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Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. He was the
most crucial figure in the transitional period between the Classical
and Romantic eras in Western classical music, and remains one of the
most famous and influential composers of all time.
Born in Bonn, which was then capital of the Electorate of Cologne and a part
of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation in present-day Germany, he moved
to Vienna in his early twenties and settled there, studying with Joseph Haydn
and quickly gaining a reputation as a virtuoso pianist. His hearing began to
deteriorate in the late 1790s, yet he continued to compose, conduct, and perform,
even after becoming completely deaf.
Beethoven is acknowledged as one of the giants of classical music; occasionally
he is referred to as one of the "three Bs" (along with Bach and Brahms) who epitomize
that tradition. He was also a pivotal figure in the transition from 18th century
musical classicism to 19th century romanticism, and his influence on subsequent
generations of composers was profound.
Beethoven composed in several musical genres, and for a variety of instrument
combinations. His works for symphony orchestra include nine symphonies (the Ninth
Symphony includes a chorus), and about a dozen pieces of "occasional" music.
He wrote nine concerti for one or more soloists and orchestra, as well as four
shorter works that include soloists accompanied by orchestra. His only opera
is Fidelio; other vocal works with orchestral accompaniment include two masses
and a number of shorter works.
His large body of compositions for piano includes 32 piano sonatas and numerous
shorter pieces, including arrangements of some of his other works. Works with
piano accompaniment include 10 violin sonatas, 5 cello sonatas, and a sonata
for French horn, as well as numerous lieder. Beethoven also wrote a significant
quantity of chamber music. In addition to 16 string quartets, he wrote five works
for string quintet, seven for piano trio, five for string trio, and more than
a dozen works for a variety of combinations of wind instruments.
Beethoven's compositional career is usually divided into Early, Middle, and Late
periods. In this scheme, his early period is taken to last until about 1802,
the middle period from about 1803 to about 1814, and the late period from about
1815. In his Early period, Beethoven's work was strongly influenced by his predecessors
Haydn and Mozart. He also explored new directions and gradually expanded the
scope and ambition of his work. Some important pieces from the Early period are
the first and second symphonies, the set of six string quartets Opus 18, the
first two piano concertos, and the first dozen or so piano sonatas, including
the famous Pathétique sonata, Op. 13.
His Middle (Heroic) period began shortly after Beethoven's personal crisis brought
on by his recognition of encroaching deafness. It includes large-scale works
that express heroism and struggle. Middle-period works include six symphonies
(Nos. 3–8), the last three piano concertos, the Triple Concerto and violin concerto,
five string quartets (Nos. 7–11), several piano sonatas (including the Moonlight,
Waldstein and Appassionata sonatas), the Kreutzer violin sonata and Beethoven's
only opera, Fidelio.
Beethoven's Late period began around 1815. Works from this period are characterized
by their intellectual depth, their formal innovations, and their intense, highly
personal expression. The String Quartet, Op. 131 has seven linked movements,
and the Ninth Symphony adds choral forces to the orchestra in the last movement.
Other compositions from this period include the Missa Solemnis, the last five
string quartets (including the massive Große Fuge) and the last five piano sonatas.
* bio & image courtesy of Wikipedia
