Ludwig van Beethoven (16 December 1770 – 26 March 1827) was a German pianis… Read Full Bio ↴Ludwig van Beethoven (16 December 1770 – 26 March 1827) was a German pianist and composer of the transitional period between the late Classical and early Romantic eras. He is often regarded as one of the most brilliant, prolific and influential composers of all time.
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.
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.
Piano Sonata No. 19 in G minor Op. 49 No. 1: II. Rondo: Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Ludwig van Beethoven:
"An die Hoffnung" Op. 94 LUDWIG VcN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) cn die Hoffnung op.94 (aus…
1 Joyful, joyful, we adore You, God of glory, Lord of love; He…
9th Symphony Freude, schöner Götterfunken, Tochter aus Elysium, wir bet…
Ah perfido Ah! perfido, spergiuro, Barbaro traditor, tu parti? E son qu…
Ah! perfido! Op. 65 Ah! perfido, spergiuro, Barbaro traditor, tu parti? E son qu…
An die Hoffnung op. 32 LUDWIG V. BEETHOVEN (1770-1882) cn die Hoffnung op. 32 Tex…
An die Hoffnung op. 94 LUDWIG VcN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) cn die Hoffnung op.94 (aus…
An die Hoffnung Op. 32 LUDWIG V. BEETHOVEN (1770-1882) cn die Hoffnung op. 32 Tex…
An die Hoffnung Op. 94 LUDWIG VcN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) cn die Hoffnung op.94 (aus…
Moonlight Sonata Camper Van Beethoven Camper Van Beethoven We Love You All…
Presto Freude, schöner Götterfunken, Tochter aus Elysium, wir bet…
String Quartet in A major Kimi no te de kirisaite Omoi hi no kioku wo Kanashimi no…
String Quartet in A major Op. 18 No. 5: III. Andante cantabile Kimi no te de kirisaite Omoi hi no kioku wo Kanashimi no…
Symphony No. 2 in D Major I saw you standing on the corner You looked so big…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
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Elaine Blackhurst
Eddie Hutchence
No - the two Opus 49 sonatas, along with thee three juvenile works WoO 47 are not ‘real’ Beethoven; in other words, nobody will take you seriously if you say you can play Beethoven sonatas, and then when asked which ones, have to admit to any of these five.
Opus 49 was published by his brother against the composer’s wishes and he described them as ‘...trivial’ and ‘...not worthy of my name’.
Opus 49 No 1 is musically rather better than the uncharacteristically empty and facile Opus 49 No 2.
If you want to learn a Beethoven sonata, wait until you can manage the technical and musical challenges of the f minor Opus 2 No 1; it is ABRSM Grade 8 and in the German publisher Henle Verlag’s useful 1 -9 list of difficulty, a Level 6 (upper Intermediate).
A possible alternative first Beethoven sonata is the very different sonata Opus 79 which is ABRSM Grade 8+, and Henle Level 7 - lower advanced.
Ashish Xiangyi Kumar
Biret:
00:00 – Mvt 1
05:15 – Mvt 2
Lewis:
08:48 – Mvt 1
13:30 – Mvt 2
Biret’s interpretation has an emotional intensity that creeps up on you: it might be a function of the slow tempo or of her rather personal way with the articulation, but the first movement has a surprisingly Bach-ian sense of grief. The second movement is a real lovely thing to listen to: there are lively staccatos everywhere, and the rhythmic perkiness in the C section at 5:55, with those LH bass notes plucked out, is kind of addictive. Lewis has a decidedly romantic and expansive approach to the work. The first movement is lush and at points almost lullaby-like; the second has moments of surprising drama, micro-tempests that are actually quite persuasive: see 15:38 (cf Biret’s more stark, precise approach at 05:40).
JoEbY-X
How does YouTube end up thinking someone different played each movement?
陳慧瑜
😇🥳😘🤗👍👍
Vân Anh
what the pig fire
Cheng Rilakkuma
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
MichaL H
A very under-rated sonata . Not as complex , abstruse , & virtuosic as some of his later ones , but a Faberge jewel in & of itself in the previous , neo-classic style .
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Holy shit so pretensious. Just say that you like his work.
Muxus
100%.
Erik A
@Dwight D. Eisenhower Oh come on bruh, how could you not listen to this piquant yet quasi-macabre hot house plant of a Sonata, sombre in it's intimate declarations yet exuberant in it's neo-rococco flamboyancy, and not want to wax poetic like Oscar Wilde after a cocaine induced night of ecstasy??
Elenitapiano hoy
Reallybeautiful