Someone I plan on meeting after I die...

Beethoven

Not the dog, the composer (1770 – 1827). Probably the only 16^th (or 17^th since he died in 1827) century composer I’ll include on the list.

I remember learning of Haydn and Bach in elementary school, about how they created and influenced what we now call “Classical” music.

And Mozart…don’t get me started on Mozart. I saw the movie. I liked it, and can honor and respect his creative genius when it comes to experiencing color and texture in music.

But there’s one thing Beethoven’s work has that Mozart’s doesn’t…

BALLS

Big brass ones that knock you on your ass and wipe the floor with you.

Based on their music styles, Mozart strikes me as someone you’d share some cheese and a nice bottle of wine with at a museum while discussing the works of da Vinci and Shakespeare. Beethoven is more like someone you’d share some bratwurst and a lager with at a bar while discussing the works of the wench who just served you. And that’s just more fun.

As a bonus, his Ninth Symphony was not only in Die Hard, but also The Money Pit…and that’s just a plateful of awesome with some awesome sauce on the side.

If you haven’t seen Immortal Beloved, rent it/stream it/queue it. Because Gary Oldman’s Beethoven could knock Tom Hulce’s Mozart on his ass and wipe the floor with him.

So I’ll be waiting in line with the others to hear Ludwig’s 157^th Symphony on opening night…with a plateful of bratwurst and a cold lager.

And he can finally hear the applause he so richly deserves.