Ludwig Van Bethoven (1770-1827)
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Ludwig van Beethoven marks the peak of the classical period and the beginning of romanticism. He will bring to perfection his favorite genres such as the sonata, the quartet, the concerto, the symphony. He will be less successful in vocal music.
He was one of the first independent musicians, free to write what he wanted when he wanted.
Youth
L. van Beethoven was born on December 16, 1770 in Bonn, Germany, to a family of musicians. His alcoholic father put him on the keyboard at the age of 4. He produced him on stage in Cologne at the age of 8, and took him on a concert tour in Holland in 1781, at the age of 11.
In 1787,
he left to complete his musical studies in Vienna. It was there that he met Mozart who said of him: “This young man will be talked about”.
1792-1802 Beginnings in Vienna
In 1792, Beethoven met Haydn while passing through Bonn, and joined him in Vienna a few months later to become his student.
In Vienna,
he is appreciated for his talent as a pianist and improviser, and is welcomed into the great Viennese families.
In 1801 he dedicated the Piano Sonata No. 14 “Clair de lune” op 27 to Giulietta Guicciardi with whom he was very much in love at the time.
The Heiligenstadt Testament
Beethoven's deafness began to manifest itself in 1796 and continued to worsen until 1819 when he could only communicate with “conversation notebooks”.
After expressing his despair in a letter addressed to his two brothers, called the “Heiligenstadt Testament”,
he finally overcomes this crisis and decides to “take destiny by the throat”. He then began a period of intense creation which lasted until 1812, during which he produced the majority of his famous works.
Maturity from 1803 to 1812
In 1803-1804, he composed his third “Eroica” Symphony.
Beethoven had initially dedicated it to Bonaparte, who in his eyes embodied the new world that had just been born with the Revolution, then he crossed out the dedication when he learned of Napoleon's coronation, to replace it with the title "Sinfonia Eroica".
He leaves his patron Prince Carl Lichnovsky who wanted to force him to play the piano in front of French occupying officers. Beethoven then sent the prince a note written in these terms: “Prince, what you are, you are by chance of birth. What I am, I am by me. princes,
there are and there will be thousands more. There is only one Beethoven. »
In 1810, Beethoven saw his marriage plan fail with Thérèse Malfatti, dedicatee of the famous “Letter to Elise”. (In reality “à Thérèse”, the name of Elise resulting from an error by the publisher of this posthumous score).
It was in 1812 that Beethoven wrote the enigmatic “Letter to the Immortal Beloved”. These are in fact 3 letters which were never posted, written to a woman with whom Beethoven was deeply in love but whose identity remains mysterious.
The dark years from 1813 to 1817
From 1813 to 1817,
Beethoven goes through a particularly difficult period, during which his deafness becomes total. His financial situation deteriorates and the care of his nephew Karl only causes him disappointments.
In 1816-1817, his deafness was compounded by pulmonary inflammation and jaundice.
1818-1827 the last period
This last period saw a revival of Beethoven's creativity.
He then composed his greatest works: The “Missa Solemnis” (from 1819 to 1823), the 9th symphony with choirs (1824) whose final theme was adopted by Europe for its anthem, the last 6 string quartets between 1824 and 1827.
Beethoven died on March 26, 1827.accompanied in his agony by a violent storm.
Unlike Mozart, Beethoven was entitled to a grandiose funeral. He was accompanied to the tomb by a procession of several thousand people.
He was one of the first independent musicians, free to write what he wanted when he wanted.
Youth
L. van Beethoven was born on December 16, 1770 in Bonn, Germany, to a family of musicians. His alcoholic father put him on the keyboard at the age of 4. He produced him on stage in Cologne at the age of 8, and took him on a concert tour in Holland in 1781, at the age of 11.
In 1787,
he left to complete his musical studies in Vienna. It was there that he met Mozart who said of him: “This young man will be talked about”.
1792-1802 Beginnings in Vienna
In 1792, Beethoven met Haydn while passing through Bonn, and joined him in Vienna a few months later to become his student.
In Vienna,
he is appreciated for his talent as a pianist and improviser, and is welcomed into the great Viennese families.
In 1801 he dedicated the Piano Sonata No. 14 “Clair de lune” op 27 to Giulietta Guicciardi with whom he was very much in love at the time.
The Heiligenstadt Testament
Beethoven's deafness began to manifest itself in 1796 and continued to worsen until 1819 when he could only communicate with “conversation notebooks”.
After expressing his despair in a letter addressed to his two brothers, called the “Heiligenstadt Testament”,
he finally overcomes this crisis and decides to “take destiny by the throat”. He then began a period of intense creation which lasted until 1812, during which he produced the majority of his famous works.
Maturity from 1803 to 1812
In 1803-1804, he composed his third “Eroica” Symphony.
Beethoven had initially dedicated it to Bonaparte, who in his eyes embodied the new world that had just been born with the Revolution, then he crossed out the dedication when he learned of Napoleon's coronation, to replace it with the title "Sinfonia Eroica".
He leaves his patron Prince Carl Lichnovsky who wanted to force him to play the piano in front of French occupying officers. Beethoven then sent the prince a note written in these terms: “Prince, what you are, you are by chance of birth. What I am, I am by me. princes,
there are and there will be thousands more. There is only one Beethoven. »
In 1810, Beethoven saw his marriage plan fail with Thérèse Malfatti, dedicatee of the famous “Letter to Elise”. (In reality “à Thérèse”, the name of Elise resulting from an error by the publisher of this posthumous score).
It was in 1812 that Beethoven wrote the enigmatic “Letter to the Immortal Beloved”. These are in fact 3 letters which were never posted, written to a woman with whom Beethoven was deeply in love but whose identity remains mysterious.
The dark years from 1813 to 1817
From 1813 to 1817,
Beethoven goes through a particularly difficult period, during which his deafness becomes total. His financial situation deteriorates and the care of his nephew Karl only causes him disappointments.
In 1816-1817, his deafness was compounded by pulmonary inflammation and jaundice.
1818-1827 the last period
This last period saw a revival of Beethoven's creativity.
He then composed his greatest works: The “Missa Solemnis” (from 1819 to 1823), the 9th symphony with choirs (1824) whose final theme was adopted by Europe for its anthem, the last 6 string quartets between 1824 and 1827.
Beethoven died on March 26, 1827.accompanied in his agony by a violent storm.
Unlike Mozart, Beethoven was entitled to a grandiose funeral. He was accompanied to the tomb by a procession of several thousand people.
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