Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist and one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music. His works rank amongst the most performed of the classical music repertoire and is an important part of the learning process for any western classical musician in the world. While Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany, he lived his life in Vienna, Austria. But centuries later, how was his statue installed in the lush green village of Siolim?
In Victorian dress and with a book in one hand and a baton in another hand, the statue of Beethoven stands proudly in the courtyard of the ancestral house of late Diogo Caetano Pinto in Siolim, a great lover of music. His great grand daughter-in-law, Eugenia and his great-great granddaughter Lydia unveiled the statue on May 1, 1978, in commemoration of the bi-centenary of the birth of Diogo Caetano Pinto, whom they addressed as ‘Pinta Shapai’. “The statue of the great master has been presented to Lydia Leopoldina Sousa Pinto, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil South America and was unveiled by Eugenia Ignatievna Sousa Pinto (nee Napolova). This will be Dr Marialena Fernandes’ fourth concert at her master’s feet. Her first performance was way back in 2007,” says Alexyz, a noted cartoonist from Siolim and one of the founding members of the Friends of Beethoven.
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He explains Dr Marialena Fernandes’ devotion to the musical legend, “In 2006, Marialena was invited to perform at the Kala Academy, Panjim. She was my guest for a couple of days in Siolim. I told her of the monumental statue of Beethoven standing in the garden of Pinta Shapai. She got excited it was beyond her wildest dream to witness his statue on an imposing pedestal this side of Europe. The following year, in 2007, Marialena marched triumphantly into Siolim to perform the first concert with the Vienna University Ensemble.”
Before Dr Marialena would have her first performance in Siolim, Alexyz was hard at work forming the group, Friends of Beethoven. “I first contacted Alister Miranda and Olympio Almeida, two of Pinta Shapai’s neighbors. I got to know that fashion icon, late Wendell Rodricks was Pinta Shapai’s relative. We formed a group aptly named ‘Friends of Beethoven and we spruced up the statue to look like the one at his birthplace in Germany. The patriarch of the house, Manoel Sousa Pinto was based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On his return to Siolim, his passion for music and Beethoven found expression to build a monument for his favourite composer, Ludwig van Beethoven. He commissioned a noted local sculptor to create a magnificent statue of Beethoven for posterity, and magically he did it,” says Alexyz. Wendell’s grandmother was the granddaughter of Pinta Shapai.
Vienna-based Dr Marialena has been a professor of music at the Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts in Austria for over 50 years and she calls this annual concert as her coming back to her roots. “Alexyz, Claude and Norma Alvares and I have been friends since our college days. I vividly remember all of us walking through the jungle in the moonlight on New Year’s Eve to reach the concrete pedestal of Beethoven’s statue. I just couldn’t believe it that there it was in all its glory. I returned to Vienna and the following year, I came back to Goa with two music professors, sponsored by the Austrian Embassy to perform a concert at the foot of the statue. The people of Siolim, especially the Friends of Beethoven, laid out rugs for children to sit comfortably and enjoy the music,” says Dr Marialena, who is back to perform in Siolim after the pandemic.
This year, the love for Beethoven will continue on October 26 at Pinta Shapai Niwas, Gaunsavaddo, Siolim, from 6 pm onwards with special performances by Marialena, Sonia Shirsat, Kim Costa, Alexyz and Shalom, a musical ensemble of Mapusa and Siolim singers. Noite de Beethoven will also be dedicated to the 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence. Goa’s eminent poet Anita Pinto will recite a poem celebrating the anniversary. ”I will be performing a traditional fado and mando and there is a fantastic line up of musicians and singers and I am excited to meet and perform with all of them, especially Dr Marialena,” says Fadista Sonia Shirsat.
The chief guest for the function will be Christopher Gomes, proprietor of Furtado’s Music Shop in Panjim. Alexyz will do a presentation of three off beat caricature paintings for Dr Marialena, Christopher and Sonia. “The main theme is Beethoven and the music will revolve around his works. There will be fados and mandos by Sonia and the Shalom ensemble will perform pop songs. Together with all the participants, we will have a special performance, ‘Ode to Joy’ which is the ninth symphony of Beethoven,” says Dr Marialena.
Since 2015, Dr Marialena conceived the project, ‘The Quest for Passion’ which is a collaboration platform for musicians from Europe and India, involving the talented youth discussing diverse artistic themes. She recently performed at a house-full concert in Delhi in collaboration with the Indian and Austrian embassies which proclaimed ‘50 years: Marialena Fernandes as a bridge between Austria and India’. She completed her doctorate in ‘Konkani Songs’ in 2013, which brought her closer to her Goan roots. After the death of her parents, she went searching the world for documents about her ancestry and found them in Robert E Brown Center for World Music in Illinois, USA.
Limited tickets are available at Furtado’s, Panjim, Simonia’s Porvorim, P V Vaz Mapusa, Cafe Bonita, Siolim, Literati, Calangute and at the venue.
