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
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. o 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 o 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 o 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 o 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