Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was a German composer and pianist who represented a turning point between classicism and romanticism in musical style. He expanded classical forms and added emotional expression and drama. As he lost his hearing, his later works grew more passionate and explored broad ranges of sound. Beethoven's innovative compositions, including nine symphonies and a mass, helped establish him as one of the greatest composers of all time and marked the beginning of the romantic period in music.

1. Ludwig Von Beethoven
Beethoven: Bridge to
Romanticism
01/07/13 1

2. Ludwig Van
Beethoven (1770-
1827)
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By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

3. Beethoven
 Represents turning point from Classicism to
Romanticism
 Burst bonds of formalism and control of
Classicism
 Most controversial-Classicist or Romanticist?
 Music very emotional, very dramatic &
powerful
 Bears personality of creator
 Very much a “Romantic” quality
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By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

4. Beethoven: A Musical
Giant
 Born in Bonn, Germany.
 Lived during the social changes toward democracy in France and
America.
 Studied with Haydn who encouraged him.
 Went to Vienna, which was a cultural center, to make his living as
composer.
 Father-singer in Kapelle of Archbishop-Elector of Cologne;
abusive alcoholic, tried to make him into Mozart
 Loner, never married, cared only for music, untidy
 One serious love affair (Distant Beloved)
 Perfectionist, very particular with music
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By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

5. Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770 - 1827)
 Beethoven was principal breadwinner by the time he was a
teenager.
 Began to go deaf in his late 20’s, which caused him
intense grief.
 Wrote Heiligenstadt Testament (basically a suicide note) to
his brothers when he realized there was no cure for his
deafness, but decided to live.
 Widely recognized during his lifetime as the greatest
composer of instrumental music. When he died in 1827, at
age 56, declared a national hero.
 Suffered chronic poor health, deafness, and a custody
battle over a nephew during last 15 years of life.
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By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

6. Beethoven’s Music--
Romanticism
 He played larger pianos that created more
sound.
 He developed the Classical Forms and
expanded them.
 He added a chorus to the final movement of his
9th symphony, “Ode to Joy.”
 His works were longer; he labored over them,
revising them over and over.
 The end of his life (1827) marks the beginning of
the Romantic Period in Music.
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By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

7. Beethoven’s Music--
>Romanticism
 He increased the number of instruments in the
orchestra.
 He expanded the dynamic range of the orchestra
to ppp and fff.
 The development sections of his compositions
were long, elaborate, and complex.
 In some compositions, he left no pauses
between some of the movements.
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By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

8. The Sketchbook
 Kept chronicle for
posterity of the
evolution of thematic
material which shows
the inner struggle to
realize the final form
 “…like bloody record
of a tremendous inner
battle.”
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By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

9. Beethoven
 Dies of jaundice &
cholera during
thunderstorm
 Biggest revolutionist
next to Bach during
lifetime
 Considered biggest
music revolutionary of
all-time
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By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

10. Ludwig van Beethoven
Other Compositions
 Piano Sonatas  String quartets
 C# minor-- “Moonlight”  9 symphonies
 C minor-”Pathetique”  No. 3 in E-flat major
 D minor-- “Tempest” --”Eroica”
 F minor--  No. 6 in F major--
“Appassionata” “Pastoral”
 Piano Concerto #5  No. 9 in D minor--
in E-flat major-- includes chorus
“Emperor” singing “Ode to Joy”
 Missa Solemnis-Mass in
C
 Fidelio--an opera
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By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

11. Beethoven
 Nine symphonies
 I. C Major
 II. D Major
 III. E-Major(Eroica)
 IV. B Major
 V. C minor
 VI. F Major(Pastorale)
 VII. A Major
 VIII. F Major(Humorous)
 IX. F Minor(Choral)
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By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

12. Symphony No. 3- “Eroica”
 First dedicated to
Napoleon, then changed
after Bonaparte declared
himself Emperor
 “Sinfonia Eroica…
composed to celebrate the
memory of a great man”
 Unprecedented length
 Called “wild fantasy” at first
performance
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By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

13. Symphony No. 6-
“Pastoral”
 Symphony #6 in F
“Pastorale”
 5 movements,
each bearing
descriptive title
 Program content-
“an expression of
feeling rather than
a graphic
depiction”
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By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

14. Symphony No. 9- “Choral”
 Movement 4-sets Schiller’s “Ode to Joy”
for chorus & quartet
 Considered poem as early as 1792
 Text-ideals of brotherhood of man
through love, love of God
 Does various different musical techniques
with “Joy” theme
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By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

15. Fidelio
 Fidelio-only opera
 Compared its writing to
the bearing of a child
 1805-revised several
times to 1814
 Difficulty setting text
 “Rescue” opera based
on events of French
Revolution
 Leonore-main heroine
 Last act celebration of
heroism &
humanitarianism
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By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

16. Fidelio & Vocal Music
 Fidelio-Overture went through several stages
 Three named “Leonora”
 “Fidelio” overture is fourth version; most preferred by Beethoven
 Not at ease with vocal music
 Song cycle-An die ferne Geliebte(To a Distant Beloved
 Song settings of poet Goethe
 Oratorio-Christ on the Mount of Olives
 Missa Solemnis-monumental work, includes soloists, choral
group, “Ode To Joy”
 Written for enthronement of student Archduke Rudolph as
Archbishop of Olmutz, finished too late for the occasion
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By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

17. Symphony No. 5 in C
Minor
 Most tightly knit motivically of all
compositions
 Opening four note motive appears in every
movement
 Origins-Fate knocking at door, letter V in
Morse Code(not invented yet)
 Along with recurrence of a portion of
“Scherzo” in Finale-makes work “cyclic”
 Not break between movements III & IV
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By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

18. Painting of Beethoven by
Friend, J. W. Mähler
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By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

19. Appreciating Beethoven’s
Music
 Contrast-filled with dynamic contrasts, rough/smooth,
loud/soft, etc.; soft passage interrupted by sforzando
chord; rage section ceases abruptly, gentle melody
takes over
 Motive development-showcase of developing short
simple musical ideas
 Sense of drive- “inevitability,” music seems to be
heading toward final destination; has “this too shall
pass” moments; continuation of musical journey
 Personality-sounded like no one else at the time,
unique, fiery spirit, sense of musical logic
Listen to This 5-19
By Mark Evan Bonds PRENTICE HALL
©2009 Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458