Ludwig van Beethoven “Ode to Joy” By, Jason Anderson

Overview Beethoven’s Biography Composition History Listening Guide: ” Ode to Joy”

Biography Born in Bonn, Germany December 16th Father (Johann) tries to exploit Beethoven as prodigy Beethoven was sent to C.G. Neefe By age 12, subs as court organist In 1787 he went out to seek for more musical opportunities in Vienna The principle reason of this paper is to investigate the life of Ludwig Van Beethoven. Ludwig Van Beethoven was born on the 16th of December 1770 in Germany. He was brought into the musical world at a very young age. His father Johann felt that it would be best to get his son started in music as soon as possible. Beethoven came from a family that appreciated music; his father and also his grandfather were passionate about music and wanted him to have the same passion. Beethoven was taught the fundamentals of music from his father, he was also taught to play a variety of instruments from his father who was very strict and hard on his son when it came to playing music. Though his father was rigid and very stern on Beethoven he loved music and was very gifted. His father wanted him to be a phenomenon and was limited in his musical teaching abilities and so sent his young son to those who could teach him and help him expand his musical talents. Beethoven was sent to C.G. Neefe to learn as much as he could; it was Neefe who helped the young Beethoven in 1783 to put together his first extant composition. Beethoven was so musically gifted that by the age of 11 he became the assistant to Neefe. While in his stay with Neefe he learned to play the piano, violin, and the organ. Beethoven remained with Neefe and learned from him till the age of 11 when he wanted to pursue other opportunities to further his musical career.

Biography Beethoven to Vienna While in Vienna for a short time Beethoven heard of his mother being ill and returned home to Bonn for a period of about five years. Performs for aristocracy First public performance, 1795 1798 Deafness begins In 1787 he went out to seek for more musical opportunities in Vienna and also to display his great musical talents. It was said that Beethoven was going to study with Mozart while in Vienna but there is no reliable account of his trip to Vienna. While in Vienna for a short time Beethoven heard of his mother being ill and returned home to Bonn for a period of about five years. He continued to play in a theater orchestra while he was home, by doing so he made several acquaintances, one of those acquaintances was the Bruenings. “The Breunings' house became for him a second home, far more congenial than his own. Through Mme von Breuning, Beethoven acquired a number of wealthy pupils. His most useful social contact came in 1788 with the arrival in Bonn of Ferdinand, Graf (count) von Waldstein, a member of the highest Viennese aristocracy and a music lover. Waldstein became a member of the Breuning circle, where he heard Beethoven play and at once became his devoted admirer.” (Budden)

Composition History Early Works Late works Incorporation of Classical Style Music Six quartets, op.18 First symphony (1799) Three piano sonatas Personal struggles Deafness Began as tinnitus (buzzing in ears) Lived as a recluse Important period Ninth Symphony – 1823 Missa solemnis – 1824 Late quartets and sonatas The affects of his younger years began to catch up with him as he aged. Because of the earlier years with his father and some of the things that he had suffered he was having difficulties with his hearing. This had a very profound impact on his music that he wrote and composed. His music was not the only thing that was being affected in his life due to his hearing; his social life was also beginning to be affected. Relationships that he had built and created began to diminish because he was not able to function as he did before and it created a lot of stain and hardships on his relationships. Beethoven was also frustrated with his relationships with women; he had always wanted to have a family but was not able to realize this dream and perhaps was constantly meeting failures when it came to this aspect of his life. Through these tragedies Beethoven was able to accomplish the greatest musical pieces of his life. He created multiple symphonies, compositions, concerts, operas, quartets, and sonatas. Amidst all of his frustrations and perhaps personal failures and struggles Beethoven at this point in his life was able to become the greatest musician of his era.

Composition of Symphony # 9 “The earliest conceived idea of Symphony 9 was the idea to set Schiller's Ode to Joy to music. This idea emerged as early as 1793. He had always admired Schiller, and some of his piano sonatas of the first period were possibly based on some of Schiller's essays (e.g. the Pathètique Sonata in C Minor, Opus 13, 1799). One of his sketchbooks from 1811 shows that Ode to Joy would become a cantata, rather than become integrated within an orchestral work. On the other hand, Beethoven had plans to write a ninth and a tenth symphony.” (Bonnie Koo) Though the completion of this work was completed in 1824, “The earliest conceived idea of Symphony 9 was the idea to set Schiller's Ode to Joy to music. This idea emerged as early as 1793. He had always admired Schiller, and some of his piano sonatas of the first period were possibly based on some of Schiller's essays (e.g. the Pathètique Sonata in C Minor, Opus 13, 1799). One of his sketchbooks from 1811 shows that Ode to Joy would become a cantata, rather than become integrated within an orchestral work. On the other hand, Beethoven had plans to write a ninth and a tenth symphony.” (Bonnie Koo)

Composition of Symphony # 9 ”As in the Ninth Symphony, the vocal forces sing a theme first played instrumentally, and this theme is highly reminiscent of the corresponding theme in the Ninth Symphony. Going further back, an earlier version of the Choral Fantasy theme is found in the song "Gegenliebe" ("Returned Love"), for piano and high voice, which dates from 1794.” (Knowledgerush) There were other pieces of Beethoven’s music that he had previously completed that he used as a part of the symphony, one such example is that of The Choral Fantasy which happens to be a worked that he completed in 1808 and was a piano concerto. He worked fervently on finding pieces of music to bring all the elements of this symphony together; one element that proved to bring difficulty to Beethoven was when he decided to bring in the vocal part of the symphony. ”As in the Ninth Symphony, the vocal forces sing a theme first played instrumentally, and this theme is highly reminiscent of the corresponding theme in the Ninth Symphony. Going further back, an earlier version of the Choral Fantasy theme is found in the song "Gegenliebe" ("Returned Love"), for piano and high voice, which dates from 1794.” (Knowledgerush)

Composition of Symphony # 9 On May 7th, 1824 he brought this brilliant piece of music together in the Karntnertortheater in Vienna. The first movement of this piece is in the Sonata form The second movement was a scherzo, this is often used in the largest part of the symphony The first movement of this piece is in the Sonata form, this type of form is often used at the beginning pieces of a composition when there are more to follow. This type of form was also most commonly used in the early classical era. The second movement was a scherzo, this is often used in the largest part of the symphony. The third movement of the symphony was the lyrical and slower section of his music, and finally the fourth movement begins as Allegro and puts a finish on the first movement and the third movement.

Composition of Symphony # 9 The third movement of the symphony was the lyrical and slower section of his music fourth movement begins as Allegro and puts a finish on the first movement and the third movement

Listening Guide EXPOSITION Beethoven symphony # 9 With Choir in D Minor Title: Ode to Joy Album: Classical best of artist, Beethoven EXPOSITION Beethoven symphony # 9 With Choir in D Minor Title: Ode to Joy Album: Classical best of artist, Beethoven

4th movement 0:00—00:15 the symphony opens with Flutes or piccolos performing theme one in the exposition. The flutes are played softly till theme 2 when it comes in very powerfully 0:16 Theme 2 is Introduced by strings and singing with comes in very powerful and is performed at a forte level 0:16-1:06 conclusion of singing and followed out by the string and winds. 1:06- 1:30 French horns and men choir singing, plays at a slower beat then the previous themes. 1:31 intro to women singing and strings, join by men’s choir and 1:31-1:56 singing and strings

4th movement 1:57- 2:20 men singing accompanied by French horns at a slower and at a Mezzo Forte. 2:21- 2:46 Choir of women, men, and the orchestra playing the strings 2:47-3:04 light winds (flutes), plays slowly and picks up and then uses morendo to finish the theme. 3:05-4:00 Chorus brought back in added in horns around 3:31 4:01- 4:12 S Winds working up gradually 4:13- 4:32 winds accompanied by (altos) vocals singing

4th movement 4:33- 6:01Horns and altos come in at forte and added in strings, tenors and bass at the end of the them to tie it all up at 6:00 6:02-6:47 Lows strings and choir come in gradually ascending to approx 6:19 only to descend at approx 6:24. .

4th movement 6:48 Played in Allegro form the strings come in presto, Tenor comes in and then is joined by alto and bass performers.7:24 picks up speed again, 7:33 drums, begins to slow down at 7:40 8:00 same theme begins to pick up speed, in this 4th movement is when the kettle drums start to be used. The drums enter in at7:33 and are used in different intervals

4th movement 8:15- 9:11 the orchestra drops out only to have a few strings to join the quartet of voices. 9:12 - 10:20 intro of strings gaining speed, joined by orchestra at 9:19 and the choir joining at 9:22 10:20-10:56 Comes slows down only to pick back up for a powerful finish from the orchestra having all the strings, horns, and drums involved in the last cadences.

Works cited for Biography Budden, Julian. "Ludwig van Beethoven Biography". May 26 2010 <http://www.biography.com/articles/Ludwig-van-Beethoven-9204862?part=0 >.

Works cited Composition of symphony # 9 "Ludwig van Beethoven Biography". Copyright © Bonnie Koo, 1997.. May 26, 2010 <http://www.biography.com/articles/Ludwig-van-Beethoven-9204862?part=0 >. "Beethoven/symphony 9". Knowledgerush © 2009. May 26 2010 <http://www.biography.com/articles/Ludwig-van-Beethoven-9204862?part=0 >.