5 ms·

Symphony No. 9 was composed between 1822 and 1824, so around 200 years ago. It probably will still be as popular in 300 years time, but that is not a given. It

Symphony No. 9 was composed between 1822 and 1824, so around 200 years ago. It probably will still be as popular in 300 years time, but that is not a given. It is hard to say what society will look like and value 300 years from now. I cite math papers written in the 19th century, and I suspect many people here will write math or comp sci-related papers cited in 200 years time. Certainly the contributions of contemporary mathematicians and scientists will endure, even if their names are lost to time.

jbay808 4y ago
We're coming up on 500 years of Thomas Tallis, a composer whose works are still popular and frequently performed. I would guess that if there are still humans around in 300 years, they will still be discussing Beethoven.
frosted-flakes 4y ago
I think a name like Einstein will stick around though. It's too embedded in the public consciousness to disappear, and his breakthroughs are too big to forget.
- jodrellblank 4y ago
  I suspect one of the longest lived names will be Julius Caesar; first his military and Roman history, then he is the name of a Shakespeare play which is a fame of its own, then he’s the name of the month July, and proxy related to August from Augustus Caesar. He’s the name of the Caesar Cipher in cryptography, and tangled up in the etymology of the Caesarian Section method of childbirth (which he probably didn’t have), the Caesar Salad (actually Caesar Cardini but often misunderstood (whom was the chef named after tho?)), and the German word Kaiser for Emperor e.g. Kaiser Wilhelm. It’s a bit like if Martin Luther King became the dominant meaning of the word “King” and that became the reason “King” echoed down the centuries; famous things named after him so that everything King which isn’t named after him is often thought to be, or is a reminder of him.
- cardiffspaceman 4y ago
  In some animated cartoon, a character who sounds like a stereotype of an NYC construction worker complains to someone who cut the line: “Hey Copernicus! Navigate yourself to the back of the line!”
- gumby 4y ago
  Most people don't understand special relativity, much less general (or the photoelectric effect) so it's not at all a given that Einstein will remain a household name. Nowadays "Hitler" is the default bad guy but before him it was "Napoleon" in much of Europe, and before that "Pharaoh". I'm pretty sure the same will happen to $DEFAULT_SMART_GUY
  - lupire 4y ago
    Archimedes? Plato?
  - teruakohatu 4y ago
    We (collectively) remember Newton, even if the average person doesn't understand gravity beyond "keeps us on the ground" or calculus. We can go back thousands of years and we still remember Pythagoras. Einstein's association with nuclear energy will be what keeps his memory alive.
    - MauranKilom 4y ago
      I challenge the assumption that the average person associates nuclear energy with Einstein (or the other way around).
      - ianai 4y ago
        and I challenge the assumption that even physicists know much about gravity beyond "keeps stuff on the ground." We may have general relativity, but it somehow seems to miss something to say physical models of gravity are that well flushed. It doesn't explain something like 80-90% of the gross movements of large masses seen in the universe by astrophysicists. We know a heck of a lot more about the small scale. But this is a silly point I'm making, I admit ;)
    - gumby 4y ago
      I am not claiming that Einstein will be forgotten, only challenging the conjecture that he will be a figure well known and cited by the general public. I really doubt that most people on the street would remember even having heard of Newton, much less referring to him in any context. Don’t worry, the same will be true of kardashians, probably sooner than It happens to Einstein.
ngcc_hk 4y ago
Beethoven is better than Bach in his life time. The whole classical era is a revolt against complexity. Hence you get the “pop” music of Mozart. Beethoven is an exception than cross many eras. His latest is really not classical but very post-modern. But even him has issue that later need Liszt to have concerts so to have money to keep Beethoven music alive. The sit down and go to a concert hall … it is hard to tell. Love to see Bach and Beethoven survive. But hard to tell.
- themadturk 4y ago
  Beethoven bridged the Classical (think Haydn and Mozart) and the Romantic eras of classical music. In his early career was was very Classical, a student of Haydn and interpreter of Mozart. He's often considered the transitional composer between the two periods, and can hardly be considered "Modern," much less post-modern. He is, of course, timeless.

jbay808 4y ago

We're coming up on 500 years of Thomas Tallis, a composer whose works are still popular and frequently performed. I would guess that if there are still humans around in 300 years, they will still be discussing Beethoven.

frosted-flakes 4y ago

I think a name like Einstein will stick around though. It's too embedded in the public consciousness to disappear, and his breakthroughs are too big to forget.

jodrellblank 4y ago
I suspect one of the longest lived names will be Julius Caesar; first his military and Roman history, then he is the name of a Shakespeare play which is a fame of its own, then he’s the name of the month July, and proxy related to August from Augustus Caesar. He’s the name of the Caesar Cipher in cryptography, and tangled up in the etymology of the Caesarian Section method of childbirth (which he probably didn’t have), the Caesar Salad (actually Caesar Cardini but often misunderstood (whom was the chef named after tho?)), and the German word Kaiser for Emperor e.g. Kaiser Wilhelm. It’s a bit like if Martin Luther King became the dominant meaning of the word “King” and that became the reason “King” echoed down the centuries; famous things named after him so that everything King which isn’t named after him is often thought to be, or is a reminder of him.
cardiffspaceman 4y ago
In some animated cartoon, a character who sounds like a stereotype of an NYC construction worker complains to someone who cut the line: “Hey Copernicus! Navigate yourself to the back of the line!”
gumby 4y ago
Most people don't understand special relativity, much less general (or the photoelectric effect) so it's not at all a given that Einstein will remain a household name. Nowadays "Hitler" is the default bad guy but before him it was "Napoleon" in much of Europe, and before that "Pharaoh". I'm pretty sure the same will happen to $DEFAULT_SMART_GUY
- lupire 4y ago
  Archimedes? Plato?
- teruakohatu 4y ago
  We (collectively) remember Newton, even if the average person doesn't understand gravity beyond "keeps us on the ground" or calculus. We can go back thousands of years and we still remember Pythagoras. Einstein's association with nuclear energy will be what keeps his memory alive.
  - MauranKilom 4y ago
    I challenge the assumption that the average person associates nuclear energy with Einstein (or the other way around).
    - ianai 4y ago
      and I challenge the assumption that even physicists know much about gravity beyond "keeps stuff on the ground." We may have general relativity, but it somehow seems to miss something to say physical models of gravity are that well flushed. It doesn't explain something like 80-90% of the gross movements of large masses seen in the universe by astrophysicists. We know a heck of a lot more about the small scale. But this is a silly point I'm making, I admit ;)
  - gumby 4y ago
    I am not claiming that Einstein will be forgotten, only challenging the conjecture that he will be a figure well known and cited by the general public. I really doubt that most people on the street would remember even having heard of Newton, much less referring to him in any context. Don’t worry, the same will be true of kardashians, probably sooner than It happens to Einstein.

ngcc_hk 4y ago

Beethoven is better than Bach in his life time. The whole classical era is a revolt against complexity. Hence you get the “pop” music of Mozart. Beethoven is an exception than cross many eras. His latest is really not classical but very post-modern. But even him has issue that later need Liszt to have concerts so to have money to keep Beethoven music alive. The sit down and go to a concert hall … it is hard to tell. Love to see Bach and Beethoven survive. But hard to tell.

themadturk 4y ago
Beethoven bridged the Classical (think Haydn and Mozart) and the Romantic eras of classical music. In his early career was was very Classical, a student of Haydn and interpreter of Mozart. He's often considered the transitional composer between the two periods, and can hardly be considered "Modern," much less post-modern. He is, of course, timeless.