貝多芬住我家樓上 第12期:作曲家是火做的

Piano Concerto #1, MVT. 1/Pi

貝多芬第一鋼琴協(xié)奏曲/第五鋼琴協(xié)奏曲

But when he first came to Vienna he was more famous for his playing than for his composing.

但是貝多芬第一次來(lái)維也納的時(shí)候，他作為演奏家的名聲遠(yuǎn)大于作曲家。

And he would sit down with orchestras to play his own music without a single note written out to play.

他可以不看曲譜，就坐下來(lái)和樂(lè)隊(duì)一起演奏自己的曲子。

It was in his head.

所有的譜子他都記在腦子里。

His music was so beautiful that sometimes people would just start to cry.

他的曲子實(shí)在是太美了，有時(shí)人們聽(tīng)了會(huì)忍不住流淚。

But Beethoven would laugh and say, "Composers do not cry. Composers are made of fire."

但是貝多芬會(huì)笑著說(shuō)：“作曲家是不哭的。作曲家是火做的。”

Mr. Beethoven was not gentle with the wealthy people of Vienna who did everything they could to please him.

貝多芬先生對(duì)那些想盡一切辦法討好他的維也納富人們很不友好。

He had rough manners even then.

有時(shí)候，他的行為還很粗野。

He would turn down their invitations, dress carelessly to visit, he would come late for their dinners.

他會(huì)拒絕所有他們的邀請(qǐng)，穿得隨隨便便地去拜訪(fǎng)他們，他會(huì)在富人們的晚宴上遲到。

Sometimes he would be very angry if he were asked to play.

有時(shí)候被要求演奏時(shí)，他變得異常的憤怒。

One grand lady got down on her knees one evening ... and begged Mr. Beethoven to play.

一天晚上，有位貴婦跪在貝多芬面前……請(qǐng)求貝多芬先生彈奏曲子。

Mr. Beethoven didn't even stand up from his chair to refuse her.

貝多芬連站都沒(méi)站起來(lái)，就拒絕了她。

She pleaded3. He refused.

她又懇求，他又拒絕。

She pleaded. He refused.

她再次懇求，他再次拒絕。

Perhaps they grew used to his tantrums.

或許他們習(xí)慣了貝多芬的臭脾氣了。

There's another story.

還有一個(gè)故事。

One night when the prince teased4 him for not playing, Beethoven flew into a rage.

一晚，當(dāng)王子拿不彈曲子的事來(lái)取笑他時(shí)，貝多芬勃然大怒。

He said, "There are many princes but there is only one Beethoven."

他說(shuō)，“世界上有很多王子，但只有一個(gè)貝多芬。”

But if we can't excuse his manners, perhaps we can explain them.

但是如果我們不能原諒他的行為，也許我們能夠解釋一下。

Mr. Beethoven had troubles no one knew about.

沒(méi)有人知道貝多芬先生的耳朵問(wèn)題。

There's a story people tell.

下面是別人告訴我的一個(gè)故事。

One afternoon, when Beethoven was out walking in the woods with a friend, a shepherd was playing a flute5 nearby.

一天中午，當(dāng)貝多芬和朋友在樹(shù)林里散步的時(shí)候，附近有一位牧羊人在吹奏長(zhǎng)笛。

Beethoven's friend said "Listen!" and stopped to hear the flute.

貝多芬的朋友說(shuō)“聽(tīng)”，停下來(lái)聆聽(tīng)長(zhǎng)笛演奏。

Beethoven heard nothing.

貝多芬卻什么也沒(méi)有聽(tīng)見(jiàn)。

When he was still a young man, he began to hear humming and buzzing6 in his ears.

當(dāng)他還年輕的時(shí)候，耳朵就開(kāi)始出現(xiàn)嗡嗡聲。

He couldn't hear high notes.

開(kāi)始是他聽(tīng)不見(jiàn)高音階。

And then he couldn't hear soft voices.

之后，是聽(tīng)不見(jiàn)輕聲。

Slowly but unmistakably Mr. Beethoven was going deaf.

漸漸地，但是毫無(wú)疑問(wèn)地貝多芬先生會(huì)失聰。