Beethoven is widely regarded as a master of musical construction, sometimes sketching the architecture of a movement before he had decided upon the subject matter. He was one of the first composers to systematically and consistently use interlocking thematic devices, or 'germ-motives', to achieve unity between movements in long compositions. (Some insight into the meaning of the germ-motive device is given at the end of this bio.) Equally remarkable was his use of source-motives', which recurred in many different compositions and lent some unity to his life’s work. He made innovations in almost every form of music he touched. For example, he diversified even the well-crystallised form of the rondo, making it more elastic and spacious, which brought it closer to sonata form. He was mostly inspired by the natural course of nature, and liked to write songs describing nature.
Beethoven composed in a great variety of genres, including symphonies, concerti, piano sonatas, other instrumental sonatas (including for violin), string quartets and other chamber music, masses, lieder, and one opera.
Beethoven's compositional career is usually divided into Early, Middle, and Late periods:
In the Early (Classical) period, he is seen as emulating his great predecessors Haydn and Mozart, while concurrently exploring new directions and gradually expanding the scope and ambition of his work. Some important pieces from the Early period are the first and second symphonies, the first six string quartets, the first three piano concertos, and the first twenty piano sonatas, including the famous "Pathétique" and "Moonlight" sonatas.
The Middle (Heroic) period began shortly after Beethoven's personal crisis centering around his encroaching deafness. The period is noted for large-scale works expressing heroism and struggle; these include many of the most famous works of classical music. Middle period works include six symphonies (numbers 3 to 8), the fourth and fifth piano concertos, the triple concerto and violin concerto, five string quartets (numbers 7 to 11), the next seven piano sonatas (including the "Waldstein" and the "Appassionata"), and Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio.
Beethoven's Late (Romantic) period began around 1816. The Late-period works are characterised by intellectual depth, intense and highly personal expression, and formal innovation (for example, the Op. 131 string quartet has seven linked movements, and the Ninth Symphony adds choral forces to the orchestra in the last movement). Works of this period also include the Missa Solemnis, the last five string quartets, and the last five piano sonatas.
Deconstructing the sonata form, both in the overall schema (movements, tempos) and in the micro-form, Beethoven began to use germinal ideas propelling the whole melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic progression. In the first quartet of the group (E flat major, Op.127 – February 1825), the Adagio has five variations (in this case, a source-theme becomes the backbone of the tempo). That same year, in July, Quartet in A minor, Op.132, features a first movement with the traditional two themes, but without contrast; they display and disseminate sub-sections and ‘germs’ in a circular frame, interlocking with each other. Beethoven's germ-motive is like a Bach choral, summoning the other voices around itself.
The last quartet, Op. 135 in F major, was composed in a downplayed form, going back to a more traditional four-tempo structure. But internally one finds the same frozen micro-structure: the first movement is harmonically ambiguous, whereas the scherzo sounds like Bartók, and in the finale, the canon ‘Es muss sein’ plays a joyful role. A terrible grave comes in afterward, to dissolve into a soft pizzicato: adieu music, adieu life . It was never heard by the now deaf Beethoven, and he died shortly afterward.
Joyful Joyful
Ludwig van Beethoven Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flow'rs before You,
Op'ning to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
Drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness,
Fill us with the light of day!
cll Your works with joy surround You,
Earth and heav'n reflect Your rays,
Stars and angels sing around You,
Center of unbroken praise;
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
Flow'ry meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain
Praising You eternally!
You're the one we adore
The king we bow before
You're the one we're living for
Hail the Son, the Lord of all
clways giving and forgiving,
Ever blessing, ever blest,
Well-spring of the joy of living,
Ocean-depth of happy rest!
Loving Father, Christ our Brother,
Let Your light upon us shine;
Teach us how to love each other,
Lift us to the joy divine.
You're the one we adore
The king we bow before
You're the one we're living for
Hail the Son, the Lord of all
Mortals, join the mighty chorus,
Which the morning stars began;
God's own love is reigning o'er us,
Joining people hand in hand.
Ever singing, march we onward,
Victors in the midst of strife;
Joyful music leads us sunward
In the triumph song of life.
You're the one we adore
The king we bow before
You're the one we're living for
Hail the Son, the Lord of al
In "Joyful Joyful," Beethoven expresses a deep sense of adoration and reverence towards God. The song begins by praising God as the "God of glory" and the "Lord of love." The imagery of hearts unfolding like flowers before the sun conveys a sense of surrender and openness to God's presence and love. The lyrics also touch upon the desire for the divine to melt away the clouds of sin and sadness, driving away doubt and filling the hearts with immortal gladness.
The second verse emphasizes the magnificence of God's creation. Earth, heaven, stars, angels, fields, forests, mountains, meadows, and the sea all reflect God's glory and are invited to sing and praise Him. This portrayal highlights the interconnectedness and unity of creation in offering worship to God. The verse further suggests that all elements of nature, including birds and fountains, constantly offer eternal praise to God.
The chorus reaffirms the devotion to God as the object of adoration, the king before whom they bow, and the purpose of their lives. The lyrics acknowledge God's attributes of always giving and forgiving, as well as being the source of true joy and rest. The last verse contains a plea for God's light to shine upon humanity and teach them to love one another. It calls for a divine elevation to the joy and love that comes from God.
Overall, "Joyful Joyful" is a hymn that celebrates the glory of God, the interconnectedness of all creation in offering worship, and the transformative power of God's love and joy in the lives of believers.
Line by Line Meaning
Joyful, joyful, we adore You
We are filled with happiness and reverence as we worship and praise You
God of glory, Lord of love
You are the divine source of magnificence and affection
Hearts unfold like flow'rs before You
Our innermost being opens up like blooming flowers in your presence
Op'ning to the sun above
Revealing ourselves to the radiant light and warmth that emanate from You
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness
Banish the heaviness of wrongdoing and sorrow
Drive the dark of doubt away
Eliminate the shadows of uncertainty and disbelief
Giver of immortal gladness
Provider of eternal happiness and joy
Fill us with the light of day
Surround us with the illuminating brightness of life
All Your works with joy surround You
Everything You have created exudes joy in Your presence
Earth and heav'n reflect Your rays
The Earth and the skies mirror the radiance of Your light
Stars and angels sing around You
Celestial bodies and celestial beings harmoniously sing praises around You
Center of unbroken praise
You are the focal point of ceaseless adoration
Field and forest, vale and mountain
Open landscapes and majestic peaks abound
Flow'ry meadow, flashing sea
Blossoming fields and sparkling oceans
Chanting bird and flowing fountain
Singing birds and babbling fountains
Praising You eternally
Continuously exalting You without end
You're the one we adore
You are the one we deeply revere
The king we bow before
The ruler whom we humbly submit to
You're the one we're living for
Our reason for existence is rooted in You
Hail the Son, the Lord of all
We give high praise to You, the Son, who governs over everything
Always giving and forgiving
You are perpetually generous and merciful
Ever blessing, ever blest
Constantly bestowing blessings upon us and eternally blessed Yourself
Well-spring of the joy of living
The source from which the joy of existence originates
Ocean-depth of happy rest
An unfathomable depth of serene contentment
Loving Father, Christ our Brother
You are both a caring Father and a compassionate Brother to us
Let Your light upon us shine
Allow Your illuminating light to radiate upon us
Teach us how to love each other
Guide us in learning to love one another
Lift us to the joy divine
Elevate us to a state of heavenly delight
Mortals, join the mighty chorus
Human beings, join in the powerful collective singing
Which the morning stars began
That was initiated by the stars at dawn
God's own love is reigning o'er us
Divine love is currently governing and guiding us
Joining people hand in hand
Uniting individuals together, hand in hand
Ever singing, march we onward
Continuously singing, we progress forward
Victors in the midst of strife
Emerging triumphant amidst conflict and struggle
Joyful music leads us sunward
Joyful melodies guide us towards the sun
In the triumph song of life
Within the song celebrating the victory of existence
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Geraldine Nathan
Beautiful song...When Beethoven wrote it he was only 14. He was a genius and a child prodigy.
Later in his life he went deaf, but continued to write beautiful music using his memory of sound.
brenda45362
it's an amazing song!!!! thank you =D
Mike G.
Bravo! Beautiful!