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Beethoven Collections – Cards

Ludwig van Beethoven’s iconic image and revolutionary music have inspired countless art forms. But have you ever considered the world of Beethoven trading cards? This collection showcases a unique way to experience the composer’s legacy. Explore cards featuring portraits, iconic scenes, and even musical excerpts. Discover a treasure trove for music lovers and collectors alike, offering a glimpse into Beethoven’s life and the enduring power of his music.

Check...The 1203 series of the French Liebig cards depicts the life of Beethoven. It is made up of six cards.
This series also exists in German.
Actual size of cards: 11 cm x 7 cm.

 
1- His sad youth
1774
 
4- Goethe and Beethoven meeting the royal family – 1811
2- Beethoven playing
in front of Mozart – 1787
 
5- Rossini visits the miserable Beethoven- 1822
3- Beethoven comforting
the Baroness Ertmann – 1797
 
6- Beethoven’s death during a storm – 1827

Liebig's card - Life of Beethoven in French...Liebig's card - Life of Beethoven in French...Liebig's card - Life of Beethoven in French...
Liebig's card - Life of Beethoven in French...Liebig's card - Life of Beethoven in French...
Liebig's card - Life of Beethoven in French...Liebig's card - Life of Beethoven in French...
Liebig's card - Life of Beethoven in French...

1.   First serious studies.

Of Felmish origin, Ludwig van Beethoven was born at Bonn in 1770 where his grandfather had moved after 1732. His father, Johan, tenor at the Court, realised that his son had incredible aptitude for music, and gave him rigourous musical studies, in an attempt at creating a child prodigy. Beethoven was taught first of all by an oboeist, Pleiffer, then by Christian Neefe who gave him his first instruction in harmony and counterpoint and intorduced him to the music of Carl Emmanuel and Jean Sebastien Bach. In this very young and promising student, Neefe recognised a new Mozart. Beethoven composed his first work in 1782 entitled “Variations on a Dresseri march”. Becoming violinist in the court orchestra, he learned the works of Haydn, Caldara, Pergolesi and took an interest in Vienese and French musicians.

2.   Improvisation in front of Mozart.

Desiring lessons from Mozart, he went to Vienna in 1787, but he stayed very little time, because he had to return to the bedside of his dying mother. Unfortunately another blow struck him: his father lost his familial rights due to alcoholism. The composer therefore had to submit to the needs of his family. However, even if the responsibility of “Pater familias” was heavy, Beethoven did not neglet his studies, and in 1789, he took up philosophical studies at the University. His friendship with the Breuning family dates from this period. At the beginning of 1792, thanks to a study grant from the Count F. van Waldstein, he returned to Vienna and took lessons from Haydn taking with him the phrophetic words of his benefactor: “Dear Beethoven, you leave today for Vienna. Mozart’s genius still grieves and weeps at the death of his possessor.. Of course, the unstoppable Haydn has given him a refuge, but no job. Somehow he searches to find unity with someone new. Thanks to working without respite, you will receive Mozart’s spirit from Haydn’s hands.” His teaching was completed by Albrechtsberger for counterpoint and by Salieri for vocal writing.

3.   Beethoven with his student Teresa Brunswick.

Introduced into high society as a virtuoso pianist , he gave his first concert as pianist and composer on March 29th 1795. He also performed, always very successfully, at Nuremberg, Prague, Dresden and Berlin, where he played in the presence of Frederic Guillaume II. It was in this mundane period of his life, that Beethoven showed violent passion for certain students of his: Giuletta Guicciardi, Teresa Brunswick, Bettina Brentano, Theresa Malfatti, Amalia Sebal and the singer Maddalena Willman. One of these women is perhaps the “immortal loved one” to whom Beethoven wrote a passionate letter, found after his death. Certainly little is known about the romantic side of this great composers life, because his feelings of passion did not last long, and he never fell in love with ‘appropriate’ women. His love, his succes and his triumph did not, however, compensate for his dramatic secret: his progressive loss of hearing.

Particularly pretty, with letters and costumes sometimes in gold,
here is the French series n°675, edited in 1901.
The back of these cards does not hold explanations, just recipes…
(by passing the mouse over the French cards, you will see the German cards appear)
Actual size of cards: 10,7 x 7,2 cm.
Liebig's card - Fidelio...
Liebig's card - Fidelio...
Liebig's card - Fidelio...
Liebig's card - Fidelio...
 
 
Check...Series n°391 edited in 1893…
(cards in German)
Actual size of cards:11 cm x 7 cm.
Liebig's card: operas...
From left to right, and from top to bottom:
Gounod’s Faust – Beethoven’s Fidelio
Boieldieu’s The White Lady – Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman
Mozart’s Don Juan – Mayerbeer’s The Prophet
Liebig's card - Fidelio...
Check...Series n°684 edited in 1901.
The back of these cards does not hold explanations, just recipes…
(cards in German)
Actual size of cards:11 cm x 7 cm.
Liebig's card: operas...
From left to right, and from top to bottom:
Mozart’s Don Juan – Wagner’s Lohengrin – Beethoven’s Fidelio – Dürer’s Ritter Tod und Teufel – Schiller’s Glocke – Goethe’s Faust
Liebig's card - Fidelio...
Check...Series n°684 edited in 1901.
The back of these cards does not hold explanations, just recipes…
(cards in German)
Actual size of cards:11 cm x 7 cm.
Liebig's card: operas...
From left to right, and from top to bottom:
Mozart’s Don Juan – Wagner’s Lohengrin – Beethoven’s Fidelio – Dürer’s Ritter Tod und Teufel – Schiller’s Glocke – Goethe’s Faust
Liebig's card - Fidelio...
The cigarettes company Eckstein was situated at Dresden. But I don’t know whow many series they made, nor over what time span they were published…

Card: Beethoven

Check...Carte n°115

Series n°5 holds 272 cards and was edited in  1934

Translation of reverse side :

The celebraties of universal history.
Series n°5: The French Revolution and the wars of independence.
Card n°115: Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

(by Schmid)

Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the greatest ever composers, was born at Bonn and lived in Vienna.

His life was tragic, due to an illness in his ears which left him deaf by 1819.

His piano sonatas, his string quartets, his 9th symphony and his opera Fidelio are immortal.

Actual size of card: 6.3 x 5.3 cm.

Translation of reverse side:

The glorious events of German history.
Series n°7: The Germans of 1800.
Card n°120: Beethoven and Goethe at Teplitz, 1812

(by Carl Röhling)

As Beethoven and Goethe meet the royal family at the thermal spas at Teplitz, Beethoven continues walking without stopping.

Goethe steps back to let pass the royal patients, his hat in his hand.

Actual size of card: 5.3 cm x 6.3 cm.

Card: Beethoven

Check...Carte n°120

Series n°7 holds 252 cards and was edited in  1934

Card: Beethoven

Check...Carte n°125

Series n°7 holds 252 cards and was edited in 1934

Translation of reverse side:

The glorious events of German history.
Series n°7: The Germans of 1800.
Card n°125: Beethoven (1770-1827)

(by L. Binenbaum)

Beethoven, one of the greatest geniues of all time, left in solitued with his artistic creation.

It is tragic that this master of music should have endured a growing problem with his hearing, which led to complete deafness.

Actual size of cards: 6.3 x 5.3 cm.
Card: Beethoven

Check...This card was produced in 1899, in England for the Ogden company. It was on offer with packets of 10 Oden cigarettes.

The card is numbered 57 of 200. The series was entitled “General Interest”.

On the back of the card is marked: “Beethoven, composer of many sonatas, symphonies, masses… Born Dec. 1770. Died March 1827”.

There is nothing on the reverse side.

Actual size of card: 4 cm x 6 cm.

Card: Beethoven

Check...This second card from Ogden is numbered 51 from the series entitled “New Series 1”.

Actual size of card: 3.6 cm x 5.6 cm.