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維也納的時候，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，就坐下來和樂隊(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，有時人們聽了會忍不住流淚。

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

但是貝多芬會笑著說：“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.

他會拒絕所有他們的邀請，穿得隨隨便便地去拜訪他們，他會在富人們的晚宴上遲到。

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

有時候被要求演奏時，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.

貝多芬連站都沒站起來，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取笑他時，貝多芬勃然大怒。

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

他說，“世界上有很多王子，但只有一個貝多芬。”

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.

沒有人知道貝多芬先生的耳朵問題。

There's a story people tell.

下面是別人告訴我的一個故事。

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)貝多芬和朋友在樹林里散步的時候，附近有一位牧羊人在吹奏長笛。

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

貝多芬的朋友說“聽”，停下來聆聽長笛演奏。

Beethoven heard nothing.

貝多芬卻什么也沒有聽見。

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

當(dāng)他還年輕的時候，耳朵就開始出現(xiàn)嗡嗡聲。

He couldn't hear high notes.

開始是他聽不見高音階。

And then he couldn't hear soft voices.

之后，是聽不見輕聲。

Slowly but unmistakably Mr. Beethoven was going deaf.

漸漸地，但是毫無疑問地貝多芬先生會失聰。