Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany. He was baptized on December 17, 1770, and died on March 26, 1827. His first music teacher was his father, and later he was taught by Christian Neefe. At age 21, he moved to Vienna, Austria, and studied with Joseph Haydn. He was first recognized as a child prodigy and a virtuoso pianist. He soon became a prolific composer and was widely recognized as a great composer during his lifetime and for centuries afterward. Today, Beethoven is still recognized as one of the greatest composers of the Classical era, bridging the Romantic era.
Beethoven wrote for a variety of instruments that were most commonly played in Western Europe during his lifetime. His piano repertoire features many works for solo piano, including two Sonatinas, 32 Sonatas (including the “Moonlight Sonata”), German and Country Dances, Bagatelles (including “Für Elise”), Écossaises, and other shorter works. For piano in ensemble, Beethoven wrote five piano Concertos (including the “Emperor Concerto”), seven Piano Trios (including the “Archduke”), three Piano Quartets (WoO 36), and one Piano Quintet.
In addition to works for piano, Beethoven composed some of the greatest symphonies ever written. His symphonies used the classical form but expanded it to create longer works. His late period of composition was highly innovative, although he continued to use classical forms. His rhythms, use of programmatic themes, and color were widely admired by later Romantic composers, who emulated his work to such an extent that Beethoven is regarded as having ushered in the Romantic era. His nine symphonies were written during his middle to late period, between 1800 and 1824.
Below are several videos that my students are encouraged to view for an introductory listening experience: The Third Movement, Rondo/Allegro, of Piano Concerto No. 5, also called the “Emperor Concerto”; The “Storm Movement” of Symphony No. 6, also called the “Pastoral”; and, lastly, an excerpt from the “Chorale” Symphony No. 9, Beethoven’s last symphony, which features “Ode to Joy.” The videos are from PBS and from the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
In the first video below, William Prinzing Briggs discusses the life and music of Ludwig van Beethoven, including his influence, the forms he wrote in, and how he coped with going deaf. He makes specific points about Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto and the fourth movement, the “Storm Movement” from his 6th Symphony, pieces performed in separate video segments in the PBS Music Arts Toolkit.
In the second video, below, nationally acclaimed pianist Lee Luvisi and the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra perform the Rondo/Allegro final movement of Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major, known as the “Emperor” Concerto.
In the third video, below, Robert Franz, associate conductor of the Louisville Orchestra, explains the terms crescendo and decrescendo. Then, the Louisville Youth Orchestra performs the “Thunder and Storm Movement” from Ludwig Van Beethoven’s 6th Symphony. This symphony features five movements, of which the fourth movement is “Thunder and Storm.”
The fourth video below is an excerpt from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor, conducted by Thomas Søndergård and performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and RSNO Chorus. This video is part of the RSNO’s Spring/Summer Digital Season available between February and June 2022. Click here for the full performance: https://www.rsno.org.uk/watch-online/
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