Beethoven's Eyeglass Duo

01 July, 2020

Why the bizarre title? Because its original performers (Beethoven himself on viola, and his friend Baron Nikolaus Zmeskall von Domanowecz on cello) needed to wear spectacles to see the music.

Beethoven is often seen as a tempestuous, high-minded and visionary artist, but this is only one facet of his complex personality.

He could be hilarious company among friends, and his sense of humour was strong and not terribly subtle. And he wrote plenty of pieces – more than one might suspect – which are, like this one, light and cheerful.

We're positive he would have appreciated Umberto Clerici’s and Sandro Costantino’s rendition, albeit with sunglasses.