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A. Lange & Söhne "1815 - A Time of Discoveries (Part 2)"
A. Lange & Söhne’s 1815 watch family bears its name in
reminiscence of the founder of Saxony’s precision watchmaking industry,
Ferdinand A. Lange, who was born in Dresden in 1815. His highly precise
pocket watches reflect the spirit of an era characterised by
trailblazing inventions. One of them is the metronome, which made its
first appearance in 1815. For Ludwig van Beethoven, it was a true
blessing. The “musician’s watch” would provide the cadence for his
greatest musical masterpiece.
Nearly two hundred years have passed since Johann Nepomuk Mälzel invented the metronome. In 1815, Ferdinand A. Lange’s birth year, Mälzel applied for a patent for his acoustic timing and tempo instrument under intellectual property legislation. It functions by spring-powered clockwork that keeps an upright pendulum oscillating. An adjustable weight on the pendulum can be slid up or down, while a scale facilitates the setting of oscillation frequencies. Formerly, when defining musical tempos, composers had to rely on their instinct, but now, directions such as allegro, adagio or presto could be precisely reproduced at any time thanks to the metronome.
The 1815 UP/DOWN next to a metronome in the Semper Opera House in Dresden.
Ludwig van Beethoven was among the first composers to use metronome markings in their scores and publicly endorsed Mälzel’s invention. For him, the metronome came at just the right time. In 1815, he had begun with the first sketches for his 9th symphony. The epic oeuvre with the famous “Ode to Joy” theme would become a paragon of symphonic music. To a large extent, he attributed the standing ovations after the premiere in 1824 to “metronomisation”. A letter to his publisher makes it clear just how much Beethoven appreciated the “musician’s watch”. In the letter, he complained that his metronome was “ill” and needed “its consistent regular pulse restored by a watchmaker”. An uncompromising quest for precision is one trait the acclaimed composer and Lange’s watchmakers have in common. They, too, are not satisfied until they succeed in regulating their watches so precisely that the specified frequency is always maintained.
The 1815 RATTRAPANTE PERPETUAL CALENDAR and the score of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony on the conductor’s
stand in the Semper Opera House in Dresden.
The Staatskapelle Dresden, one of the world’s ten best orchestras, also plays Beethoven under its principal conductor, Christian Thielemann. The pictures of the 1815 UP/DOWN and of the 1815 RATTRAPANTE PERPETUAL CALENDAR were taken on the conductor’s stand in the Semper Opera House. The two new models of the 1815 timepiece family are showcased with a metronome and the score of Beethoven’s Ninth. To this very day, they reflect the spirit of an epoch that held precision in high esteem.
About the Staatskapelle Dresden
Founded by Prince Elector Moritz von Sachsen in 1548, the Staatskapelle Dresden is one of the oldest orchestras in the world and steeped in tradition. Previous directors include Heinrich Schütz, Carl Maria von Weber and Richard Wagner, who called the ensemble his “miraculous harp”. The list of prominent conductors of the last 100 years includes Ernst von Schuch, Karl Böhm, Joseph Keilberth, Kurt Sanderling, Herbert Blomstedt, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Bernard Haitink and Fabio Luisi. Christian Thielemann has been the principal conductor since the 2012/2013 season. The first and only conductor laureate in the history of the Staatskapelle, from 1990 until his death in April 2013, was Sir Colin Davis. Myung-whun Chung has been principal guest conductor since the 2012/2013 season. In addition to its performances in the Semper Opera House, the Staatskapelle has been a regular guest of the major music centres of the world. In 2013, the Staatskapelle Dresden was chosen as the resident orchestra of the Salzburg Easter Festival, whose Artistic Director is none other than Christian Thielemann.
Nearly two hundred years have passed since Johann Nepomuk Mälzel invented the metronome. In 1815, Ferdinand A. Lange’s birth year, Mälzel applied for a patent for his acoustic timing and tempo instrument under intellectual property legislation. It functions by spring-powered clockwork that keeps an upright pendulum oscillating. An adjustable weight on the pendulum can be slid up or down, while a scale facilitates the setting of oscillation frequencies. Formerly, when defining musical tempos, composers had to rely on their instinct, but now, directions such as allegro, adagio or presto could be precisely reproduced at any time thanks to the metronome.
The 1815 UP/DOWN next to a metronome in the Semper Opera House in Dresden.
Ludwig van Beethoven was among the first composers to use metronome markings in their scores and publicly endorsed Mälzel’s invention. For him, the metronome came at just the right time. In 1815, he had begun with the first sketches for his 9th symphony. The epic oeuvre with the famous “Ode to Joy” theme would become a paragon of symphonic music. To a large extent, he attributed the standing ovations after the premiere in 1824 to “metronomisation”. A letter to his publisher makes it clear just how much Beethoven appreciated the “musician’s watch”. In the letter, he complained that his metronome was “ill” and needed “its consistent regular pulse restored by a watchmaker”. An uncompromising quest for precision is one trait the acclaimed composer and Lange’s watchmakers have in common. They, too, are not satisfied until they succeed in regulating their watches so precisely that the specified frequency is always maintained.
The 1815 RATTRAPANTE PERPETUAL CALENDAR and the score of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony on the conductor’s
stand in the Semper Opera House in Dresden.
The Staatskapelle Dresden, one of the world’s ten best orchestras, also plays Beethoven under its principal conductor, Christian Thielemann. The pictures of the 1815 UP/DOWN and of the 1815 RATTRAPANTE PERPETUAL CALENDAR were taken on the conductor’s stand in the Semper Opera House. The two new models of the 1815 timepiece family are showcased with a metronome and the score of Beethoven’s Ninth. To this very day, they reflect the spirit of an epoch that held precision in high esteem.
About the Staatskapelle Dresden
Founded by Prince Elector Moritz von Sachsen in 1548, the Staatskapelle Dresden is one of the oldest orchestras in the world and steeped in tradition. Previous directors include Heinrich Schütz, Carl Maria von Weber and Richard Wagner, who called the ensemble his “miraculous harp”. The list of prominent conductors of the last 100 years includes Ernst von Schuch, Karl Böhm, Joseph Keilberth, Kurt Sanderling, Herbert Blomstedt, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Bernard Haitink and Fabio Luisi. Christian Thielemann has been the principal conductor since the 2012/2013 season. The first and only conductor laureate in the history of the Staatskapelle, from 1990 until his death in April 2013, was Sir Colin Davis. Myung-whun Chung has been principal guest conductor since the 2012/2013 season. In addition to its performances in the Semper Opera House, the Staatskapelle has been a regular guest of the major music centres of the world. In 2013, the Staatskapelle Dresden was chosen as the resident orchestra of the Salzburg Easter Festival, whose Artistic Director is none other than Christian Thielemann.
Press Release
This message has been edited by Kong on 2013-10-17 09:45:54
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