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Ludwig van Beethoven and the Ninth Symphony Background • Born in Bonn, Germany • Baptized on Dec. 17 1770 • Grandfather was Kapellmeister at court • Father sang in choir and taught voice and violin lessons from their home Early Life • First performance at age of 7 • Took lessons with court organist, Christian Gottlob Neefe • Neefe introduced him to the works of J.S. Bach, Joseph Haydn, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart • 1782 - 1783: wrote several variations on an existing march and three piano sonatas Mozart and Haydn • Went to Vienna to study with Mozart but had to return home to to his mother's failing health • Mother died and father became an alcoholic • Got his first salaried position as an organist at court and also had part of his father's salary transfered to him • 1792: returned to Vienna to study with Joseph Haydn (Mozart had died only a year earlier) Starting His Career • 1795: funding for his studies was cut off due to the French Revolution • Made a name for himself in the local salons; especially popular for his improvisation on the piano • Starting in 1800, Prince Licknowski provided him a yearly stipend so he could focus on composing music Hearing Loss • 1801: no longer able to hear high-pitched tones • Retreated to village of Heiligenstadt where he wrote the Heiligenstadt Testament "I will grasp Fate by the neck, it shall not bring me down entirely." - Beethoven Dark Period • Beethoven's music reflected his mood while struggling with his hearing loss • Moonlight Sonatas • Eroica Symphony; originally intended as an homage to Napoleon Bonaparte • Scratched Napoleon's name off the symphony after hearing he had declared himself emperor of France Financial Worries • First opera, Fidelio, not very successful • Falling out with long-time supporter, Prince Licknowsky • Turned down for permanent post with Vienna opera • Considered position as Kapellmeister for Napoleon's brother in Kassel • Prince Kinsky, Prince Lobkowitz, and Archduke Randolph joined together to provide an annual stipend of 4000 florins Troubled Success • Publication of music reached its peak during 1810 to 1811 • Wellington's Victory • Revival of Fidelio • 1816 - 1820: Guardianship battle for nephew • Missa Solemnas Final Years • Symphony No. 9 and Ode to Joy • Performed on May 7, 1824; met with thunderous applause • Nephew attempted to kill himself and was sent to an army post • Beethoven grew progressively sicker until confined to a bed by November 1826 • Died March 26, 1827 • Over 20,000 attended his funeral (funeral oration) Symphony No. 9 - History • Delayed by guardianship battle and Missa Solemnas • First time voices were included in a symphony • Group of Viennese art lovers petitioned Beethoven to have the first performance in Vienna • Final concert before his death Listening Guide Listen • Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 Choral 4th Movement • Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven • Conducted by Zubin Mehta, a musical director of Florence, Italy • Performed by the NHK Symphony Orchestra and the Tokyo Opera Singers of Japan • This musical number was performed at a charity concert for the survivors of the March 11, 2011 Japan earthquake. Listening Guide 0:00 - 2:30 0:00 - Bass drums and brass instruments in unison 0:30 - Abrupt changes from bass drums to brass and woodwinds; rapid violin notes then slow cello and basses 1:00 - Forte; dramatic, quick cello strokes become pianissimo then return to forte 1:30 - Bass strings and high pitched woodwinds take turns 2:00 - Slow to quick bass notes with woodwinds 2:30 - Bass instruments varying from high to low notes Listening Guide 2:45 - 5:00 2:45 - Brief stop then "Ode to Joy" melody on bass and cello 3:15 - Melody continues 3:35 - Violins join then a bassoon 4:00 - Bassoon becomes louder the violins take over again 4:30 - Violins continue melody with violas harmonizing 5:00 - Full orchestra play melody and harmony then brass instruments begin to dominate the melody Listening Guide 5:30 - 7:45 5:30 - Bass drums join trumpets on melody 6:00 - Forte, rapid music slows down to just woodwinds then full orchestra joins in and speeds up 6:30 - Orchestra stops and bass singer continues a Capella 7:00 - Singer continues with short bursts of music from orchestra; flutes and piccolos play softly in background 7:30 - Plucking violin and soloist on melody 7:45 - Full choir on melody then instrumental interlude Listening Guide 8:15 - 10:15 8:15 - Two high pitched female singers and two low pitched male singers take over melody 8:30 - Full choir, forte, and orchestra take over melody 8:45 - Woodwind interlude then male singers on melody 9:15 - Orchestra and choir join together then slow down 9:45 - Pause, bassoon starts in unison with drum beat 10:15 - Flutes, piccolos, and trumpets continue with bassoon getting louder Listening Guide 10:30 - 13:00 10:30 - Tenor soloist with drums, symbols, and triangle; music becomes a marching rhythm 11:00 - Male choir members join soloist; fortissimo 11:30 - Musical interlude with fast violins and woodwinds joined by trumpets then full orchestra 12:00 - Orchestra continues at rapid pace 12:30 - Musical interlude winds down 13:00 - Full orchestra and choir join in fortissimo union to complete the piece Bibliography Autexier, Philippe. Beethoven, The Composer as Hero. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1992. Print. Geck, Martin. Beethoven. London: Haus, 2003. Print. Johnson, Stephen. Ludwig Van Beethoven: An Essential Guide to Hi Life and Works. London: Pavilion, 1997. Print Wegeler, Franz Gerhard, and Ferdinand Ries. Beethoven Remembered: the Biographical Notes of Franz Wegeler and Ferdinand Ries. Arlington, VA: Great Ocean, 1987. Print. Wyn Jones, David. The Life of Beethoven. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1998. Print.