Ludwig Van Beethoven
Symphony #1 in C Major Op. 21
The Life of Beethoven
In the Beginning
Ludwig Van Beethoven, born to Johann and Maria Beethoven was a star during his lifetime. He was born in Bonn, Germany around December 16, 1770- March 26, 1827, though whenever he was asked he would claim he was born in 1771, even after being shown his birth certificate. The only musician to gain an aristocratic status, Beethoven had a rough childhood. Beethoven is the third Ludwig Van Beethoven in his family. First his Grandfather, then his older brother who died six days after his birth, and last but not least him. His father was also a musician but he was a drunkard too. He performed his first concert at the age of 7&1/2 though his father said he was 6.His Childhood
He grew up in Bonn and went to school till he was 11, but by the time he dropped out he was still horrible at mathematics. He father saw that he had talent and fell in love with the idea of Beethoven becoming the next Mozart, so he taught he music, beating Beethoven whenever he played a wrong note. He learned how to play the violin, piano and organ. He taught music to earn money for his family but he hated doing it. He only like giving lessons to people with great talent or beautiful young ladies with whatever talent.
Early Youth
When Beethoven turned 22, he moved to Vienna where he started to played concerts more in the public. He created his music for others to enjoy, not just the aristocratic but also the public. When he created music he was a rebel, he didn't like and therefore didn't follow the rules of his era. He thought them to restrictive to his free spirit. He often wrote love letters and compositions for women he liked. For example, he wrote Fur Elise for a woman he liked. Did you know a woman Beethoven had once courted called him " ugly and half crazy."
As a Student
Beethoven was a known and famous procrastinator, in fact one concert morning he just finished writing the part, and they played it that morning before the ink had dried on the paper. He was a master at the keyboard interpretations. He was very temperamental but he was also a kind man. He hated being under Haydn's shadow as a student because he feared other would think it would corrupt his individuality. He wrote 9 major symphonies, that he is famous for.
Discussion of the Musical Era
Beethoven's music was very different from what the era dictated. He's music was often louder and more complex than the other of his era. His music was written filled with emotions, which was vastly different from what the classical era was written to be. Classical music was meant to reflect the ideas of reason, nature, and morality. While he had some of this characteristics in his music, his music was still considered to be the beginning of the romantic period.
Beethoven's Symphony # 1
The song its self was about half an hour long and it had 4 movements. The song was indebted to Haydn and Mozart but still had the hall-markings of Beethoven. There are typically 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in c, 2 bassoons, 2 horns ( one in c, the other in f), 2 trumpets in c, a timpani ( kettle drums ),and strings. Strings are typically composed of violins 1&2, violas, cellos, and double basses/ basses. The concert it self had a piece from Mozart and two pieces form Haydn.