Guernsey Post is delighted to announce the release of commemorative stamps to mark the 250^thanniversary of the birth of Ludwig Van Beethoven, who is believed to be the most frequently performed classical music composer in the world. The first of four stamps will be released on 21 January 2020.

Each of the four stamps depicts the great composer in different art forms, along with the logo BTHVN, an abbreviation thought to have been used by Beethoven on some of his musical scores.

In a change to Guernsey’s usual issues, the stamps will be released on four dates, each with a First Day Cover. The full set of stamps will be presented as a souvenir sheet, which, along with a Presentation Pack and a Prestige booklet, will be issued on 28 October 2020.

Stamp one: – This depicts a large bronze statue of Beethoven, which stands on the Münsterplatz in Bonn, Beethoven’s birthplace.  The monument was unveiled on 12 August 1845 in memory of Beethoven’s 75th birthday and on the occasion of the first Beethovenfest. The music, which appears on the right of the stamp, is taken from one of his most famous pieces of work – Symphony No. 5 in C Minor –, which features across three of the stamps.

Bridget Yabsley, head of philatelic at Guernsey Post said: – “We are absolutely thrilled to commemorate the birth of Beethoven 250 years ago with our series of stamps. He is considered by many to be one of the most admired and influential composers who ever lived, successfully overseeing the transition of music from the Classical to the Romantic style.

“By releasing this series over the course of the year, between January and October 2020, we are hoping to encourage new collectors by providing them with the opportunity of collecting a small series.”

The first stamp is available to order at www.guernseystamps.com or by calling Philatelic Customer Services on +44 (0) 1481 716486.