Glenn Miller <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>I never said Beethoven was devoid of any ability to perceive sound.  I use
>the word 'deaf' to explain the severity of loss to make my point.  Later I
>write stone-deaf with slang emphasis.  In American usage, the word deaf is
>used for anyone who is very hard of hearing.

I see.  Obviously there's a suble difference between the American and the
Dutch usage of the words deaf (doof in Dutch) and stone-deaf (stokdoof in
Dutch).

>Look up any information on Beethoven: Beethoven was a deaf composer.
>Beethoven was deaf when he wrote the 9th symphony.  Oh well....

When Beethoven wrote the 9th symphony he surely was very, very deaf
indeed, no doubt.  But I think it's a step too far to call him a deaf
(read:  very hard of hearing) composer.  Yes, he was such from about
1816/17.  He was 45/46 at the time and he died when he was 56.  So the
greater part of his life he was not a deaf composer (again I mean very hard
of hearing).  I often stumble on moving digressions about poor Beethoven,
who nothwithstanding his deafness was able to write all those symphonies,
sonatas, quartets et cetera.  People stand in awe.  How is it possible!
What an achievement!  This is a misunderstanding.

Joyce Maier (mail to: [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask])
www.ademu.com/Beethoven