©2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1 The Music of Beethoven

©2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2 “Probably no single composer has influenced the course of musical events more than Ludwig van Beethoven.” Effect on the musicians of his time and now Music continues to appeal to public Expanded works of Mozart and Haydn, increased power and expressiveness

©2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 3 Born in Bonn, Germany Father singer in court chapel choir and tried to exploit Beethoven as prodigy Age 12, substitute as court organist; later named assistant organist Known for virtuoso piano improvisations Haydn heard Beethoven play and urged Beethoven’s employer to send him to Vienna for music study Moved to Vienna at age 22 Retained popularity with general public and aristocracy Lived independently – not reliant on patronage system Middle class audiences provided concert and publishing revenues Performance career ended with onset of deafness Lived as a recluse at end of life Died at age 57 in Vienna

©2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 4 Output is limited compared to Mozart and Haydn Beethoven’s works are typically longer and content is more substantial than other music of the time Ideas did not come easily for Beethoven Constantly revised and rewrote works Beethoven viewed music as an art and only accepted commissions for works he wanted to complete

©2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 5 Beethoven’s Works 9 symphonies 9 overtures 1 violin and 5 piano concertos 16 string quartets 10 sonatas (violin and piano) 21 piano variation sets 1 opera and 1 oratorio 2 masses

©2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 6 I: Assimilation of Classical Style Six quartets First symphony Three piano sonatas II: Most productive and happy era “Rasoumovsky” string quartets Symphonies 2 – 8 Fidelio (only opera) Piano sonatas (including “Waldstein” and “Appassionata”) III: Less productive but perhaps most important period Great personal troubles, including deafness Developed musical ideas for the next style period Ninth Symphony Missa solemnis Late quartets & sonatas

©2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 7 Longer works than Mozart of Haydn Longer development sections in sonata form More development in codas Increased size of orchestra added string players made trumpets regular part of ensemble Added to craft of orchestration – utilizing instruments for expressive purposes

©2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 8 Mozart, Symph. no One flute Two oboes Two clarinets Two bassoons 0 Two horns 0 Five part strings Beethoven, Symph. no. 5 One piccolo Two flutes Two oboes Two clarinets Two bassoons Contrabassoon (fourth movement) Two horns Two trumpets Three trombones (fourth movement) Timpani Five part strings

©2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 9 Probably most popular of Beethoven’s symphonies Recognizable for its opening theme and its unity Introduced the idea of a common thread heard in all four movements cyclic form – a process used later by other Romantic composers Musical idea appearing in each movement is cyclic form – a process used later by other Romantic composers

©2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 10 Listening Guide Excerpt from CD 1, tracks 30-35, pp Symphony Allegro con brio (fast, with vigor and spirit) Sonata form Duple meter Orchestra Listen to the first theme and bridge from the exposition Notice the famous four notes (three short and one long) that are used in all movements

©2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 11 Listen to the movement on CD 4, Tracks 3-5, p. 158 Symphony Andante con moto (walking, with motion) Theme and variations Triple meter Orchestra This movement contains two themes Listen to the second theme with the three short/one long note motive:

©2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 12 Listening Guide Excerpt from CD 4, track 6, p. 159 Symphony Allegro tempo Scherzo and trio Triple meter Orchestra The scherzo is faster than the traditional third movement minuet Scherzo means “joke” – one could not dance a minuet to the movement Listen to the opening of the scherzo and trio: Notice three short and one long note motive enters 20 seconds into the movement

©2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 13 Listening Guide Excerpt from CD 4, track 7, p. 160 Symphony Allegro tempo Sonata form Qudaruple meter Orchestra + piccolo, contrabasson, trombones Follows traditional sonata form of exposition, development, and recapitulation Listen to the end of the recapitulation where the three short, one long note motive appears:

14 Harpsichord Strings are plucked Player cannot control dynamic changes Worked for baroque terrace dynamice, but not for classical dynamic versatility Piano Strings struck by hammers Player’s force determines dynamic level Becomes preferred keyboard instrument Originally called pianoforte (soft/loud) or fortepiano (loud/soft) Name later shortened to piano

©2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 15 Listening Guide Excerpt from CD 4, track, p. 162 Piano sonata Adagio sostentuo (sustained, leisurely pace) No regular repeated or contrasting sections Duple meter with triplets Solo piano Title “Moonlight” given by publisher, not Beethoven Listen to the opening of this popular sonata:

©2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 16 Texture Tonality Rhythm Melody Mood Dynamics Large Works Musical Instruments Formal Structures Symphonic Style Largely homophonic, but flexible with shifts to polyphony Major-minor system with frequent modulations to related keys; heavy dependence on tonic- dominant relationship Variety of rhythmic patterns within a work Composed of short, balanced phrases, melodic phrases often contrasted with each other Expression of variety of moods within a work and sudden changes of mood Gradual dynamic changes Sonata, symphony, concerto, string quartet, Mass, oratorio, opera Piano and violin favored for solo concerto; makeup of orchestra becomes standardized; development of orchestra favors symphonic works Sonata principle (multi- movement structure for large works); single- movement sonata form; rondo; minuet and trio; scherzo and trio; theme and variations; cadenza and double exposition used in concertos Follows four-movement plan, with first movement in sonata form; each movement self-contained; clarity and balance are major stylistic features