- Three Bs
"The Three "B"s" is an
English-language phrase derived from a similar phrase, in German, coined byHans von Bülow . The phrase is generally used in discussions of classical music, and refers to the supposed primacy ofJohann Sebastian Bach ,Ludwig van Beethoven , andJohannes Brahms in the field.Origins
The origins of the phrase lie in a
pun composed by Bülow to a friend. He wrote that"Mein musikalisches Glaubensbekenntniss steht in Es dur, mit drei B-en in der Vorzeichnung: Bach, Beethoven, und Brahms!" [Slonimsky, p. 99]
"B", in German, stands for the key ofB-flat ; because the flat symbol resembles a lower-case "b", it may also refer to any flat. Consequently, the remark may be translated, roughly, asMy musical
Bülow had been attracted to the idea of a sort ofcreed is in the key ofE-flat major, and contains three flats in itskey signature : Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms!Holy Trinity of classical music for a number of years, writing in the 1880s,I believe in Bach, the Father, Beethoven, the Son, and Brahms, the
He further linked Beethoven and Brahms by referring to the latter's First Symphony as Beethoven's Tenth.Holy Ghost of music. [Slonimsky, p. 99]Richard Wagner once proposed an alternate candidate for the third of the three "B"s; this wasAnton Bruckner , a devoted Wagnerian. The appellation never took, and today Brahms retains his place in the trinity.Usage
Although the phrase "the three "B"s" is generally associated with classical music, it may be found in the vocabulary of other disciplines as well. There are, for instance, three "B"s of bassing [http%3a//www.bassdozer.com/articles/three-b.shtml] , and three "B"s of learning [ [http://www.loyola.edu/campuslife/sophomoreinitiative/three_b Welcome to Sophomore Initiatives ] ] . Generally speaking, however, the three "B"s of music are the most frequently cited.
Notes and references
*Nicolas Slonimsky , "Slonimsky's Book of Musical Anecdotes". New York; Schirmer Books, 1998.External links
* [http://www.geocities.com/dsgmusic/Scavenger_Hunt_3Bs.htm A "3 "B"s" scavenger hunt] (note that this is a flawed website, and gives some false information)
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