Ludwig van Beethoven   

 Ludwig van Beethoven, baptised 17^th December 1770 in Bonn of Germany, is one of the best-known composers of all time. He wrote for many different instruments, including  the pianoforte and string ensembles and was also a celebrated performer.  His influence on music was important because, as a highly passionate and effective composer, he paved the way for composers to express their deepest thoughts and feelings.  His music forms a bridge between the stricter Classical and freer Romantic periods.

            Beethoven came from a family of musicians.  He was the oldest brother of three surviving children.  He showed musical talent from a young age and learnt viola, organ and piano from his father, who was a singer.  His father was a cruel man and a harsh teacher, making Beethoven practice often all through the night. When Beethoven was 16, his mother died tragically.  Beethoven escaped from his father with his younger brothers, working as a tutor for a wealthy family.  The loss of his family was very important to Beethoven and it effected the raging, surging emotion in his music.

            At 17 years, Beethoven visited Vienna where the famous composer Wolfgang Mozart heard his performance.  Mozart is recorded to have said, “He will give the world something worth listening to”.  Beethoven certainly lived up to this expectation.

            In 1792, Beethoven received support and publicity from another famous German composer, Joseph Haydn.  Haydn taught Beethoven for a short time.  Haydn praised Beethoven’s music and virtuoso skills, writing to the ruler of Cologne who then sponsored Beethoven’s performances in front of the noblemen of Vienna.  Beethoven was welcomed into the social circles of the royal families and treated as an equal by many of the aristocratic families.  This was unusual, as composers had been treated as simple workers before Beethoven.  The wealthy people listened enthusiastically to Beethoven’s’ first compositions, which were for small ensembles with piano.

            Strangely, although Beethoven was very popular, the wealthy families were not quick to provide financial support.  He fell into debt at the same time as he was experiencing another significant loss.  His hearing began to fail. 

From 1796, Beethoven gradually became deaf.  He was unable to hear and enjoy music or conversation.  He withdrew from people, becoming irritable and cross.  He had a world of music in his mind that he wrote down to express the raging feelings and sometimes the longing for beauty and friendship that he experienced.  Sadly, and incredibly, he could not hear performances of the amazing music he wrote.  Initially, he used devices, such as a large stick that he held in his mouth one end and attached to the piano soundboard at the other.  This helped him sense more of the sounds.  However, he suffered deeply from his loss.  He cried at the Premier of his Ninth Symphony when he was physically turned around and he realised he was unable to hear the enormous applause. 

        Beethoven’s deafness meant that he left behind an unusual treasure that gives understanding about Beethoven’s thoughts and about how he wanted his pieces performed.  To communicate, Beethoven used a collection of notebooks.  These record his conversations with a group of devoted friends.  They show his inside world of troubled thoughts.  Beethoven left a reputation for being difficult to get along with.  It seems Beethoven longed to be treated with respect and grieved deeply as a result of much physical pain and personal loss.  His music would probably have been very different if he had not been such a passionate man. 

Beethoven died from pneumonia in 1827, leaving a range of musical styles, developing themes and concepts of the Classical period and extending them into more unified and longer forms.  He wrote for chamber instruments, symphonies, piano solo, vocal song and opera.  He sometimes sketched the progression and form of a piece before he decided on the melody. 

        The development of his musical style is divided into three periods.  Pieces of the first period, to around 1802, imitate and expand on the works of the Classical composers such as Haydn and Mozart.  The first twenty Piano Sonatas (e.g. Pathetique, Moonlight) are from this period.  The second period, around 1803 to 1814, are marked by the feelings of tragedy that were brought on by his progressive loss of hearing.  Among other works, seven Piano Sonatas were composed at this time (e.g. Appasionata, Waldstein).  The final period, 1815 onwards, are considered to be intellectual and creative.  Beethoven wrote very mysterious and complex music in this latter time.  Most of his music from the last period was not understood and was not played until the next musical era (the 20^th Century).

        Beethoven’s music is best known for its complexity and wholeness.  He brought out previously unknown characteristics and sounds from instruments such as the piano and violin.  His music is the expression of a deeply passionate soul.           

Last modified: April 13, 2009