Download File - Amanda`s ePortfolio

Meyers
1
Amanda Meyers
MUSC-101-042-F13
Craig Ferrin
18 September 2013
Biography of Ludwig Van Beethoven
Ludwig Van Beethoven was baptized December 17, 1770 in Bonn, Germany. His
birth date is not officially known, however, it was as according to the law and family
customs that babies were to be baptized within 24 hours of birth. Thus making December
16, 1770, his real birth date. His family originated from Brabant in Belgium. He was the
oldest of seven siblings, only three boys out of seven siblings survived. He is best known
for being a deaf composer and a predominant musical figure in the transitional period
between the classical and romantic era. He was more than just a composer; he was an
innovator broadening the horizons of quartet, sonata, symphony, and concerto plus
combining vocals and instruments in a new and different way. His father was a musician
and an alcoholic, his mother was said to be gentle and warm-hearted; Beethoven has been
quoted with saying that she is his “best friend”. At an early age Beethoven was interested
in music and his father taught him everything that he could from sun up to sun down,
everyday. His father envisioned creating Beethoven into a new Mozart, a child prodigy.
When his father taught him all that he could, renowned musician Gottlab Neefe decided
to teach Beethoven further. Neefe taught Beethoven advanced music and introduced him
to philosophers.
In 1782 Beethoven published his first work, at the age of 12, “A Variation in C
Minor for Piano” Throughout the years Beethoven practiced music and even taught music
to others. In 1801 Beethoven noticed that he was becoming deaf. He was so angry upon
discovering this. He was hateful toward the world and thought it unfair that a musician
with such talent as him could possibly be going deaf. He pondered suicide and even
wrote about it. Fortunately he chose not to commit suicide and continued working on
music. He felt that he had more to discover and learn about music and pursued his dream.
He moved to Vienna after his mother passed away. He did not wish to live in his
hometown anymore after the passing of his mother. In Vienna, a group of wealthy
admirers, mainly princes, paid Beethoven $4,000 florins annually as long as he stayed
living in Vienna. This grant made him the world’s first independent composer. Most
composers at this time, like Mozart, were servants in the houses of wealthy aristocrat
families. They were treated like any other servant staff except they had the added
responsibility of composing and performing music. Beethoven, however, was free to
write what he wanted, when he wanted, under nobody’s command, just as he pleased.
Johann Nepomuk Maelzel was a genius inventor and quite possibly the inventor
of the metronome. Johann created various devices for Beethoven to help with his hearing,
such as: acoustic cornets, a listening system that links up to the piano and many others. In
1813 Beethoven composed, “The Victory of Wellington”, this work was written for a
mechanical instrument made by Maelzel called the “pan harmonica”. Above all the
musical instrument aids Maezel invented, it was the metronome that helped evolve
Beethoven’s music. The academy of 1814 helped to regroup Beethoven’s work.
With this in mind, Beethoven had three compositional periods in his lifetime. The
first period was from about 1794-1802 and was primarily shaped from Mozart and
Meyers
2
Hayden. This period consisted of Piano works (piano sonatas), Chamber works,
Orchestral works (piano concertos), and Transitional works; which lead to Beethoven’s
second period. During this time he was writing under progressive loss of hearing. Also
“Moonlight Sonata” was written during this time.
Beethoven’s second period was between 1803-1815 where most of his popular
works came from. These included, Piano sonatas (“Moonlight Sonata”), Songs, only one
Opera “Fidelio”, Chamber works, Orchestral works (4th, 5th, and 6th Symphonies), and the
Transitional works; The Transitional works were a time when he was breaking the mold
from Mozart and Hayden and developing his own style.
The Third Period was from 1815 until his death. His deafness became more
serious. This period consisted of Piano works, Choral works, Chamber works, and
Orchestral works.
Ludwig Van Beethoven passed away March 26, 1827, in Vienna, Austria, after
catching a cold in 1826. The illness complicated other health problems that he had
suffered with all his life. The autopsy is said to have shown that the most dominant cause
of death was post-hepatatic cirrhosis of the liver. It also showed some idea as to why he
became deaf; it is supposedly because he contracted typhus.
It is estimated that between 10,000 and 30,000 people attended his funeral. All
very close friends and/or admirers. Beethoven composed his most important works
during the last ten years of his life, at a time when he was completely deaf; Consisting of
an opera, six symphonies, four solo concerti, five string quartets, six string sonatas, seven
piano sonatas, five sets of piano variations, four overtures, four trios, two sextets, and 72
songs. He truly was a remarkable composer and musical prodigy.
Composition History
“Moonlight Sonata”, Opus 27,And No.2- Adagio Sostenuto-7:10
This song was composed in the summer of 1801, in Hungary. It was first
composed at an estate that belonged to the Brunswick family. The Moonlight Sonata was
then published in 1802. Dedicated to one of Beethoven’s students that he felt passionately
for. Her name was Countess Giulietta Gucciardi and she was only 17 years old.
It is said that the atmosphere of this song is composed in such a way that it
correlates with what the composer felt as he watched at the side of a friend, who left this
world prematurely.
“A sonata is a solo piece for piano or for another solo instrument with
piano accompaniment.” (WebCOM)
‘Fur Elise”-2:56
German for For Elise, this song was composed in 1810; But not yet published
until 1865, which was well after Beethoven’s death in 1827. There is much speculation as
to who this “Elise” is. No one really knows who it is or his or her significance to
Beethoven. He was well into his career and completely deaf when he composed this song.
Some ideas as to whom this song is dedicated to and named after are secret admirers,
lovers, friends, or simply a gesture of endearment.
Meyers
3
“Symphony No5.”- in C Minor op.67-1st movement
Little is known about this composition. Beethoven revised and rewrote this
symphony for years. It was composed in 1804-1808. He premiered it at Vienna’s Theater
an der wein, on December 22,1808. Symphony No.5 is one of his most well known
symphonies composed.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
Listening Guide
“Moonlight Sonata”
This sonata is made up of three traditional movements:
1. Adagio sostenuto (slow and sustained)
2. Allegretto (a little quick)
3. Presto agitato (very fast and agitated)
0:00- Introduction: This composition is from the Classical era. The form is adagio
sostenuto. The melody in the introduction is very conjunct with an arch contour.
The dynamics are soft as the harmony is minor and consonance. The rhythm is in
duple meter with an imitation texture. Timbre- The volume is piano (soft) and
crescendo. The pitch is in A.
0:30- The form is adagio sostenuto. The texture has changed to counterpoint,
layering two different melodies against each other, with the pitch dropping to B
and volume remaining soft. Rhythm is duple meter and dynamics remain at piano.
The melody is still arch counter and conjunct. The harmony is also still in minor
and consonance.
1:00-The form is adagio sostenuto. The texture remains counterpoint with the
melody at arch counter, fluctuating from ascending to descending and ascending
to descending while the piano layers itself over the melody at duple meter it goes
from soft in dynamic to medium in volume and pitch in B. The harmony is minor
and consonance.
1:30- The form is allegretto. Texture remains at counterpoint. The pitch switches
back to A while the volume is at medium. Dynamics start to crescendo. The
melody is descending contour and harmony is dissonance and minor. Rhythm is
duple meter in adagio.
2:00-The form is allegretto. The texture is counterpoint and rhythm remains in
duple meter. Melody is descending contour. Harmony stays at consonance and
minor changing from major on a few notes and back to minor. Dynamics are soft
but volume is mezzo (medium). The pitch is in B.
2:30- The form is allegretto. Texture at counterpoint, with rhythm in duple meter.
Melody changes a little to disjunct and arch counter. Harmony is dissonance.
Dynamics are minor. Volume is mezzo and pitch works from A to B.
3:00- The form is allegretto. Texture counterpoint with duple meter. Melody is
descending contour then ascends. Harmony is dissonance, minor that builds to
major. Dynamics are med-soft. Volume is mezzo and pitch is A.
3:30- The form is allegretto. Texture is counterpoint. Duple meter, with a
conjunct melody that ascends to the highest point and falls back down to the
lowest point, arch contour. Harmony is dissonance that goes from major to minor.
Dynamics are loud with the volume in mezzo-forte, pitch goes from A to B.
Meyers
ix.
x.
xi.
xii.
xiii.
xiv.
4
4:00-The form is adagio sostenuto. Texture is counterpoint and rhythm is duple
meter. Melody is conjunct and arch counter. Harmony turns into a resolution from
dissonance back to consonance. Dynamics are soft, volume at piano, and pitch is
in B.
4:30- The form is allegretto. Texture is counterpoint and duple meter rhythm.
Melody is arch counter and conjunct. Harmony is consonance in minor. The
dynamics are soft and volume is med-soft. Pitch goes from B to A.
5:00- The form is allegretto. Texture is counterpoint and rhythm is duple meter.
Harmony is minor and consonance. Dynamics are soft. Volume is piano and pitch
goes from A to B.
5:30- The form is presto adagio. Texture is counterpoint and rhythm is duple
meter. The melody is a little disjunct and arch counter, going crescendo and then
back down to diminuendo. The harmony is in minor and dissonance. Dynamics
are loud and volume is mezzo with the pitch in B.
6:00- The form is presto adagio. Texture is counterpoint and rhythm is duple
meter. Melody is arch counter and disjunct. Harmony is minor and dissonance.
Dynamics are loud working down to soft. Volume is mezzo-piano and pitch is in
B.
6:30- The form is presto adagio. Texture is counterpoint and rhythm is duple
meter. Melody is arch counter and goes back to being conjunct. The harmony
finds resolution again from dissonance to consonance, still in minor. The
dynamics move from loud to soft. Volume goes from mezzo-piano to piano and
finally to pianissimo. The pitch ends in B as we reach the cadence.
“Fur Elise”
The form of this composition is, Rondo, which means that it is a form with
successive return to the main theme. Varying themes are introduced but the main theme
always separates them.
i.
0:00-Introduction-This composition starts out with the texture being imitation in
triple meter as the rhythm. The melody is conjunct and arch counter. The
harmony is consonance and seems to go from minor to major. The dynamics are
soft with the volume in mezzo-piano and pitch in A.
ii. 0:30-Texture is imitation and rhythm is triple meter. Melody is arch counter and
conjunct. Harmony is in major and consonance. Dynamics switch to loud and
volume is mezzo-forte with a pitch at A.
iii. 0:57- The texture changes to counterpoint. The rhythm switches suddenly to duple
meter. The melody also changes to inversion retrograde and conjunct. The
harmony is dissonance. Dynamics are loud and volume is in forte and pitch is B.
iv.
1:17- Texture is back to imitation and rhythm goes back to triple meter. Melody is
arch counter and conjunct. Harmony finds resolution from dissonance to
consonance. Pitch is in A, volume is piano and dynamics are soft.
v. 1:38- Texture is imitation and rhythm is triple meter but switches suddenly to
duple meter. Melody is disjunct and inversion retrograde. Harmony changes to
dissonance and minor. Pitch unexpectedly changes to C. Volume is forte and the
dynamics are loud.
Meyers
vi.
5
2:10-The texture is imitation and rhythm is back to triple meter. Melody goes
back to like the beginning of the composition, conjunct and arch counter.
Harmony also goes back to like the beginning of the composition, consonance and
major. Pitch goes back to A and volume to mezzo-piano. The dynamics are soft
again as it smoothly goes into the cadence.
“Symphony No.5”
The form for this composition is Sonata Allegro. There is an exposition, development,
and the recapitulation. Sonata Allegro form is a combination of binary and ternary forms.
i.
0:00-Introduction- The texture is counterpoint and the rhythm is triple meter.
Melody is disjunct and arch counter. Harmony is minor and dissonance. Pitch is
in B and volume is forte, it starts out loud and strong then goes to diminuendo.
ii. 0:25- The texture is counterpoint and the rhythm is triple meter. Melody is arch
counter and conjunct. Harmony is minor and consonance. Pitch is in A and
volume goes from piano and crescendos to forte. The dynamics are soft to loud.
iii. 0:50- Texture is counterpoint and rhythm is duple meter. Melody is arch counter
and conjunct. Harmony goes from minor to major and is consonance. Pitch is A
and volume is piano. The dynamics are soft.
iv.
1:18-The texture is counterpoint and the rhythm is duple meter. Melody is
disjunct and inversion retrograde. Harmony is major and dissonance. Pitch is A to
B. Volume is forte and the dynamics are loud.
v. 2:00- Texture is counterpoint and rhythm is duple meter. Melody is disjunct and
arch counter. Harmony is minor and dissonance. Pitch is B and volume is forte
and dynamics are loud.
vi.
2:32- The texture is counterpoint and rhythm is duple meter. Melody is disjunct
and arch counter. Harmony is minor and dissonance. Pitch is A and volume is
forte. The dynamics are loud going into cadence, and then slow down to soft.
vii.
3:00- The texture is counterpoint. Rhythm is duple meter. Melody is disjunct and
arch counter. Harmony is major/minor and dissonance. The dynamics go from
soft to loud, crescendo.
viii. 3:30-The texture is counterpoint. The rhythm is duple meter. The melody is
conjunct. Up down up down up down. Loud to soft.
ix. 4:00- The texture is counterpoint. The melody is disjunct. The harmony is minor.
The dynamics loud. The rhythm is duple meter.
x. 4:25- Dynamics switch to soft. The texture is counterpoint. The melody is
conjunct. The harmony is minor and consonance. The rhythm is duple meter.
xi. 5:00- the texture is counterpoint. The rhythm is duple meter. The melody is
disjunct and then switches back to conjunct. The harmony is minor to major. The
dynamics are loud to soft, diminuendo.
xii. 5:30- The texture is counterpoint. The rhythm is duple meter. The harmony is
major dissonance. The melody is conjunct. The dynamics are loud. Climbing back
up to major.
xiii. 6:00- The texture is counterpoint. The dynamics are loud. The melody is disjunct.
The harmony is dissonance. The rhythm is duple meter.
xiv. 6:30-The texture is counterpoint. The dynamics are loud. The melody is disjunct.
The harmony is minor. The rhythm is duple meter.
Meyers
xv.
7:00- The texture is counterpoint. The rhythm is duple meter. The harmony is
disjunct. The melody is minor. The dynamics are soft to loud at cadence.
6
Meyers
Works Cited
Greene, Aaron
“About.com- Classical Music, “Fur Elise”, By Ludwig van Beethoven”Copyright 2013 About.com
http://classicalmusic.about.com/od/onestopbeethoven/qt/beethove-fur-elise.htm
Greene, Aaron
“About.com-Classical Music, Brief Histories of Beethoven Symphonies”
Copyright-2013 About.com
http://classicalmusic.about.com/od/onestopbeethoven/a/beethovensympho.htm
Muntaneu, Iullan
“All About Beethoven”- Copyright, All About Beethoven 2004-2006 Ver.5.0Onesti, Romania
http://www.all-about-beethoven.com/moonsonata.html
Networks, A+E
“Ludwig van Beethoven. Biography- Copyright 1996-2013 A+E Television
Networks, LLC All rights reserved
http://www.biography.com/people/ludwig-van-beethoven-9204862
Prevot, Dominique
“Ludwig van Beethoven’s Biography”- CopyrightDepot.com-00033548LVBeethoven.com -February 2000
http://www.lvbeethoven.com/Bio/BiographyLudwig.html
7
Meyers
8
WebCOM
Online music book -“Listen to the Music”
Kendall Hunt Publishing Company copyright 2002-2013
The Three Periods of Beethoven
“The Three Periods of Beethoven”
http://www.lcsproductions.net/MusicHistory/MusHistRev/Articles/Beethv
nPeriods.html