Ludwig van beethoven achievements

Musicologists often point out that Beethoven’s music was transitional—that is, it pointed the way from the high-Classical style of Mozart and Haydn toward the Romanticism of Mendelssohn and Chopin. In other words, Beethoven was at once the last of the Classicists and the first of the Romantics, yet somehow neither. However, he lived during a time of transition.

Enlightenment philosophers and writers were changing the way the world thought, and aristocracies were crumbling (witness the American and French revolutions), giving way to democracies and republics. The role of musicians in European society was likewise in transition, and it was the collapse of the aristocracy that affected Beethoven’s lifestyle most directly. Until Beethoven’s time, composers and performers found success through patronage: An appointment as court Kapellmeister meant a secure income, as well as a freedom from business concerns that allowed creative juices to flow unfettered. Joseph Haydn, Austria’s “national composer” (and, for a brief time, Beethoven’s t

Ludwig van Beethoven

German composer (1770–1827)

"Beethoven" redirects here. For other uses, see Beethoven (disambiguation) and Ludwig van Beethoven (disambiguation).

Ludwig van Beethoven[n 1] (baptised 17 December 1770 – 26 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire and span the transition from the Classical period to the Romantic era in classical music. His early period, during which he forged his craft, is typically considered to have lasted until 1802. From 1802 to around 1812, his middle period showed an individual development from the styles of Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and is sometimes characterised as heroic. During this time, Beethoven began to grow increasingly deaf. In his late period, from 1812 to 1827, he extended his innovations in musical form and expression.

Born in Bonn, Beethoven displayed his musical talent at a young age. He was initially taught intensively by his f

Ludwig van Beethoven


BIOGRAPHY


Beethoven grew up in Bonn, Germany in a very unhappy home. He was forced to practice the piano by his father, an abusive alcoholic who would punish him mercilessly when he made mistakes. By the time he was twelve, he was earning a living for his family by playing organ and composing. He was eventually known as the greatest pianist of his time. One of Beethoven’s favorite foods was macaroni and cheese. He also loved strong coffee – exactly 60 coffee beans to one cup.

Beethoven never married even though he proposed to plenty of women who rejected him (he wasn’t very attractive and he had a rather nasty temper). Yet in spite of his unpleasant personality, Beethoven is best defined by his music.

His first two symphonies are very much in the same style and form as those of composers that came before him, most notably Franz Joseph Haydn, his teacher. But Beethoven’s writing–as seen in his third symphony–had developed beyond that of his teacher. Named Eroica, his

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