Download Transition to Romantic Period

Transition to Romantic Period
• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
o One of the most famous and influential composers of all time
o Crucial to the transition from Classic to Romantic
o Early Life
Born in Bonn, Germany
• His father, Johann, was a vocalist (tenor) and a
piano/violin teacher. He saw that young Ludwig had
musical talent and wanted him to become famous as a
child prodigy, just like Mozart
• Johann was a harsh teacher and an alcoholic and often
made Ludwig stand for hours playing piano, even in the
middle of the night
• Ludwig’s first public performance was at the age of 8
and he began studying composition at the age of 9
Ludwig traveled to Vienna at the age of 17 to study with
Mozart, but had to return to Bonn because his mother
was dying. He needed to stay in Bonn to care for his two
younger brothers and by the time he could return to Vienna,
Mozart had died
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Moved to Vienna at the age of 22 and began studying with
Franz Joseph Haydn. He became known as a virtuoso pianist
first, then later as a composer.
Beethoven had many aristocratic employers (patrons), but did not
allow these rulers to influence his music. He was able to do this
because of his fame and genius, as well as the shift in society’s views
on patron control over composers
Loss of hearing
At the age of 26, Beethoven began to experience a loud ringing
in his ears, which then turned into hearing loss
He continued to compose, but stopped performing publicly in
1811
By the age of 44 he was almost completely deaf, but still went
on to compose many of his most famous works
Character
Beethoven’s deafness and chronic stomach pain caused him to
be extremely irritable. He also suffered from wild mood swings
and depression, even to the point of contemplating suicide
He hated authority and social rank and would stop performing
if the audience began chatting during a piece, regardless of how
many nobles were in attendance
Style
Beethoven did not compose as many pieces as Mozart or
Haydn, but his transformative ideas were sheer genius
He increased the number of emotions in music, making it
bolder, more expressive, and explored more themes (ideas) in a
single piece
He expanded the length of pieces, particularly the development
section
He demanded greater ability from his performers, particularly
in range of notes
He introduced Program Music – music that paints a picture
He expanded the size of the orchestra (40 to 70) and brought
back the Baroque idea of combining choir and orchestra