4 ms·

If anyone is curious about Beethoven's life, I can recommend and excellent and relatively recently published biography: 'Beethoven: Anguish and Triumph', by Jan

If anyone is curious about Beethoven's life, I can recommend and excellent and relatively recently published biography: 'Beethoven: Anguish and Triumph', by Jan Swafford. We see figures like Beethoven and Goethe as geniuses themselves, but the 18th century conception of 'genius' was not of a person, but of a sort of holy spirit that blessed an individual with great abilities, while remaining separate from that person. So prior to Romantics of the 19th century taking hold of the concept of genius and re-purposing it into the one we're familiar with today, one would not speak of someone being a genius, but being graced with genius. Genius was not who they were, but something external to them that they possessed. It's a subtle but interesting difference.

G2kyd7 9y ago
Yes, also different cultures would apply it to different roles. In Germany I believe, only artists, could have genius, whereas in France and England this could apply to politicians and other groups as well. Goethe was a actually part of the early "Geniekult".
roceasta 9y ago
The word 'spirit' is vague but the older idea is more accurate than the modern assumption that geniuses are merely 'smart' above a certain threshold. In reality creative genius expresses itself through those who love truth to their core and who follow only their inner motivations. These qualities are sometimes abandoned which results in a fall and a loss of former abilities. http://iqpersonalitygenius.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/the-endogenous-personality-its.html http://iqpersonalitygenius.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/the-endoge...
jly 9y ago
Another Beethoven biography for the beginner that I can recommend is 'Beethoven: The Music and the Life' by Lewis Lockwood. This one does a good treatment on his life while also weaving in relevant analysis of his music for the layperson with some musical background. It's a great introduction to both aspects of his life for the non-serious musician and will give you a much greater appreciation for his work.
colanderman 9y ago
Note also that "genius" and "genie" are etymologically related, both descending from Latin "genius". [1] [1] https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/genius#Latin https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/genius#Latin
- beefman 9y ago
  I think genie is an anglicization of djinn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinn
  - colanderman 9y ago
    Djinn comes directly from Arabic, genie from Latin via French and Arabic influence. [1] [1] https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/genie#Etymology https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/genie#Etymology
cowpatcallr 9y ago
It goes back further than that, i thought. The greeks had the same notion: one wasn't "a" genius, one "had" a genius - a spirit (the logos?) which was the inspiration and source of creativity and brilliance. The whole idea was around invoking the logos to garner this brilliance.

G2kyd7 9y ago

Yes, also different cultures would apply it to different roles. In Germany I believe, only artists, could have genius, whereas in France and England this could apply to politicians and other groups as well. Goethe was a actually part of the early "Geniekult".

roceasta 9y ago

The word 'spirit' is vague but the older idea is more accurate than the modern assumption that geniuses are merely 'smart' above a certain threshold. In reality creative genius expresses itself through those who love truth to their core and who follow only their inner motivations. These qualities are sometimes abandoned which results in a fall and a loss of former abilities. http://iqpersonalitygenius.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/the-endogenous-personality-its.html http://iqpersonalitygenius.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/the-endoge...

jly 9y ago

Another Beethoven biography for the beginner that I can recommend is 'Beethoven: The Music and the Life' by Lewis Lockwood. This one does a good treatment on his life while also weaving in relevant analysis of his music for the layperson with some musical background. It's a great introduction to both aspects of his life for the non-serious musician and will give you a much greater appreciation for his work.

colanderman 9y ago

Note also that "genius" and "genie" are etymologically related, both descending from Latin "genius". [1] [1] https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/genius#Latin https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/genius#Latin

beefman 9y ago
I think genie is an anglicization of djinn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinn
- colanderman 9y ago
  Djinn comes directly from Arabic, genie from Latin via French and Arabic influence. [1] [1] https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/genie#Etymology https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/genie#Etymology

cowpatcallr 9y ago

It goes back further than that, i thought. The greeks had the same notion: one wasn't "a" genius, one "had" a genius - a spirit (the logos?) which was the inspiration and source of creativity and brilliance. The whole idea was around invoking the logos to garner this brilliance.