Nationality:
German
Born:
Bonn,
Baptized December 17th
1770
Died:
Vienna,
March
26th
1827
Type
of music: Symphonies,
String quartets, Piano
concertos, Piano sonatas
Main
works: 9
symphonies including no.6 (Pastoral), 32 piano sonatas including no.8
(Pathetique), 5 piano concertos
While
Mozart lived under the constraints of the classical period, Ludwig
Van Beethoven came of age during the French revolution. This was a
time of vast social changes and political unrest, which would shape
Beethoven's work immeasurably. He worked with the classical
traditions but remained an individual in a changing world. The
Romantic era was coming.
Beethoven
was born into a musical family, although by around the age of 9 or 10
he was taught by the organist Christian Neefe, who helped him write
and publish his very first compositions, a set of keyboard variations
which were published in 1783. In 1787, Neefe also sent Beethoven to
Vienna to have lessons with Mozart and in 1792, He travelled to
Vienna again for lessons with Haydn, and he settled there.
Beethoven
quickly made a name for himself and by 1795 he had given his first
public concert, during which he played a newly composed piano
concerto of his own. A year later he had composed and published a set
of piano trios and three piano sonatas. Although Beethoven was using
classical traditions, his music was emotive and full of passion, seen
his first symphony composed in 1800.
By
1802, Beethoven came to terms with his hearing loss and would
eventually become deaf. His romantic nature would make him continue
to compose and achieve as much as possible in his lifetime. His
anguish and despair seems to be apparent in his work, for example in
symphony no.3, which contains a funeral march.
Beethoven
composed one opera, 'fidelio', a story of the French revolution,
although after it's debut in 1805, Beethoven continued composing
instrumental music due to it being unsuccessful.
In
1808, Beethoven's symphonies no.5 and no.6 were premièred at the
same concert. Symphony no.6 was innovative for its programmatic
content, as it depicted various scenes in Austrian country life. This
was a trait that would help define music in the romantic era.
Unlike
Haydn, Beethoven was not employed under the service of one family,
but he did have many patrons to gave him financial security. The
famous 'emperor' piano concerto no.5 is dedicated to one of these
patrons, Archduke Rudolph.
By
1818 Beethoven was withdrawing himself from public life, after
becoming completely deaf. He continued to compose. Some of his most
introspective and emotive work appeared after this time, including
his last three piano sonatas. Between 1822-24, Beethoven composed his
infamous Choral symphony, which was unique for the vocal setting in
it's final movement.
"Nature
would burst should she attempt to produce nothing save Beethovens”
- Schumann
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