Beethovens Eroica
In April of 1805, Ludwig Van Beethoven finished his third symphony. It was the time of the French Revolution and Napoleon.Beethoven, a poor, lower-middle class musician living in Bonn, Germany, was affected by the Revolution, as was the rest of European citizens. Napoloen as looked up to during these times. Beethoven believed Napoleon to be "Unique among leaders inhis concern for oridnary people." The idea of composing a heroic symphony to honor Napoleon was first suggested in 1789. Despite the fact that Beethoven has a growing dissatisfaction with the course of the Revolution, he began the composition of the symphony. Beethoven composed the symphony during May and November of 1803. A
On May 18, 1804, Napoleon crowned himself Emperor. The last movement was a set of variations on a theme from Beethoven's bellet "The Creatures of Prometheus. It hasbeen said that words cannot describe the symphony. t this time, the symphony was still to be dedicated in honor of Napleon,but it soon evolved into a symphony not about Napoleon's heroism, but it developed into a symphony about heroism in a "Promethean sense. Fourteen years after the work was premiered, a close friend of Beethoven's asked Beethoven which of the eight sumphonies at the time was his favorite. Players, listeners, and critics found the work extraordinarly difficult. The frustration that was caused with the hearing loss served only to reinforcethe revolutionary aspects of his artistic personality. He will exalt himself above all others and become a tyrant!" Beethoven went to the table, took his neatly printed copy of his "heroic sumphony" and tore the title page in two then threw it on the floor. In classical symphonys it was unusual to find a "funeral march" in place of a song-like slowmovement. The first movement was twice as long as any other piece of music written before. He unhesitantingly replied, "The Eroica. " Never before in history of music had a composers produced such a revolutionary work. It was clear from the beginning that this was no ordinary symphony. He then began to rewrite the symphony, then titleingin "Sinfonia Eroica.
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