The Life and Times of Ludwig Van Beethoven 1770-1827

Ludwig van Beethoven German composer Born December 16, 1770 in Bonn, Germany Died March 26, 1827 Wrote symphonies, string quartets, concerti, sonatas, ballets, opera Musical genius and revolutionary

Beethoven’s Childhood Family of musicians Showed talent at an early age His alcoholic father hoped to exploit him as a child prodigy and make money off of Beethoven’s talent Went to Vienna, Austria in 1787 Studied with Haydn starting in 1792

Tragedy Strikes 1801: the onset of Beethoven’s deafness No longer performed publicly Continued to compose the music he heard in his head

As a Composer Three distinct periods: Early (1792-1802) heavily influenced by the styles of Mozart and Haydn restrained and conservative Beethoven was “taking in” the music of his time and finding his own voice Middle (1802-1816) heroic, bold, original “fiercely independent” Late (1820-1826) greater depth and complexity more introspective and reflective

Musical Freedom Aristocracy respected Beethoven and treated him as an equal As a result, Beethoven didn’t need to depend on a wealthy patron for his income, which meant he was able to write only what he wanted to write, not compositions ordered by an archbishop or king

Struggle with Deafness Liberty and the French Revolution Struggle with Deafness Failed Romances Republicanism and the American Revolution Beethoven’s Musical Influences Brotherhood of Man Religious Beliefs Nature Breaking with Tradition Freedom

Composing Isn’t Always Easy Beethoven was certainly a musical genius, but that doesn’t mean he was able to get his ideas down on paper easily (like Mozart) Many of Beethoven’s notebooks and manuscripts have numerous corrections, blots, and scratched out sections Think about students you know who do well in school or at sports. Do you think it is easy for them? What does Beethoven's example show us about perceptions?

Beethoven’s Contributions to Music To name a few… Stretched Classical forms to their limits Lengthened symphony and sonata forms Increased the size of the orchestra Explored new harmonic relationships Used voices in a symphony Made the music about emotions and self-expression!