The Rotary Club of Pismo Beach / Five Cites
Torsten Johnson, Second Place
Grade 1, Branch School
Teacher: Mrs. Metcalf
Ludwig van Beethoven is my favorite composer. I enjoy playing music. I play the piano.
Beethoven wrote my favorite piano piece, called Fur Elise. It means for Elise. Who was Elise? Nobody knows for sure. Beethoven wrote this piece because he really liked Elise.
Beethoven said to one of his music students “what is in my heart must come out and so I write it down.” It means that he writes his feelings in his music. People think music is special and they are telling the truth when they write music for someone.
Beethoven became deaf and was afraid nobody would ask him to write music again. Beethoven did not tell the truth about his hearing. He only told the truth to his brothers in a letter they would read after he died. Most people could tell he was deaf so maybe that was fair. He had a hard time conducting his music because he couldn’t hear what the orchestra was playing. It was not fair that Beethoven lost his hearing but it was fair that he could still write great music.
Beethoven wrote a very famous piece called Ode to Joy. Ode to Joy is about peace, brotherhood, joy, hope, and friendship. People feel happy when they hear it. I like this piece because it has a lot of expression. It is beneficial because everybody likes it. When people hear Ode to Joy together it can help build goodwill and better friendships because it sounds very happy.
Beethoven wasn’t always very kind to others. Maybe he wanted to spend more time writing music and less time talking to other people. It was hard for Beethoven to make friends. Beethoven did have some other composers that were his friends. He didn’t follow the four-way test because he did not try to build better friendships himself. His music made other people build goodwill and better friendships but he sometimes had a problem not being kind to other people.
I think it’s important to follow the four-way test because it could help me make good choices everywhere.
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