Five degrees of Beethoven

Since our mother passed away in 2008, my brother and I have Skyped nearly every Sunday. If you read my 'Welcome post' he was my first drum teacher and a very influential person in my musical life.
For whatever reason we started to talk about connections to historical people last Sunday. That made me think about famous musicians of course. So.....
1965- my wife(girlfriend at the time) and I had a class with musician and musicologist Fredrick Dorian. One day as we entered his apartment we found Rudolf Serkin sitting on a chair in conversation with Dr. Dorian. Serkin was in town to play Beethoven's Choral Fantasy with the Pittsburgh Symphony. After introductions were made Mr. Serkin stood up and shook hands with all of us students in the class. My memory of him was a very soft spoken, humble man and very easy to talk to.
That made me think of connections:
Rudolf Serkin (1) Serkin met Schnabel at a concert in Berlin 1921.
Artur Schnabel (2)
Theodor Leschetizky (Schnabel's teacher[3])
Carl Czerny (Leschetizky's teacher [4])
Ludwig Van Beethoven (Czerny's teacher [5])

What does all of this mean? On one level it's a form of the self-aggrandizing that I find so boring. It certainly doesn't elevate my importance in the scheme of things. On a different level, it does show that in so many ways we all have a connection together.

I'll call this an 'academic exercise'. It was fun to take some time and find these links, but that's enough.

OK, In 1966 I did play at Kennywood Park in Pittsburgh for the Three Stooges. One degree from Moe, Larry, and Curly Joe. Now that's important!

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