Transcript Beethovenx

Ludwig van Beethoven
1770-1827
Classical/Romantic
Composer
* learned music from his father (piano and violin)
* did not have a happy childhood (father’s alcoholism)
* received no education beyond elementary school;
knew almost nothing about math
* at 19, went to court for custody of his brothers; sued
for half his father’s salary
* met Haydn in London, later studied with him
in Vienna
* also studied with Antonio Salieri
* in 1800, first public concert to make $$$
* in 1815, sued for custody of his nephew Karl
* totally deaf by 1818; continued to compose
until his death
Beethoven listening test:
1. Symphony No. 5
- short short short long
2. For Elise
- only piano, pretty or delicate
3. Symphony No. 3 “Eroica”
- Heroic, for Napoleon
- first ROMANTIC piece of music
- starts three times
4. Moonlight Sonata
- only piano
- sad
- constant triplets
5. Symphony No. 6 (“Pastoral”), 4th Movement
- “pastoral” refers to nature
- This movement sounds like a gathering
thunderstorm.
6. Piano Sonata No. 8 (“Pathetique”)
- only piano
- sad
- no triplets
7. Symphony No. 9 (“Ode to Joy”)
- Gotterfunken!
- lyrics from Schiller’s famous poem about
world peace
Beethoven was from Bonn, Germany