It is indeed sombre times for the Euro as the currency of Europe plummets down in despair. A once majestic value of 1.40 to the mighty Dollar, down and deeper down She sinks after 16 years of monetary scheming, down towards a Dollar parity in step with Beethoven's tune of the Death March, haunting each step of the slope, and perhaps even further down into the unknown. The specter of economic stagnation grips the Euro land with no consensus and clarity of mind and steady hand of leadership. Something died in the Euro today and the feeling is so strongly pervasive amongst it's traders. Currency weakness stems from political indecisiveness.
Ludwig van Beethoven wrote the sombre 7th Symphony between 1811 and 1812 with a dark, in a despairing mood as he sought to improve his health in the quiet Bohemian spa town of Teplice. Surveying the political landscape of Europe, Beethoven felt at a loss. These were dark times for European liberty as the French Emperor Napoleon rolled up the political map of Europe and contemplated the defeat of a single remaining
bastion of liberty, the Great Britain. The empire of Napoleon was vast; his legions countless, his victories legendary, his dominions many. Nearly all of Europe had fallen. France had engulfed Belgium and
Holland, much of Beethoven's modern Germany, and even along the Italian coast to threaten the foundations of Holy Rome itself. Ever since Austerlitz and the battle of 3 emperors, Europe had sunk to it's knees with resignation. Napoleon also made pacts with Austria, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, and Prussia in his ruthless determination to isolate the British island nation and pluck it's pride from it's swollen breast as the last nation in Europe to stand in defiance against the mighty Napoleon. Ever since Napoleon consecrated himself as Emperor of France on May 18, 1804 Beethoven despised the new French imperialism and the loss of European liberties. In fact he detested the Emperor so much that when he heard of the coming consecration, he immediately
erased Napoleon's name from his famous third symphony and added an extra piece called "Marche funèbre" literally translated as - the dead march, to show the world how much he despised the upstart Napoleon.
Ludwig van Beethoven wrote the sombre 7th Symphony between 1811 and 1812 with a dark, in a despairing mood as he sought to improve his health in the quiet Bohemian spa town of Teplice. Surveying the political landscape of Europe, Beethoven felt at a loss. These were dark times for European liberty as the French Emperor Napoleon rolled up the political map of Europe and contemplated the defeat of a single remaining
bastion of liberty, the Great Britain. The empire of Napoleon was vast; his legions countless, his victories legendary, his dominions many. Nearly all of Europe had fallen. France had engulfed Belgium and
Holland, much of Beethoven's modern Germany, and even along the Italian coast to threaten the foundations of Holy Rome itself. Ever since Austerlitz and the battle of 3 emperors, Europe had sunk to it's knees with resignation. Napoleon also made pacts with Austria, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, and Prussia in his ruthless determination to isolate the British island nation and pluck it's pride from it's swollen breast as the last nation in Europe to stand in defiance against the mighty Napoleon. Ever since Napoleon consecrated himself as Emperor of France on May 18, 1804 Beethoven despised the new French imperialism and the loss of European liberties. In fact he detested the Emperor so much that when he heard of the coming consecration, he immediately
erased Napoleon's name from his famous third symphony and added an extra piece called "Marche funèbre" literally translated as - the dead march, to show the world how much he despised the upstart Napoleon.
Sit back and ponder of your darkest brew and wonder into it's nethermost depths at the very soul of the roasted bean and take reflection that what rises must fall; and what falls must rise. Europe in disarray; but where there is an end there is always a new beginning. After all Ludwig van Beethoven did live to see the end of European despair and the triumph of liberty. The final Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday, 18 June 1815 thus ending the empire of Napoleon. Defiant to the end, Beethoven would brood over large pitchers of coffee at his breakfast table in melancholy solitude, counting 60 beans of coffee per cup to consume and find some glimmer of hope to create in these darkest hours. In equal defiance the time has come for a stronger spirit to dig down deeper and harder to rebuild the value that is for the moment lost.
Troubled and reflective thoughts over a rich gourmet coffee - Pieter Bergli - collector of fine coffees, narrator and bon vivant
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