Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770–1827)
Who Was
Ludwig van Beethoven?
A Brief Introduction
By Barry Cooper
Ludwig van Beethoven is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest composers in history. His originality, the sophistication of his composing techniques, and the variety and profundity of his emotion form a combination virtually unmatched by any other composer. Born in the Classical era, he spent most of his working life in Vienna, building mainly on the models of Mozart and Haydn and taking their inheritance to new levels. Almost single-handedly he elevated the whole concept of instrumental music, demonstrating that a major instrumental work could be regarded as high art on a par with great paintings or epic poetry, designed for posterity—a concept previously unrecognized but one that is still prevalent today. He also excelled in vocal composition, even blending voices with an instrumental genre in his Ninth Symphony, and he regarded his Missa solemnis as his finest work. He was a man of high morality and integrity, sometimes admired for his humanity as much as for his compositions.
Early Years: From Bonn to Vienna
Beethoven was born in Bonn on December 16 (or possibly 17), 1770. His paternal grandparents were of Flemish origin, but his mother’s family was German. Several of his siblings died in infancy, but two younger brothers survived to adulthood.
Beethoven showed a strong talent in music at the age of four. Initially taught by his father, a professional singer, he rapidly developed as a pianist and gave his first public performance at the age of seven. He soon began composing, and his first published work, a set of variations, appeared in 1782, followed by three substantial keyboard sonatas the following year. In 1787 he visited Vienna to study with Mozart, and in 1792 he visited Vienna again, this time to study with Haydn. He never returned to Bonn. After concluding his studies, Beethoven burst on the scene as a composer and performer in 1795 with his first two piano concertos and his three piano trios Op. 1. Supported by various aristocrats, he was soon being commissioned to write numerous works, including his first set of string quartets. His First Symphony appeared in 1800, but by that time he was troubled by increasing deafness, which began around 1797, and which he hid for some years. Eventually, in October 1802, in a deep depression he wrote a moving document known as his Heiligenstadt Testament, describing his sufferings and how his art had saved him from suicide.
Beethoven: Trio in C minor for Violin, Viola, and Cello, Op. 1, No. 3
Middle Period: Major Works Galore
Soon after writing his Heiligenstadt Testament, Beethoven embarked on two major new works: the oratorio Christus am Oelberge (1803–04), which describes Christ’s suffering on the Mount of Olives, sometimes using language recalling that of the Heiligenstadt Testament; and his Third Symphony (Eroica) (1803–04), which far surpassed all previous symphonies in length and complexity. He originally intended it for Napoleon but tore up its title page when Napoleon declared himself emperor, for Beethoven rightly saw that Napoleon was no longer a champion of freedom. Freedom was a concept dear to Beethoven’s heart and is a central issue in his only full-length opera, Fidelio, which he composed in 1804–05 and revised twice, in 1806 and 1814. He composed numerous other works during his middle period, including symphonies, concertos, sonatas, and songs. Three aristocrats were so inspired by his music that, in 1809, they combined to provide him with a lifetime annuity. By this time, he had fallen in love briefly on many occasions but never found someone he could marry. In 1812 he fell even more deeply in love, writing an amorous letter to a woman whom he does not name and whose identity has been the object of speculation ever since; but they kept apart thereafter.
Freedom was a concept dear to Beethoven’s heart.
Late Period: Increased Sophistication
In 1813–14 Beethoven enjoyed enormous success with his Wellingtons Sieg (Wellington’s Victory), but in 1815 his brother Caspar Carl died, leaving a nine-year-old son, Karl. A lengthy legal battle over guardianship ensued between Beethoven and the boy’s mother, which was not settled until 1820. Beethoven spent enormous efforts and sums of money trying to bring up Karl as a worthy citizen. This change coincided with increasing deafness that forced him to use conversation books for his acquaintances to write in, though he could still give oral replies. He had always made sketches for his works, but the sketching process now became far more complex, involving large desk sketchbooks, smaller books written in pencil during long walks, and loose leaves, while his final scores were themselves frequently amended despite all the preliminary work. His compositions became fewer but more complex, with increased use of counterpoint, though still deeply emotional. He also expanded their length again, as in his 33 Diabelli Variations (1819–23), the Missa solemnis (1819–23), and the Ninth Symphony (1817–24). After his Ninth Symphony, however, he devoted himself mainly to string quartets—not because he turned his back on the world, as is often assumed, but in response to demands from publishers.
Beethoven: Quartet in C-sharp minor for Strings, Op. 131
His compositions became fewer but more complex, with increased use of counterpoint, though still deeply emotional.
From mid-December 1826, Beethoven rarely rose from his sickbed, suffering from liver disease. Karl left to join the army in January 1827, and despite doctors’ efforts and many well-wishers, Beethoven died on March 26 during a thunderstorm. His last gesture was to raise his arm in response to a loud clap of thunder—demonstrating that he never went completely deaf.
Legacy
Beethoven’s music had an enormous influence on his successors, such as Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms. Works that had been popular mostly remained so, while those that had seemed bizarre to his contemporaries were gradually recognized as masterpieces and have spread across the world. Even today, analysts still find new things to say about them. Never has a single composer dominated a period as much as Beethoven.
Never has a single composer dominated a period as much as Beethoven.
Watching and Listening
Beethoven’s chamber music forms a substantial part of his output. Most outstanding are his 17 string quartets—six in Op. 18, three “Razumovsky” Quartets from 1806, two more from the middle period, and six from his last three years. One of these, the Grosse Fuge (Grand Fugue), was originally the finale of his String Quartet No. 13, Op. 130 (1825), and is often performed as such today; but Beethoven detached it, composed a new finale, and published the Grosse Fuge as a separate quartet. Many regard his late quartets as the pinnacle of chamber music, with Op. 131 in C-sharp minor (1826) particularly highly regarded.
His other chamber works include ten violin sonatas—notably the lovely “Spring” Sonata, Op. 24 (1801), and the formidable “Kreutzer” Sonata, Op. 47 (1802–03)—plus five cello sonatas and a Horn Sonata (1800). Six piano trios are also very fine: three in Op. 1, two in Op. 70 (1808)—including the “Ghost” Trio, so called because of its spooky slow movement—and the exceptional “Archduke” Trio (1811), named after its dedicatee Archduke Rudolph. The three piano quartets (1785) are less often heard but they are remarkable for a 14-year-old. Several of Beethoven’s chamber works involve wind instruments, notably his Wind Octet (1792–93)—later revised as a String Quintet, Op. 4 (1795-96)—his Quintet for Piano and Winds (1796), and his Septet for Winds and Strings (1799), while his 16 sets of folksong variations (Opp. 105 and 107) for piano with optional flute are unduly neglected. He also composed much for solo piano, including 35 sonatas, one of which he arranged for string quartet (Op. 14, No. 1).
