beethoven

Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany in 1770. His father, a music enthusiast, dreamed of molding his son into the next Mozart. Beethoven never showed the impressive characteristics of Mozart, but he was unusually talented, learning the piano, organ and violin at a very early age. At 14, he was already skilled enough on the organ to receive a professional appointment (Beethoven). He held positions as an assistant organist in the electoral chapel where he obtained his first lessons in composition from the court organist. His family life was chaotic; his father was an alcoholic, and his mother died suddenly when he was only 17. After that tragedy, his family situation declined even more, and this caused him to leave home in 1790 and travel to Vienna to study composition.

In Vienna, Beethoven first studied with Franz Joseph Haydn, but eventually became frustrated with the great composer's teaching methods and he moved on to study with other composers. He performed often in wealthy

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Beethoven has traditionally been referred to as music's "bridge to romanticism," and his major works consist of 9 symphonies, 7 concertos (5 for piano), 17 string quartets, 32 piano sonatas, 10 sonatas for violin and piano, 5 sonatas for cello and piano, an opera, 2 masses, several overtures, and numerous sets of piano variations (Winter 2).

Before Beethoven struck the new note of romance in music, songwriters generally used one of two patterns for their songs: (1) the simple folk-song pattern in which the same melody is repeated for each stanza of the poem, and which is called a strophic song; or (2) the elaborate pattern of arias in the Italian style of singing which is full of runs and trills (McGehee 406). After Beethoven improvised brilliantly at the piano on a theme Mozart had given to him, the 30year-old Mozart ran excitedly into the next room and prophetically told his friends, "Watch that fellow - someday he'll really make a name for himself!" (Grunfeld 76).

Early in the 19th century, as his career was reaching its peak, Beethoven began to realize that he was growing deaf. Although his first published examples of concertos and trios and the first two symphonies are beneath the masterpieces of Mozart and Haydn, the piano sonatas bear an unmistakably Beethovian stamp: grandiose in scope and length, and innovative in their range of expression. This dreaded misfortune grew so quickly that it threw the composer into deep depression making it nearly impossible for him to conduct and perform his works.

Ludwig van Beethoven was a fascinating and influential composer for so many reasons. While they composed their Masses, they had before them the greatest example: Beethoven's simple yet grand Solemn Mass in D (McGehee 294). He died seven years later, in great emotional pain and resentment for the power that had robbed him of his ability to enjoy his own music.

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. By 1820 he was completely deaf, and he became a recluse. These resources allowed him to create the highly structured works that appealed largely to the free Romantic spirit and his music began what is better called "Beethovenism" rather than Romanticism (Beethoven). He cut back his public appearances and communication, eventually resorting to a notebook to communicate with his inner circle of friends and colleagues (Beethoven). The sonatas were able to move expression from terrible rage to peals of laughter to deep depression so suddenly. These Romantic composers were inspired while writing religious music.

Common topics in this essay:
Mozart Haydn, Mozart Beethoven, Mass McGehee, Mozart Vienna, , Joseph Haydn, Bach Handel, Beethoven Romantic, Bonn Germany, Johannes Brahms, piano sonatas, deep depression, mozart haydn, 19th century, van beethoven, ludwig van, ludwig van beethoven,

Approximate Word count = 895
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

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