The Life and Music of Beethoven

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Created on Saturday, 19 November 2011 00:17

Written by Kevin Ure

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Beethoven was born on December 17^th, 1770 in Bonn, Germany. His music consisted of highly expressive melodies, powerful rhythms and addressed universal human ideals. Acting as a catalyst for the birth of the Romantic period, Beethoven's compositions served as the basis for a new style of creative expression in music. Composers like Schumann, Chopin, Mendelssohn, and the virtuoso pianist, Liszt, further developed the Romantic style that Beethoven initiated.

Musical Compositions

Beethoven edited his works relentlessly. His ideas filled entire notebooks as he worked out each melody in great detail. The final versions of his compositions often only vaguely resembled the original conception. His notebooks include several erasures and edits, providing a valuable resource for later composers whom wish to learn about composition.

Early Period (1770 - 1802)

The early compositions of Beethoven resembled the works of Haydn and Mozart. His first and second symphonies followed Classical period norms and stylistically sounded similar to other composers of the time. Signs of Beethoven's originality did not truly begin to show until the creation of his third symphony. Beethoven lived primarily in Bonn, Germany, but moved to Vienna in 1792 to study music composition with the composer Franz Joseph Haydn. Originally, Beethoven had hoped to study with Mozart, but unfortunately, Mozart died shortly before in 1791.

Middle "Heroic" Period (1803 to 1812)

Beethoven created the majority of his compositions from 1803 to 1812. Throughout his middle period, he refined and developed his own personal voice. Emerging as a powerful force, he began to focus his efforts on substantial symphonic works. Beethoven reported to his friend, Jean-Baptiste Krumpholz that “from this day on, I shall take a new way.” Some of his most famous works from this period include the 3rd Symphony, "Eroica" and his one and only opera, "Fidelio."

Late Period (1813 to 1827)

During Beethoven's late period, his physical and mental well-being began to deteriorate. His hearing started to noticeably decline and he sought the use of several devices and tricks to try and improve his ability to hear his piano. One story tells of Beethoven cutting the legs off of his piano so that the instrument’s base laid flat on the ground. This enabled him to hear the vibrations of the piano through the floor. Yet, regardless of this considerable setback, Beethoven was still able to compose significant works during this period, including “Missa Solemnis,” the “9th Symphony,” and his late string quartets. The late string quartets had a high degree of dissonance that to our ears would sound like notes clashing with each other. When Beethoven was asked about the dissonance, he defended them by saying that they were not intended for the present concertgoer, but rather for a future generation.

Death (March 26^th, 1827)

One of Beethoven's last works was his final string quartet, "Opus 134." While unsubstantiated, it is claimed by Anton Scindler in his work, "Beethoven as I Knew Him: A Biography," that he worked on the quartet up until the last 12 days of his life. Beethoven died during a tumultuous and fierce thunderstorm in Vienna, Austria. The official cause of death was liver failure, but it is still uncertain what illness caused his liver to fail. There are two main thoughts behind the cause of his illness: alcohol consumption or accidental lead poisoning. Since his death, scientists have found large amounts of lead in his system, which lends some credence to the theory of lead poisoning. Beethoven had a substantial funeral with over 20,000 people in attendance and his music legacy still influences composers today.