Introduction
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was a german classical composer from
the late 18th century to the early 19th. He composed nine symphonies,
32 piano sonatas, five piano concertos, 17 string quartets, several
overtures, and many chamber works. He is best known for the 9th
Symphony (famously known as Old to Joy), Fur Elise, the 5th Symphony,
the moonlight sonata, and a few other works. His 250th birthday was
just last year (2020) in December.
Early Life
He was born on December 16th, 1770, in the city of Bonn, Germany. But
at that time, Germany wasn’t formed yet: the area he was born in was
called the Holy Roman Empire. He did not do well in school, although
he excelled in foreign languages. When he was only 11, he was the
assistant organist, and not too long after that, composed his first
piece. In March of 1787, Beethoven went to study with a very famous
composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. However, Beethoven’s mother, Maria
Magdalena Keverich, became ill, so he needed to return home. Just 5
years later, his father also passed. At the age of 22, Motzart passed
away. He became the pupil of the Austrian composer, Joseph Haydn, and
studied with other famous composers.
Early Adulthood
In around 1796, Beethoven started losing his hearing. At age 28, he
composed his first symphony. It was Symphony no. 1 in C Major. Soon
after that, he composed his second symphony, which was in D major. In
1800, he performed some of his best compositions in Vienna. Starting
that day, he composed many famous compositions that we know today. For
example, in 1801, Beethoven composed the Moonlight Sonata (op.27
no.2). This is one of the most famous sonatas in classical music. The
piece has three movements: Adagio sostenuto, Allegretto, and Presto
agitato. The piece starts off with a spooky movement, then gets
playful in the second movement, and the third movement is very
intense. The third movement is the most famous. In 1804, he composed
the Third Symphony, often known as the “Eroica”. This was one of his
longest symphonies (behind the fabulous ninth). In 1808, he composed
the fifth symphony. It is most known for its first four-note opening.
In 1810, he composed Für Elise. This piece was dedicated to his
friend, Therese Malfatti. His handwriting was so messy that people
thought the “T” was an “E”, thus the name. So the title should have
been “Für Therese”.
Adulthood
By 1818, he became completely deaf. He stopped playing music in
public, and only composed by himself. When people tried to talk to
him, they thought they were ignored, but it was just that Beethoven
couldn’t hear them. In 1822, he started composing the fabulous ninth
symphony. This was Beethoven’s final symphony, op. 125, known as Ode
to Joy, from Friedrich Schiller's poem "Ode to Joy". This piece has
four movements, Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso, Molto vivace,
Adagio molto e cantabile, and the Finale. The last movement has the
most famous theme. It has a chorus, and 4 solos: soprano,
mezzo-soprano, tenor, and base. He finished in 1824 while being deaf
throughout. He died in Vienna on March 26, 1827. Beethoven was a
German composer who composed many famous pieces, such as the Moonlight
Sonata, the Ninth Symphony, Fur Elise, and more. In 1824, he finished
composing the Ninth symphony. It is a choral symphony and is the last
symphony made by Beethoven.