Latest news with #Beethoven
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
From a fragment of Christ's cross to Blue Peter badge, bizarre gifts from around the world given to King Charles
THE King was given a Rolls-Royce and a pair of his 'n' hers walking boots among hundreds of Coronation gifts, it has been revealed. 8 King Charles received 268 presents in 2023 — his Coronation year — including a Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II Credit: Rolls Royce 8 Charles with the King of Bahrain, who gifted him the Roller worth at least £355,000 Credit: Getty 8 Pope Francis gave Charles a piece of the True Cross, believed to be part of the one Jesus Christ was crucified on 8 The King also received a gold Blue Peter badge in 2023 to reward his environmental work and support for youngsters His Majesty received 268 presents in 2023 — his Coronation year — including a Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series II from the King of Bahrain, worth at least £355,000. Palace sources say the car is among the royal state fleet of vehicles and not being used for Charles's personal travel. Hungary gave the King and Queen two pairs of boots featuring their royal cyphers. Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky presented the King with a framed mosaic, scroll and signed ship's flag during their audience at Buckingham Palace READ MORE ROYAL NEWS And Pope Francis gave him a piece of the True Cross, believed to be part of the one Jesus Christ was crucified on. On a State Visit to Germany in 2022, animal-lover Charles received a wooden insect hotel and Beethoven CD, from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. A bottle of gin made in Uganda was presented by its High Commission. The Governor of Tasmania offered up more gin and jars of honey. Fragrance retailer J Floris of Piccadilly made the royal couple personalised scents called Charles R and Camilla R. Most read in Royals The King also received a gold Blue Peter badge in 2023 to reward his environmental work and support for youngsters. The Queen was awarded one for her work with literacy The late Queen Elizabeth II received 65 presents during her Platinum Jubilee year in 2022. The Enchanting Jewels of Princess Diana: A Royal Legacy Unveiled The Army gave Her Late Majesty, who was by this stage suffering mobility problems, a mottled hazel walking cane. Her final gift was a stained-glass panel to commemorate her 70th year as monarch, received on September 5th — just three days before she died. Several royals were given biscuits. At the height of Covid pandemic in 2020, Nigeria in 2020. An insider said: 'Gifts, where they can be, become part of the Royal Collection, where the whole nation can enjoy them.' 8 Prince Edward and wife Sophie also received a Lagos version of Monopoly on their Royal tour of Nigeria in 2020 Credit: Amazon 8 At the height of Covid pandemic in 2020, Princess Anne was sent a hand sanitiser Credit: Getty 8 A bottle of gin made in Uganda was presented by its High Commission 8 Buckingham Palace published a list of official gifts to the Royal Family for the first time in five years Credit: AFP
Ammon
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Ammon
Beethoven's true face is revealed for first time in 200 years
Ammon News - The true face of Beethoven has been revealed almost 200 years after his death – and it's every bit as 'intimidating' as his reputation suggests. Despite his status as one of history's great composers, Beethoven is also remembered for his surly disposition and unkempt appearance. 'He was indeed irritable, untidy, clumsy, rude, and misanthropic,' wrote British composer Mark Wigglesworth in a blog post. It's a reputation often reflected in his portraits, which invariably depict him as an unsmiling man with an icy gaze. Now a scientific reconstruction of his face has revealed what he actually looked like – and it seems he really did look that grumpy. Cicero Moraes, lead author of the new study, has completed the first ever reconstruction of the composer's appearance based on his skull. 'I found the face somewhat intimidating,' he admitted. To complete the work, Mr Moraes used historical photographs of the musician's skull provided by the Beethoven House in Bonn, Germany. Along with the images, which were taken by Johann Batta Rottmayer in 1863, he used measurement data collected in 1888. He said: 'The facial approximation was guided solely by the skull. 'First I created 2D outlines – frontal and lateral – from the skull photographs. 'Then I modelled the skull in 3D using a virtual donor's tomography, adjusted to match the photos' proportions. 'I then added soft tissue thickness markers based on data from living Europeans, projected the nose, and traced the facial profile. 'I interpolated all these projections to form the basic face.' With the objective face complete, Mr Moraes added subjective features like clothes and hair, using as his guide a famous portrait of Beethoven painted in 1820 by Joseph Karl Stieler.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What did Beethoven really look like? Scientists think they finally know — and he was a bit of a grouch
Turns out Beethoven didn't just sound intense — he looked it, too. Nearly 200 years after Ludwig van Beethoven's death, scientists say they've finally pieced together what the famously moody maestro actually looked like — and let's just say he wouldn't exactly be mistaken for a people person, originally reported by the Daily Mail. 'I found the face somewhat intimidating,' admitted Cicero Moraes, a Brazilian graphics expert who used 19th-century skull photos, facial modeling, and AI to reconstruct the furrowed countenance of classical music's original bad boy. The first-of-its-kind digital render shows the German composer just as he's often been depicted in oil paintings: scowling and brooding. 'He was indeed irritable, untidy, clumsy, rude, and misanthropic,' British conductor Mark Wigglesworth said in a blog post — though he added, 'Beethoven could be witty, caring, mischievous, generous, and kind.' So what turned the artist formerly known as Ludwig into such a legendary grouch? Experts say it may have been as much biology as biography. In 2023, a groundbreaking DNA study published in Current Biology cracked open the medical mystery of Beethoven's tumultuous life — and painful death at age 56. Researchers sequenced his genome using five strands of his preserved hair and determined he likely died from liver failure caused by chronic alcohol consumption, combined with hepatitis B and a genetic predisposition for liver disease. Reportedly, the beloved composer began suffering bouts of jaundice in 1821, a symptom of liver disease, and had progressive hearing loss that left him completely deaf by his mid-40s. 'Most people who do genetic testing for fun, including myself, will find that there is nothing wrong with them,' lead researcher Tristan Begg said. 'But in this study we had fascinating results in every branch we looked at, from disease risk to the family tree.' Indeed, Beethoven's tangled roots may have been more than musical — the study also suggested a child may have been born from an affair in his family line. As if that weren't enough, bones believed to be fragments of Beethoven's skull — long stashed in a tin marked 'Beethoven' by the descendant of a Viennese doctor — were recently donated to the Medical University of Vienna by California businessman Paul Kaufmann. 'It is extremely emotional to me to return the fragments where they belong, back to where Beethoven is buried,' Kaufmann told CNN in 2023. Moraes reconstructed Beethoven's famously intense visage — aided by old skull images and tissue-thickness data — and reinforced by a death mask made while the composer still had a pulse. 'I academically explored his genius, revealing what made him an icon of Western music,' Moraes said of his 2025 study. 'I analyzed his revolutionary creativity, resilience in composing despite deafness, intense focus, problem-solving ability, and tireless productivity, despite a challenging personality.'
New York Post
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
What did Beethoven really look like? Scientists think they finally know — and he was a bit of a grouch
Turns out Beethoven didn't just sound intense — he looked it, too. Nearly 200 years after Ludwig van Beethoven's death, scientists say they've finally pieced together what the famously moody maestro actually looked like — and let's just say he wouldn't exactly be mistaken for a people person, originally reported by the Daily Mail. 'I found the face somewhat intimidating,' admitted Cicero Moraes, a Brazilian graphics expert who used 19th-century skull photos, facial modeling, and AI to reconstruct the furrowed countenance of classical music's original bad boy. Advertisement The first-of-its-kind digital render shows the German composer just as he's often been depicted in oil paintings: scowling and brooding. 'He was indeed irritable, untidy, clumsy, rude, and misanthropic,' British conductor Mark Wigglesworth said in a blog post — though he added, 'Beethoven could be witty, caring, mischievous, generous, and kind.' So what turned the artist formerly known as Ludwig into such a legendary grouch? Experts say it may have been as much biology as biography. Advertisement 3 The groundbreaking digital mugshot shows the German maestro just like the paintings did — scowling, brooding, and looking like he just heard a wrong note. Credit: Cicero Moraes/Pen News In 2023, a groundbreaking DNA study published in Current Biology cracked open the medical mystery of Beethoven's tumultuous life — and painful death at age 56. Researchers sequenced his genome using five strands of his preserved hair and determined he likely died from liver failure caused by chronic alcohol consumption, combined with hepatitis B and a genetic predisposition for liver disease. Reportedly, the beloved composer began suffering bouts of jaundice in 1821, a symptom of liver disease, and had progressive hearing loss that left him completely deaf by his mid-40s. Advertisement 3 Was Beethoven born to brood? Scientists say his scowl may've been written in both his past — and his DNA. Getty Images 'Most people who do genetic testing for fun, including myself, will find that there is nothing wrong with them,' lead researcher Tristan Begg said. 'But in this study we had fascinating results in every branch we looked at, from disease risk to the family tree.' Indeed, Beethoven's tangled roots may have been more than musical — the study also suggested a child may have been born from an affair in his family line. Advertisement 3 In 2023, a blockbuster DNA study blew the lid off Beethoven's lifelong medical drama — and his booze-fueled death at 56. Bildagentur-online/Universal Images Group via Getty Images As if that weren't enough, bones believed to be fragments of Beethoven's skull — long stashed in a tin marked 'Beethoven' by the descendant of a Viennese doctor — were recently donated to the Medical University of Vienna by California businessman Paul Kaufmann. 'It is extremely emotional to me to return the fragments where they belong, back to where Beethoven is buried,' Kaufmann told CNN in 2023. Moraes reconstructed Beethoven's famously intense visage — aided by old skull images and tissue-thickness data — and reinforced by a death mask made while the composer still had a pulse. 'I academically explored his genius, revealing what made him an icon of Western music,' Moraes said of his 2025 study. 'I analyzed his revolutionary creativity, resilience in composing despite deafness, intense focus, problem-solving ability, and tireless productivity, despite a challenging personality.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Pictured: the true face of Beethoven
The true face of Ludwig van Beethoven has been revealed – almost 200 years after his death. Scientists created the first-ever 3D reconstruction of the treasured composer's head by analysing his skull, which may have confirmed long-running depictions of him as an unsmiling man with an unkempt appearance. According to the new model, he had an icy stare, with dark green eyes and wavy, grey, thinning hair. It suggests Beethoven, who died aged 56 in Vienna after a prolonged illness in 1827, had a surly expression with deep frown lines, both repeatedly depicted in portraits of the musician. 'I found the face somewhat intimidating,' said Cicero Moraes, a Brazilian 3D designer and the lead author of the study. Mr Moraes used historical photographs of Beethoven's skull – provided by the Beethoven House in Bonn, Germany – after it was exhumed in 1863. Along with the images, he used measurement data collected in 1888. Mr Moraes told The Telegraph: 'This is the first facial approximation made from his skull. I used the same approach we use in police cases to identify victims. 'It is also the first to do a meta-analysis addressing his height of 162-166cm (5ft 3-4in).' He added: 'The facial approximation was guided solely by the skull. First, I created 2D outlines – frontal and lateral – from the skull photographs. Then I modelled the skull in 3D using a virtual donor's tomography, adjusted to match the photos' proportions. 'I then added soft tissue thickness markers based on data from living Europeans, projected the nose, and traced the facial profile. I interpolated all these projections to form the basic face.' Beyond the face, Mr Moraes added subjective features such as clothes and hair, using a famous portrait of Beethoven, painted by Joseph Karl Stieler in 1820, as his guide. The finer details of the 3D model were enhanced using AI. 'This study offers a unique perspective on Beethoven's complexity, highlighting his resilience, creativity, and a legacy that continues to inspire generations,' wrote Mr Moraes. In March, the 3D designer and his team also revealed a facial reconstruction of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 230 years after his death, helping to unravel the mystery of what the Austrian composer looked like. Dozens of portraits of Mozart had each depicted him differently, but the new model shows him with a rounded face, thick blond hair and a receding hairline. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
