Was Something Wrong with Beethoven’s Metronome?

Abstract

athematicians and scientists seldom rest easy when the numbers are not right.The search for understanding is never far from mind.In many ways, this is why mathematics is so much fun.Similarly, conductors and musicians, who immediately recognize wrong notes, are perplexed by Beethoven's metronome markings.Some of his tempo markings, even on many of his most popular classics, have been considered so fast as to be impossible to play.What is the problem?Why?The pianist and musicologist Peter Stadlen , who devoted many years to studies of Beethoven's markings, regarded sixty-six out of a total of 135 important markings as absurdly fast and thus possibly wrong [1], [2].Indeed, many if not most of Beethoven's markings have been ignored by latter day conductors and recording artists.This situation is all the more puzzling since Beethoven himself was a strong proponent of the metronome and took the instrument to heart when it first came into his hands about 1816.He even expressed satisfaction that finally his intentions as

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