25 Days of History: December 8th
- Jordan Spriggs
- Dec 8, 2019
- 3 min read
Ludwig van Beethoven made one of his final public appearances, directing the premiere of his Symphony No. 7 in A minor in Vienna
Sunday, December 8th, 2019 @ 22:30 (10:30pm)
Who Was Ludwig van Beethoven?
Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the classical and romantic eras in classical music, he remains one of the most recognized and influential musicians of this period, and is considered to be one of the greatest composers of all time.
Recognition as a Virtuoso
Beethoven was born in Bonn, the capital of the Electorate of Cologne, and part of the Holy Roman Empire at the time. He displayed tremendous musical talent at a very early age and was vigorously taught by his father Johann van Beethoven. Ludwig van Beethoven was later taught by composer and conductor Christian Gottlob Neefe. Beethoven moved to Vienna, Austria and studied composition with Joseph Haydn at 21 years old. He then gained a reputation as a virtuoso pianist, and was quickly courted by Karl Alois, Prince Lichnowsky for compositions, which resulted in Opus 1 in the year 1795.
Critical Success and Rise to Fame
Beethoven's Opus 1 was a rousing critical and commercial success, and was followed by Symphony No. 1 in the year 1800. This particular composition was distinguished for its frequent use of sforzandi. Symphony No. 1 also presented sudden, dramatic shifts in tonality that were unheard of for the traditional symphonic format at the time, and the modest but wider-known independent use of wind instruments also had prominent feature.
Beethoven also gained notoriety for his six String Quartets and for the ballet The Creatures of Prometheus in the year 1801. It was during the next several years that Beethoven notably had his hearing begin to deteriorate. Despite this development at this stage in his life, he continued conducting, and premiered his Symphony No. 3 and Symphony No. 5 in 1804 and 1808, respectively. Beethoven's condition worsened to near complete deafness by the year 1811. He then gave up performing and appearing in public around this time, isolating himself from the world for much of the remainder of his life.
Final Years, Symphony No. 9 and Death
During this period of self exile, Beethoven composed many of his most admired and popular works, including his Symphony No. 7 premiere in 1813, with its second movement, Allegretto, achieving widespread critical acclaim. Missa Solemnis was a piece he composed for a number of years until it premiered 1824, which preceded his Symphony No. 9, with the latter achieving notoriety for being the first prime examples of a choral symphony. In 1826, his fourteenth String Quartet was noted for having seven linked movements played without a break, and is considered the final major piece performed before his death a year later.
Beethoven was bedridden for most of his remaining months, and many friends came to visit. The music virtuoso died on March 26th, 1827 at the age of 56.
Beethoven's Legacy
Beethoven's career is conventionally divided into the early, middle, and late periods:
1. The "early" period is seen to last until 1802
2. The "middle" period from 1802-1812
3. The "late" period from 1812-1827
During Beethoven's life he composed nine symphonies, five piano concertos, one violin concerto, thirty-two piano sonatas, sixteen string quartets, two masses and the opera Fidelio. The man created one of the largest and most impressive collection of works to date in classical music and in his era. There were works discovered after his death as well; Für Elise was discovered posthumously, and it and other such works are also historically significant musical accomplishments.
Beethoven's legacy is characterized for his innovative compositions, namely through the combinations of vocals and instruments, and also for widening the scope of sonata, symphony, concerto, and quartet.
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