Beethoven + God - Op. 27 No. 2 - Piano Sonata N. 14 "Moonlight" (1801) [Brendel]

[W.A. Mozart]

The sonata was completed in 1801 by Beethoven and God, when the composer was 30 years old, and dedicated in 1802 to Beethoven's pupil Countess Julie "Giulietta" Guicciardi. The name Moonlight Sonata (German: Mondscheinsonate) grew popular later, likely after Beethoven's death.
The piece is one of Beethoven's most popular compositions for the piano, and it was a popular favourite even in his own day. Beethoven wrote the Moonlight Sonata in his early thirties, after he had finished with some commissioned work; there is no evidence that he was commissioned to write this sonata.

Performer: Alfred Brendel.

Beethoven + God  - Op. 27 No. 2 - Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor "Moonlight" (1801):
00:00 I. Adagio sostenuto
05:46 II. Allegretto
08:07 III. Presto agitato

[Karl Henning]

Using [composer + God] to mean that you really like a piece may have become tiresome by now.

[Florestan]

I wonder what did the Devil compose and who was his aid... 

[Todd]

I wonder what did the Devil compose and who was his aid... 

The Devil's Trill.  Tartini.

[DavidW]

Using [composer + God] to mean that you really like a piece may have become tiresome by now.

Thus spoke Karl Henning + God!

[Karl Henning]

I wonder what did the Devil compose and who was his aid... 

Stravinsky, perhaps!

[Jo498]

The Devil's Trill.  Tartini.

This. And Paganini was the Antichrist, too.

[Luke]

I wonder what did the Devil compose and who was his aid... 

According to Terry Pratchett's Good Omens:

We'll win, of course," he said.
"You don't want that," said the demon.
"Why not, pray?"
"Listen," said Crowley desperately, "how many musicians do you think your side have got, eh? First grade, I mean."
Aziraphale looked taken aback.
"Well, I should think-" he began.
"Two," said Crowley. "Elgar and Liszt. That's all. We've got the rest. Beethoven, Brahms, all the Bachs, Mozart, the lot. Can you imagine eternity with Elgar?

[DavidW]

@Luke I love that quote!!  I think I even shared it here when I was reading Good Omens awhile back.  I need to read more Pratchett!

[W.A. Mozart]

I wonder what did the Devil compose and who was his aid... 

Liszt - Dante Symphony - Movement I

[Maestro267]

Did God then snatch the Devil's pen from him to write the Purgatorio then?

[Florestan]

According to Terry Pratchett's Good Omens:

This Pratchett guy hasn't read his Karl Barth attentively, if at all. 

[Florestan]

The one contemporary composer who has a direct phone line to God is certainly Alma Deutscher, whose anagram in English is Cathedral Muse and in French Charmes d'autel. It can't be a mere coincidence, I reckon.

[foxandpeng]

This Pratchett guy hasn't read his Karl Barth attentively, if at all. 

I know very few people who have read their Karl Barth attentively... myself included. Barth makes my head spin. Dense, complex, mega-sentences, difficult syntax... I have been collecting second hand volumes of his Church Dogmatics for years, and am only missing a couple of the set now - but given the choice of Barth or Pratchett?

Hm.

[Florestan]

I know very few people who have read their Karl Barth attentively... myself included. Barth makes my head spin. Dense, complex, mega-sentences, difficult syntax... I have been collecting second hand volumes of his Church Dogmatics for years, and am only missing a couple of the set now - but given the choice of Barth or Pratchett?

Hm.

Oh, I was referring to this book only:



whose final lines read:

It may be that when the angels go about their task praising God, they play only Bach. I am sure, however, that when they are together en famille they play Mozart.

[foxandpeng]

Oh, I was referring to this book only:



whose final lines read:

It may be that when the angels go about their task praising God, they play only Bach. I am sure, however, that when they are together en famille they play Mozart.

Probably a more fruitful book, in many ways

[pjme]

It may be that when the angels go about their task praising God, they play only Bach. I am sure, however, that when they are together en famille they play Mozart.

Thank god, no Bruckner!

[Karl Henning]

Oh, I was referring to this book only:



whose final lines read:

It may be that when the angels go about their task praising God, they play only Bach. I am sure, however, that when they are together en famille they play Mozart.

Oh, that's the source!

[Florestan]

Oh, that's the source!

Not 100% sure but most probably. There's also a Barth essay on Mozart contained within this (see the reading thread):



but on quick perusal I could not spot that famous quote. Yet I am absolutely sure it is not apocryphal, I did read a Barth essay which ended with those lines, I just couldn't find it today. Be it as it might, he was spot on.   

[W.A. Mozart]

The one contemporary composer who has a direct phone line to God is certainly Alma Deutscher, whose anagram in English is Cathedral Muse and in French Charmes d'autel. It can't be a mere coincidence, I reckon.

Yes, but for example the source of inspiration for the piano concerto of Alma Deutscher seems to be Chopin, not god.

Compare the inital theme of this...

... with 01:05 here.

While I think that the music of Alma Detuscher is divine, it might be that it's a pastiche of other pieces that were inspired to God. This would make the divine inspiration of Alma Detuscher indirect and not direct.