Comments on: Beethoven’s Fur Elise and Viral Marketing

By: Jill Browne

Jill Browne — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:35:33 +0000

I had not heard Für Elise until my piano teacher decided I should learn it. The first time, therefore, was while seated on a piano bench beside him, hearing the song played just for me.

Ditto Gymnopédie No. 1, Moonlight Sonata, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, etc., etc.

What does this say about viral marketing?

Perhaps this, which applies to marketing generally: quality matters, especially in the long run.

By: Seamus Anthony

Seamus Anthony — Wed, 26 May 2010 13:29:59 +0000

hey thanks – now I have the bloody tune in my head but yes good points. Love the “dodgy personal life” crack.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:34:07 +0000

How funny! I’m at Suite101 too, and similarly, one of my top page-view getters isn’t in my main topic either. It’s something about music! http://musicappreciation.suite101.com/article.cfm/piano_lessons_for_children to be exact.

During the school year, it’s usually in my “top 20,” despite that I have around 300 articles there. Funny world, huh?

By: Stephanie Golden

Stephanie Golden — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:30:54 +0000

I played Fur Elise as a not very proficient child piano student. And my theory is that its popularity rests on the fact that it’s the only piece of “real music” you get to play at that level, since it’s the only one that’s easy enough. You can feel all the gratification of playing *Beethoven* instead of being stuck in those kid pieces. I remember a Mozart minuet, but I think that was simplified.