Strictly for Germans: Pop goes Beethoven!

Strictly for Germans: Pop goes Beethoven!

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norman lebrecht

March 11, 2021

This is from a museum in Gronau (translation follows):
Gronau, March 10, 2020 – What if the exceptional composer Beethoven had lived in the here and now? “He would be a dazzling star,” says Dr. Thomas Mania, curator of the rock’n’popmuseum in Gronau, is convincing. For many months he and his team embarked on intensive research into Beethoven and his influences on today’s pop culture. From April the museum will show a refreshingly new and different view of Beethoven, his work and life. The result is a colorful and flashy total work of art that impressively demonstrates Beethoven’s great influence on pop culture. The large special exhibition will celebrate its premiere on April 25th – due to the pandemic, it may initially be digital. The museum is supported by the Beethoven Jubiläums GmbH (BTHVN2020) and the Sparkassenstiftung as well as the Sparkasse Westmünsterland

Visitors should experience the show star of the 18th and 19th centuries in the Gronau rock’n’popmuseum with all their senses – and they will be surprised in many places, promise the curators Prof. Dr. Moritz Baßler, Prof. Dr. Michael Custodis, Prof. Dr. Friedrich Geiger, Prof Dr. Henry Keazor, Dr. Thomas Mania, Prof. Dr. Peter Moormann, Anna Seidel and Thorsten Wübbena. Because “Ludwig is alive!” Is not only the largest and most elaborate special exhibition in the history of the rock’n’popmuseum – it is the first scientific analysis that illuminates Beethoven’s relationship to pop culture. Together with the exhibition designer Jörg Stauvermann, the team of curators has created a unique backdrop for the topic: thanks to the innovative GPS-controlled headphone system, museum visitors experience a different soundscape at every point in the exhibition. consisting of background noises that thematically integrate into the total work of art. “The outstanding thing about the new special exhibition is the interplay of classic and modern. Usually one suggests Beethoven with the 18th century – in the exhibition we managed to transport him into the here and now. The combination of classical music, creaky floorboards, a unique backdrop and modern pop music is unique, ”explains curator Dr. Thomas Mania. creaky floorboards, a unique backdrop and modern pop music is unique, ”explains curator Dr. Thomas Mania. creaky floorboards, a unique backdrop and modern pop music is unique, ”explains curator Dr. Thomas Mania.

Mythos Beethoven
Auf den insgesamt 600 Quadratmetern wartet ein Highlight nach dem anderen auf die Besucher. Neben zahlreichen Exponaten thematisiert die Ausstellung vor allem den großen Einfluss des Superstars auf die heutige Musikkultur. „Ludwig van Beethoven ist der größte Popstar aller Zeiten, mit mehr verkauften Platten als die Beatles und Rolling Stones. Er gilt als Phänomen – ehrfürchtig und voller Mythen. Das greifen wir auf: So ist Besuchern der Sonderausstellung oft nicht gleich ersichtlich, wo sie auf die Kunstfigur Ludwig und wo auf die Wirklichkeit treffen“, so Dr. Thomas Mania.

Was haben Rapperin Schwester Ewa und die Müllabfuhr in Taipeh gemeinsam?
Ein Hauptteil der Sonderausstellung beschäftigt sich mit Beethovens Einfluss auf die heutige Musikkultur. Große Musiker, Regisseure und Künstler greifen Passagen aus seinen Stücken auf und verwenden sie auch heute noch im Rap, Pop oder Film. Von Schwester Ewa, die „Für Elise“ rappt über die berühmte Disco-Szene in „Saturday Night Fever“ bis hin zu den Peanuts-Comics – Beethoven ist mehr in unserem Alltag verwurzelt, als es zuerst scheint. Die Recherchen haben unzählige Zusammenhänge zwischen Beethoven und der heutigen Kultur freigelegt. Offensichtliche Entdeckungen ebenso wie skurrile: Die Müllabfuhr in Taipeh spielt zum Beispiel „Für Elise“, wenn sie unterwegs ist. „Beethoven ist überall und wir haben es geschafft, viele Inhalte sehr detailliert aufzubereiten und so viele Aha-Effekte zu erzeugen“, sagt Dr. Thomas Mania.

Auch zahlreiche bekannte Köpfe haben einen Teil zur Ausstellung beigetragen: So liefert Udo Lindenberg das Intro zur Sonderausstellung und Wolf Hoffmann, Gitarrist der Heavy-Metal-Band Accept ist mit einem Exponat vertreten. Auch der dreifache Grammy-Award-Träger Steve Vai, aufgrund seiner Virtuosität von seinem Bandleader Frank Zappa als „Stunt-Gitarrist“ bezeichnet, ist Teil der Sonderausstellung, ebenso wie die Sängerin Judith Holofernes.

Partyfeeling statt trister Museumsrundgang
Neben den Beethoven-Klassikern wie „Für Elise“ oder die „Ode an die Freude“ (9. Symphonie) spielen auch die 5. und 7. Symphonie eine große Rolle in der Sonderausstellung. Besucher haben immer wieder die Möglichkeit, auf Sesseln in der Ausstellung zu verweilen und den klassischen und auch modernen Titeln rund um Beethoven zu lauschen. Die Entspannung wird aber nicht allzu lang andauern, denn die Wegführung bringt Besucher unter anderem in einen Kinosaal, in dem berühmte Filmszenen gezeigt werden, die mit Beethovens Kompositionen unterlegt sind. Anschließend führt der Weg durch die Ausstellung in eine Disko. Angelehnt an „Saturday Night Fever“ kommt hier Partystimmung auf: Über ihre Kopfhörer hören die Besucher zahlreiche Songs von Künstlern, die sich an Beethovens Werken bedient haben und ihn so auch heute noch weiterleben lassen. Die Disko zählt zu den aufwendigsten Kulissen im Museum. Die Milchbar und Schaufensterpuppen erinnern an den provokanten Film „Clockwork Orange“, indem Beethoven ebenfalls eine tragende Rolle spielt.

Digitale Alternativen geplant
Für den Fall, dass aufgrund der Coronapandemie Museumsbesuche auch im April weiterhin nur eingeschränkt stattfinden können, stellt das Museums-Team digitale Ausstellungsinhalte bereit. In Form von digitalen Führungen und Themenabenden sollen Einblicke in die Sonderausstellung ermöglicht werden. „Im vergangenen Jahr mussten wir „Ludwig lebt! Beethoven im Pop“ bereits verschieben, jetzt haben wir uns, trotz der aktuell unsicheren Lage, dennoch dazu entschlossen, die Ausstellung Ende April zu eröffnen. Wir arbeiten derzeit noch an einem digitalen Plan B und hoffen, dass wir unseren Besuchern künftig einen Mix aus virtuellen Inhalten und Live-Erlebnissen anbieten können“, erklärt rock´n´popmuseum Geschäftsführer Thomas Albers.

ronau, March 10, 2020 – What if the exceptional composer Beethoven had lived in the here and now? “He would be a dazzling star,” says Dr. Thomas Mania, curator of the rock’n’popmuseum in Gronau, is convincing. For many months he and his team embarked on intensive research into Beethoven and his influences on today’s pop culture. From April the museum will show a refreshingly new and different view of Beethoven, his work and life. The result is a colorful and flashy total work of art that impressively demonstrates Beethoven’s great influence on pop culture. The large special exhibition will celebrate its premiere on April 25th – due to the pandemic, it may initially be digital. The museum is supported by the Beethoven Jubiläums GmbH (BTHVN2020) and the Sparkassenstiftung as well as the Sparkasse Westmünsterland

Visitors should experience the show star of the 18th and 19th centuries in the Gronau rock’n’popmuseum with all their senses – and they will be surprised in many places, promise the curators Prof. Dr. Moritz Baßler, Prof. Dr. Michael Custodis, Prof. Dr. Friedrich Geiger, Prof Dr. Henry Keazor, Dr. Thomas Mania, Prof. Dr. Peter Moormann, Anna Seidel and Thorsten Wübbena. Because “Ludwig is alive!” Is not only the largest and most elaborate special exhibition in the history of the rock’n’popmuseum – it is the first scientific analysis that illuminates Beethoven’s relationship to pop culture. Together with exhibition designer Jörg Stauvermann, the team of curators has created a unique backdrop for the topic: thanks to the innovative GPS-controlled headphone system, museum visitors experience a different soundscape at every point in the exhibition, consisting of background noises that are thematically integrated into the overall work of art. “The outstanding thing about the new special exhibition is the interplay of classic and modern. Usually one suggests Beethoven with the 18th century – in the exhibition we managed to transport him into the here and now. The combination of classical music, creaky floorboards, a unique backdrop and modern pop music is unique, ”explains curator Dr. Thomas Mania.

Beethoven myth
One highlight after the other awaits visitors on the total of 600 square meters. In addition to numerous exhibits, the exhibition primarily focuses on the great influence of the superstar on today’s musical culture. “Ludwig van Beethoven is the greatest pop star of all time, with more records sold than the Beatles and Rolling Stones. He is considered a phenomenon – awesome and full of myths. We pick up on that: Visitors to the special exhibition are often not immediately able to see where they meet the fictional figure Ludwig and where they meet reality, ”says Dr. Thomas Mania.

What do rapper Sister Ewa and the Taipei garbage collector have in common?
A main part of the special exhibition deals with Beethoven’s influence on today’s musical culture. Great musicians, directors and artists pick up passages from his pieces and still use them today in rap, pop and film. From Sister Ewa, who raps “Für Elise”, to the famous disco scene in “Saturday Night Fever” and the Peanuts comics – Beethoven is more rooted in our everyday lives than it first seems. The research has uncovered countless connections between Beethoven and today’s culture. Obvious discoveries as well as bizarre ones: The garbage disposal in Taipei, for example, plays “For Elise” when she’s on the go. “Beethoven is everywhere and we have managed to prepare a lot of content in great detail and create so many aha effects,” says Dr. Thomas Mania.

Numerous well-known figures have also contributed to the exhibition: Udo Lindenberg provides the intro to the special exhibition and Wolf Hoffmann, guitarist of the heavy metal band Accept, is represented with an exhibit. The three-time Grammy Award winner Steve Vai, referred to by his band leader Frank Zappa as a “stunt guitarist” due to his virtuosity, is also part of the special exhibition, as is the singer Judith Holofernes.

Party feeling instead of a dreary museum tour
In addition to the Beethoven classics such as “Für Elise” or the “Ode to Joy” (9th symphony), the 5th and 7th symphonies also play a major role in the special exhibition. Visitors always have the opportunity to linger on armchairs in the exhibition and listen to classic and modern titles about Beethoven. The relaxation will not last too long, however, because the route takes visitors to a cinema, among other things, in which famous film scenes are shown, which are underlaid with Beethoven’s compositions. The path then leads through the exhibition to a disco. Based on “Saturday Night Fever”, a party atmosphere arises here: through their headphones, visitors hear numerous songs by artists who have used Beethoven’s works

Comments

  • John Borstlap says:

    One of the very few examples that show that Germans can produce hilarious satire. Well done!

  • Greg Bottini says:

    TL; DR.

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