Ludwig van Beethoven

Modern Impressions:

Impressions of Beethoven’s Contemporaries:

MozartCarl Czerny Christian Gottlob Neefe

◦Bonn, Germany: December 17, 1770- March 26, 1827

◦Composer and Pianist◦Between the Classical and Romantic eras◦Major Works: 9 symphonies, 5 concertos for piano, 32 piano sonatas, 16 string quartets, 1 opera (Fidelio), 1 mass (Missa solemnis), etc.

◦Teachers: Father, Johann van Beethoven and Christian Gottlob Neefe

◦Child prodigy? Dispute about age

Highlights:◦1781: Starts lessons with Neefe in Bonn◦1782: First publication--Piano Variations on a March by

Dressler◦1787: Vienna and Mozart◦1792: Vienna and Haydn◦1795: First Public Concert: Burgtheater in Vienna---he

plays the B-flat Major Piano Concerto (No. 2) ◦1796: Travels with patron Prince Lichnowsky to Prague,

Dresden, Leipzig, and on to Berlin (performances)◦1799:Famous Piano Duel◦1800: First Concert of own music in the Hoftheater◦1818: Nephew comes to live with him; use of

conversation notebooks◦1824: Premiere of Ninth Symphony

Beethoven as a composer Improvising at Piano and Composing in the sketches

◦Piano duel 1799 (Joseph Wölffl)◦Pocket Sketchbooks ◦Conversation Books

Ideas of Periodization and Maturity◦Early Years

First Maturity (1792-1802)◦Middle Period (“Heroic”)

Second Maturity (1802-1812)◦“Late” Beethoven

Final Maturity (1813-1827)Composer Narratives

◦Crisis and creativity◦Deafness

Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony◦ Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, op. 67◦ Composed in 1804–1808◦ Four-movement form

Vienna, Theater an der Wien, 1808 E. T. A. Hoffman wrote a famous review of the symphony where he described it as "one of the most important works of the time."

Short-short-short-Long motif

Sonata Form:

◦(Introduction)◦Exposition◦Development◦Recapitulation◦Coda◦http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRgXUFnfKIY

Discussion Questions:◦1) What is the meaning of the opening motif?

Can we associate it with biography? Fate knocking at the door (Schindler) Secret? Struggle? (polar harmonies) Bitter lamenting? Fear and Horror? Variety?

Can we hear “Beethoven” in this work?◦Narratives of Crisis and Triumph ◦Onset of hearing loss / Deafness?

Interpretations change throughout history