Today in 1770, Ludwig van Beethoven, whose exact date of birth remains unknown, was baptised in Bonn. What better way to mark the anniversary 246 years later than to acknowledge the extent of his musical influence across various genres. That’s on full display in this Cuban rendition of his Seventh Symphony.
Composer Joachim Horsley came up with the rumba arrangement for the Second Movement and he has also made the full score available. You can purchase the score on his website.
Beethoven spent the first two decades of his life in Bonn, before travelling to Vienna in the early 1790s to develop his career. It was from the Austrian capital that he produced some of the most iconic pieces in classical music history.
Horsley composes film and television scores. His recent projects include Rabbit Hole, starring Nicole Kidman. He is a multi-instrumentalist, playing piano, percussion, guitar and bass, and he is also lead singer with the band Little Horse.
We’re just three years away now from the beginning of a year of festivities and events in the run-up to Beethoven’s 250th birthday in December 2020. The German government has already announced a multi-million funding package to support various initiatives throughout the country, with a focus on the composer’s birthplace.