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Beethoven
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Life and Works, Periods and Styles Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) Three Style Periods – Early Beethoven – Middle Period “Heroic Style” beginning in 1803 – Late Beethoven
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Early Beethoven Born in Bonn, 17 December 1770 First public performance at age 7 Appointed assistant to the electoral court organist at age 10 Court singer and instrumentalist at age 18 Sent to study in Vienna in 1792
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Early Beethoven Studies with Haydn, Albrechtsberger, and Salieri Virtuosic performer and improviser in Viennese musical circles Op. 1 Piano Trios (1795)
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Early Beethoven Sonata No. 8, Op.3 Grande sonate pathétique [Anthology 2-17] – C minor – First movement Grave Allegro di molto e con brio recall of the Grave
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Early Beethoven First Symphony, 1800 – “masterpiece” – “originality” – “bizarre”
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Early Beethoven Septet, Op. 46 [Anthology 2-18] – clarinet, bassoon, horn, violin, viola, cello, double bass – 6 movements – traditional classical forms
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Disaster Summer 1801 – “For the past three years my hearing has become weaker and weaker” (letter to Wegeler) Heiligenstadt Testament, 1802 – unsent letter to his brothers – confession of deafness and despair
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The Eroica Symphony No. 3 in E-flat, Op. 55 (1803) [Anthology 2-19] “Heroic style” Unprecedented scale Premiered 1805
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The Eroica Symphony No. 3 in E-flat, Op. 55 (1803) [Anthology 2-19] – First movement lyrically cello melody with unexpected C# – Second movement Marcia funebre (Funeral March) – Third movement Scherzo (“joke”) metric ambiguities – Fourth movement theme and variations
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Fidelio Beethoven’s only opera Extensively revised – 3 versions, four different overtures Premiered 1805 “Rescue operas” Opéras comiques
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The Fifth and Fate Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 [Anthology 2-20] “Organicism” – all four movements grow from the opening measures – three shorts and a long
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The Fifth and Fate Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 [Anthology 2-20] – First movement – Second movement unusual two-themed variation form – Third movement vigorous scherzo and trio, leads directly into the fourth movement – Fourth movement introduction of three trombones sonata form
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The Pastoral Symphony Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 “More expression of feeling than tone painting” Program music
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Rising Fame and Decreasing Productivity Period of depression “Immortal Beloved” (1812) Legal battle over his nephew Karl Wellington’s Victory 1813 – celebrated Napoleon’s defeat “Conversation books”
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Late Beethoven Large and imposing compositions – three piano sonatas (Opp. 109, 110, 11) – “Diabelli” Variations, Op. 120 – Missa solemnis – Ninth Symphony – five string quartets (Opp. 127, 130, 131, 132, 135) – Grosse Fuge, Op. 133
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Late Beethoven Unusual length Structural fragmentation Exploration of counterpoint New deployment of instruments
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Late Beethoven Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 – an hour long – unusual ordering of movements – vast finale for soloists, chorus, and orchestra setting of Schiller’s “An die Freude” (“Ode to Joy”)
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Inwardness: The Late String Quartets Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 130 [Anthology 2-21] – fifth movement, Adagio molto “Cavatina” “sotto voce” “beklemmt”
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Inwardness: The Late String Quartets Quartet in F Major, Op. 135 – Final movement Der schwergejast Entschluss (The Difficult Decision) “Muss es sein?” (Must it be?) “Es muss sein!” (It must be!)
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