Beethoven
Education in general and in music Beethoven
came from a musical family, and his
early musical training was under his
father's guidance. His father taught him
piano and violin. His general
education was not continued beyond the elementary
school. He was practically
illiterate in math. II. Self assertion As a youth of
19, in 1789,
Beethoven took legal steps to have himself placed at the head of
his family.
He petitioned for half his father's salary to support his brothers.
This
act of self-assertion is an indication of his character. III. Studies
with
Haydn A. The first contact On one of Haydn's trips to London, he met
the young
Beethoven. Beethoven showed Haydn a cantata and he received
Haydn's
commendation. The Elector of Bonn paid for Beethoven's lessons and
expences in
to study with Haydn in Vienna. B. The studies Beethoven arrived
in Vienna in
1792 and studied with Haydn for about one year. The
arrangement proved to be a
dissappointment to Beethoven. C. The relationship
Outwardly in public the two
were cordial, but there were troubles with the
relationship--maybe professional
jealousy caused the problems. D. Other
teachers Beethoven turned to other
teachers when Haydn went to London for the
second time. He studied with
Albrechtsberger, famous as a choir director
at St. Stephens in Vienna and the
best-known counterpoint teacher in Vienna.
He then studied Salieri, famous in
Mozart's biography. Salieri helped
Beethoven in setting Italian words to music.
IV. Establishment as pianist
and composer His first task in Vienna was to
establish himself as pianist and
composer. He achieved both rapidly. A.
Aristocracy He had worked for a
court in Bonn so his first contacts were in
aristocratic circles. He needed
financial support from them. B. Public concerts
Public concerts were not
yet the way of life in Vienna, but Beethoven did begin
a series of charity
concerts. Later in 1800 he gave his first concert for his
own benefit. C.
Opus 1 His opus 1, Trios for Piano Violin and Cello, were
designed to impress
Viennese society. Each trio is in 4 movements. Beethoven
created parity among
the instruments in these trios. V. Brothers and Nephew A.
Fighting with
brothers All three brothers lived in Vienna and they often
"came to blows" in
the street. B. Fighting for nephew After his
brother Carl died in 1815
Beethoven felt responsible for his nephew Karl. He had
little difficulty in
persuading himself that his sister-in-law was unfit to care
for Karl. He went
to court requesting guardianship (he won). VI. Deafness A. The
secret It is
not known for sure when he began to go deaf, but he kept the fact a
secret
until 1801 when he wrote a Bonn friend about his "miserably
life". B.
Heiligenstadt Testament Having moved out of the city for medical
reasons he
wrote the Heiligenstadt Testament. C. Total deafness He was totally
deaf by
1818. He continued to compose until the year of his death in 1827.
Works
of Beethoven
9 SYMPHONIES · 1 OPERA "Fidelio" · 32 PIANO SONATAS · 5
PIANO
CONCERTOS · 16 STRING QUARTETS · 16 SONATAS FOR ONE INSTRUMENT AND
PIANO
(CELLO,5; VIOLIN,10; FH,1) The Symphonies · op.21 Symphony No. 1 in C
1800 ·
op.36 Symphony No. 2 in D 1801-02 · op.55 Symphony No. 3 in E flat
"Erocia"
1803 · op.60 Symphony No. 4 in B flat 1806 · op.67 Symphony No.
5 in c minor
1807 · op.68 Symphony No. 6 in F "Pastoral" 1808 · op.92
Symphony
No. 7 in A 1811 · op.93 Symphony No. 8 in F 1812 · op.125
Symphony No. 9 in d
minor
1822