles Bridge. In the very particular neighbourhood, called Mala Strana. This place was usually frequented by artists and musicians back then. The building in which he lived is in the Nº 11 (before Nº 285) of Lazenska Street, in a baroque hotel, that today is called Beethoven Palace. When turning on the corner of the main entrance of the building, we can see the old entrance, where a plaque commemorates de famous man. |
Some of the pictures taken by Diane in Teplice. Click on the boxes to see the photos enlarged... | ||
We also know that he took his own violin to be fixed in the shop of a famous luthier, a maker of string instruments that started the School of Lutiers in Prague. The poster mark of the shop, in the Nº12 of Nerudova street, (before Nº210), is represented by three violins, which are very mysterious, as one of them is represented backwards… In Prague, there is a popular legend, which states that in full moon nights, the spirits of Mala Strana join themselves in that place to give a concert. Today, the old Lutherie, is made into a very famous bier house in Prague. |
In the city we can also find the museum dedicated to Antonin Dvorak (Ke Karlovu 20, Prague 2), and it is in that place where we can still see, the office, the chair and the portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven, which Dvorak bought for himself in the second half of the XIX century. Surely as proof of his admiration of the German Master. The store that can be seen in the photo, is Dvorak’s Ninth, the “Symphony of the New World”. |
Thanks to Diane KOLIN, for her text and her photos |
Many
thanks to Hannah SALTER for her translation
of this page from French into English © Dominique PREVOT |
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