Professional Documents
Culture Documents
thehindu.in
facebook.com/thehinduinschool
twitter.com/the_hindu
CONTACT US
school@thehindu.co.in
As the world celebrates
Ludwig van Beethoven’s 250th birth
anniversary with virtual concerts, here is
a recap of the life and
A TIMELINE Get to know about the man behind
the geodesic dome, and about a
works of the music genius stone that can not only float but
also used in the making of
EARLY DAYS low-weight concrete blocks
Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany.
He learnt music from his father who was a singer. At a
young age, he became a travelling performer to support Buckminster Fuller
his family. He moved to Vienna in his early twenties.
Initially, he focussed on playing the piano, but soon A geodesic sphere is one of
turned to creating his own compositions. the most ecient structures
It is believed that Beethoven switched from piano to in the world. Highly
composing only because he could not hear properly. resistant to natural
Biographers point out that most of his brilliant calamities it has a smaller
compositions rolled out after he turned deaf. surface area than a
regular building covering
the same space.
HIS REPERTOIRE
A geodesic dome is a
A true music genius, Beethoven’s nine symphonies are
portion of this sphere that
considered masterpieces across the world. His body of
is used to build roofs of
works include chamber music, choral music, piano
buildings. There are many
music, string quartets and an opera. His third ("Eroica"),
examples of traditional
fth, sixth ("Pastorale") and ninth ("Choral") symphonies,
domes (like the Taj Mahal)
his eighth ("Pathetique") and fourteenth ("Moonlight")
but the geodesic dome,
piano sonatas, two of his later piano concertos, his opera
patented in 1947 by
"Fidelio", and also the piano piece Für Elise are
American engineer,
considered unparalled in the world of music.
architect and designer R.
Buckminster Fuller, is far stronger.
TRIVIA Born in Massachusetts, Fuller attended Harvard
* Though Beethoven’s compositions are complex, he is University and joined his fatherinlaw in developing
said to have had poor Math skills. A school dropout at lightweight, waterproof housing. Unfortunately the
11, he described himself as “really an incompetent company soon shut down, but that did not stop Fuller in
businessman who is bad at arithmetic” in a letter his quest to design cheap, ecient housing from easily
published in 1801. available materials.
* Beethoven debuted his Symphony No. 3 in honour Since spherical shapes have the least surface area, they
of Napoleon in 1804. But later, he renamed it "Eroica use up less material, and Fuller's experiments led to the
Symphony". Apparently, he was disillusioned with the creation of a sphere composed of tightly packed triangles
leader. triangles because they resist getting pulled out of shape.
In 1959, Fuller became a research professor at Southern
Illinois University. He continued to study ways of using
design and technology to help humankind. Fuller's domes
are today seen in remote stations, greenhouses, stadiums
and large complexes from the North to the South Pole.
Floating
stone
A mural grati depicting German composer Ludwig
van Beethoven is seen on a house in Bonn. Germany
had announced in December that it will celebrate
"BeethovenYear" with more than 700 events. PHOTO: AFP
Can any stone oat on water? Yes. Pumice is the only kind
of stone that oats on water before sinking. It is a light
A GAME ON c coloured volcanic rock.
When a volcano erupts, the hot lava comes into contact
with the cooler air. The lava cools down and solidies