George Bridgetower, Beethoven's Inspired Black Musician Forgotten History

(Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - After 6 months of thinking about suicide, Beethoven admitted that he was desperate because his deafness was getting worse. This story is contained in a document known as the Heiligenstadt Testament.

At that time, Beethoven was partying at a bar with his new charismatic friend, George Polgreen Bridgetower. He is a mixed race violinist. He had just arrived in Vienna and inspired one of Beethoven's most famous and passionate works, the Kreutzer Sonata.

Although his name is included in Anton Schindler's 1840 biography of Beethoven, Bridgetower is inaccurately described as "an American sea captain." Like many of the leading black artists in their lives, Bridgetower is much forgotten by the history of those who control the narrative.

Launching The New York Times, Saturday, September 5, Bridgetower was born on August 13, 1778, in eastern Poland. He was born with the name Hieronymus Hyppolitus de Augustus. His father, Joanis Fredericus de Augustus, is of African descent while his mother, Maria Schmid, is German-Polish. This makes Bridgetower known as a mulatto or people of mixed race.

Bridgetower's father, who is often called Frederick, is the driving force behind Bridgetower's career. Handsome, charming, and fluent in multiple languages, Frederick is a reassuring storyteller, but on the other hand forced Bridgetower to pursue a career from such a young age.

Bridgetower claims her father was an African prince who was unofficially adopted by a Dutch sea captain, was promised diamonds and gold dust, and then sold into slavery. He then survived a ship accident in the process. The father married a woman and lives in Barbados, Frederick's birthplace; the name Bridgetower is most likely derived from the island's capital, Bridgetown.

It's unclear how Frederick ended up living in Poland, but historian William Hart wrote in a 2017 article in The Musical Times that Bridgetower's godparents were members of the noble Radziwill family. Frederick and his wife, perhaps served them. The couple and their son then moved to Austria, where Frederick, known as the "Moor," worked as a liaison to Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy.

Friendship with Beethoven

Bridgetower's public debut is expected to be held in Paris in 1789. However, another history records that an advertisement in the Frankfurt newspaper once promoted his concert by saying 'Hieronymus August Bridgetown, son of the Moors' in April 1786. At that time Bridgetower was seven years old. It is recorded that Bridgetower had played music for Emperor Joseph II.

Beethoven and Bridgetower formed an instant bond. Beethoven was 32 at the time and Bridgetower was 24. Like Bridgetower, Beethoven has dark skin and the two men share a striking resemblance. They also have abusive fathers for personal gain in their careers and share the ability to thrill audiences with extraordinary talent.

After hearing of Bridgetower's incredible play, Beethoven not only agreed to participate in the concert in Augarten, but decided to write something to be shown together. Beethoven has already begun sketching the first two movements of the violin sonata, to accompany the previously discarded finals.

Beethoven feels he has already written with Bridgetower. The delusion occurs because the two men stay up late, get drunk and act like teenagers. Even though Bridgetower is described as melancholy, she can also be passionate and violent. He brings out a side of Beethoven that is free and a bit perverted.

After the concert was delayed due to the two musicians being late in writing down the sonata moves, Beethoven and Bridgetower finally made it to the stage for the concert on May 24, 1803. Beethoven gave Bridgetower the opportunity to perform a solo that started off explosive, fiery and sensual. At one point, Bridgetower surprised Beethoven by imitating him and later developing Beethoven's short cadenza piano - later known as the Kreutzer Sonata. Beethoven, jumped, hugged him, cried, saying, "My dear son! Play it one more time! "

Bridgetower then returned to London and continued to perform his sonata. On 23 May 1805, he participated in a concert together with his brother, who played the cello Romberg. Their father returned to England, but was arrested and thrown in prison for homelessness.

Bridgetower continued to make music until the end of his life. He died on February 29, 1860, in a house on a small street in south London. He is buried in the Kensal Green Cemetery. At that time, Beethoven had been dead for 32 years.

It is not known if Bridgetower ever played the Kreutzer Sonata again or if he communicated with Beethoven after his split. The only information is that on 24 May 1803, the two brilliant players wowed the audience with their extraordinary skills.