1. Changing the Purpose of Music
Ludwig van Beethoven
Changing the Purpose of Music

2. Beethoven’s Beginnings (1770-1827)
German pianist, trained by his father, who wanted him to be the “next Mozart”.
His father was a brutal teacher
Young Beethoven was made to practice for hours each day
His father beat him when he made mistakes and sometimes locked him in a cellar as punishment
Average in school as a child
Not good at math or spelling
May have been dyslexic
"Music comes to me more readily than words."

3. Career as a Composer First piano composition at age 12
Was sent to Vienna at the time Mozart was there
Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph II - earliest masterpiece, but for unknown reasons was not played at the funeral.
Studied piano with Haydn, vocal composition with Salieri, in Vienna.
First became famous as a piano virtuoso giving performances and impressive improvisations.
His talent and hard work studying with master composers in Vienna paid off and his composition were wildly popular.

4. Beethoven’s Greatest Contribution to Music
Beethoven is often considered the greatest composer of all time
Has been called the Shakespeare of music
Beethoven composed his most beautiful and extraordinary music while deaf
He believed music should create an emotional state in the listener - an idea that is still central to music today.
From “Immortal Beloved”:

5. “Immortal Beloved”
Beethoven never married or had children. He was, however, desperately in love with a woman - possibly a married woman named Antonie Brentano.
Over the course of two days in July of 1812, Beethoven wrote an unknown woman a long and beautiful love letter that he never sent.
It was addressed, “to you, my Immortal Beloved”.
The 1994 movie Immortal Beloved is based on this mystery.

6. Was Beethoven Metal?
Listen to this “Metal Version” of the 3rd movement of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata:
Now, compare it to Beethoven’s original piano arrangement:
Do you think Beethoven was “Metal” for his time period?