Ludwig van Beethoven

1. Ludwig vanBeethoven

2. Beethoven- The history of • Why a history?? • Beethoven had a very distinguished life that greatly influenced his work

3. Beethoven’s childhood • Date of birth: UNKNOWN • Assumed to be born on December 16th 1770 • Baptized: December 17th 1770 • Born in Bonn, Germany • Parents: • Maria Magdalena • Johann van Beethoven • Kapellmeister Ludwig van Beethoven

4. Johann van Beethoven • Court singer • Described as mediocre • Determined to create a prodigy • Flogged • Locked in cellar • Sleep deprivation • Played a major role in shaping the young Beethoven into the master he would become

5. The Young Musician • His instruction began between the ages of four and six • First Public Recital: March 26th 1778 • At the young age of Seven and a half • Also attended school at this time • “Music comes to me more readily than words” • Studied full time under Christian GottlobNeelfe, a court organist • Created his first composition at the age of 12!

6. Changes • 1784- Father was no longer able to work • Young Beethoven sought work as the Assistant Court Organist • Small salary • Provided visibility Sent to Vienna by the church • Almost immediately returned following his mothers sudden death • Continued to study in Bonn, Germany • Returned to Vienna to study in 1972

7. Cont.. • Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph II • Earliest masterpiece • Never performed • Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph II • Debut Performance March 29th 1795 • Debut Symphony April 2nd 1800 • Six String Quartet in 1801 • Begins to go deaf • The music continues

8. The Masterpieces Continue • From 1803-1812 • One opera • Six symphonies • Four solo concerti • Five string quartets • Six string Sonatas • Seven piano sonatas • Five piano variations • Four overtures • Four trios • Two sextets • 72 songs

9. His Life • Music was his life • Famous works: • MissaSolemnis • String Quartet No. 14 • The Ninth Symphony • String Quartet No. 14

10. Ode To Joy • Ode To Joy from Beethoven's 9th Symphony • Written by Friedrich Schiller • Celebration of brotherhood • Final section of the Ninth Symphony • Woven with the theme of Enlightenment • Beethoven long awaited the use of the Ode • Created a powerful finale

11. Ode To Joy Listening Guide • Ode To Joy from Beethoven's 9th symphony • 0-:12 The flutes start off with a 3 note scale moving up in pitch then what appears to be a French horn enters with a single note repeating. The key sounds major then seems to move to a more minor feel then back to major. • :13-:30 At this point the trumpets join with the flutes and slowly build adding on the horns. This builds in a crescendo creating a very full sound, very powerful dynamics and the feeling increases even more as the vocals are added. The vocals carry the melody and the percussion adds fullness as it accompanies with the strings. The horns and the vocals are carrying the melody in what appears to be homophony. • :31-:36 The melody changes slightly. The music has the same spacing and texture. There is a similar feeling of harmony between the parts and the rhythm also remains the same.

12. :36-:58 The melody reverts back to the opening melody but after a moment adds a small three note descent at the end of each section of the main melody. This addition creates a slight feeling of resolution because of the tempo, note choice and placement of those notes. • :59-1:05 At this point in the song the horns take the melody with a string accompaniment for a very brief moment and then there is a break of silence. This creates a bit of unease as it breaks the conjunct feeling the song has had thus far and completely separates the two movements. • 1:06-1:29 The music takes on a completely different tone. The notes move to a lower key and at the beginning only men(tenors) are heard. The horns enter with a homophonic melody playing as the voices sing. The rhythm of the music is much slower and seems more distinct. • 1:30-1:55 The strings and the flutes come back accompanying female vocals(alto and possibly sopranos). This changes the tone of the music from that eerie minor feel to more of a major lighter feeling although it is still overall dark compared to the beginning. The music builds and leads into a great sigh of resolution. • 1:56-2:20 There is another break but this time instead of changing completely it goes back to the male voices. The mood is dark, slightly more disjunct and there are no strings or flutes, very homophonic.

13. 2:20-2:34 The strings and flutes enter, the mood changes to a lighter chorus. The female parts enter and build in a crescendo to a very full sound. The music moves back to a major and finishes at the end of the crescendo with a “glorious” mood for lack of better words, an angelic feel. • 2:34-2:40 At this point the voices break into distinct parts and then slowly combine adding on layers and building • 2:40-2:46 The harmony increasingly builds adding in the horns and strings to the vocals. • 2:46-3:05 The mood changes as there is a slightly minor note held just long enough to create a feeling of discomfort followed by immediate resolution by a harmonious major chord. The tempo is slow and the mood calm and relaxed. • 3:05-3:22 Vocals enter and there are slight breaks creating minor disjunction but not as emphasized as the chords themselves seem to flow. • 3:22-4 At this point in the piece the vocals and instruments build together in beautiful harmony in a crescendo. There are small breaks in the vocals but it maintains the constant crescendo. Again, there is beautiful harmony at its peak and a solid major chord. The mood created is powerful, strong and high energy.

14. 4-4:11 The flutes enter here building layer on layer adding one small section at a time. There is a slightly eerie feel to the tone of the music at this point. • 4:11-4:30 Vocals enter matching the flutes pitch then start to waver holding the same note then move back to a strong harmonious note held with the flutes. • 4:31-4:33 Silence, a break seemingly separating the thoughts of the music • 4:33-5:04 Strong trumpet or trombone enters changing the timbre of the music all together. This carries the melody with a vocal accompaniment singing a digressing scale. This is the first time this has happened in the piece. Layers are added creating a fullness once again. • 5:04-5:20 Vocals are once again the melody and introduce a new one • 5:20-5:48 Vocals maintain the main melody(soprano) with horn and percussion accompanying briefly with an introduction leading into the melody changing between the vocals and the instruments. • 5:48-6 Vocals hold a high pitch at this point with violins playing a slow trill. The horns are the melody and the rhythm of the piece is the same as at the beginning with a vocal melody. • 6:01-6:15 Men’s vocals carry the melody with the strings(homophonic)-bassoon accompanies and the music reverts back to the minor key. • 6:15-6:19 Women’s vocals are introduced with a matching rhythm. It moves to a slow introduction of additional instruments but maintains the steady slow rhythm. Additions of the different parts add a fullness.

15. 6:20-6:45 Immediate change to a major key from minor. The music takes on a light harmonious feel. There is a very conjunct fluidity to the music. The tempo remains the same, very light and airy feeling. This section ends with a long drawn out chord. • 6:45-6:47 Silence • 6:47-6:52 Strings enter with a whole new feel. They are a quick tempo and provide a light and flighty feel. Flutes enter. • 6:52-7:23 The tenor enters carrying the melody then builds with alto carrying a different part leading to an instrumental scale which transitions back to alto taking the melody shortly followed by the tenor entering again. Next the tenor and alto have a playful exchange with a moderate to fast tempo jumping back and forth with the melody. There are many similarities in the tenor and alto parts but also minor differences in the notes, it is almost like a round. • 7:23-7:40 Now comes in the rest of the choral group. They join dramatically with a quick increase in the fullness and add a very strong dynamic while continuing with the same melody. The song then moves to a homophony or the melody is then in unison and then mimicked by the strings. • 7:40-7:58 The tempo slows immediately. The melody moves from the instruments back to the vocals then to the instruments then back to the vocals and slows dramatically, the tempo feels paused. • 7:59-8:17 The piece goes right back to a fast paced tempo the crescendos building more and more.

16. 8:18-9:08 The music following the crescendo takes an unexpected turn and moves to one distinct female voice and one distinct male voice. The tempo slows and the music dynamics take on a more somber feel. Scales are performed mainly by the male vocal and the female carries the main melody. The brass then enters and then there are 2 distinct male parts that continue harmoniously with the female maintaining the melody. • 9:08-9:10 Silence • 9:10-9:19 Violins enter with a feeling of disjunction alternating the melody with cellos then they join together in harmony with 2 notes and build into a crescendo. • 9:20-10:03 The song is full and bright now with cymbals accenting the flow. It is in a major chord and the horns are alternating the melody with the vocals. The piccolo then enters amongst the fullness but shines out with a featured melody. • 10:03-10:15 Scales are introduced alternating between the vocals and the instruments • 10:15-10:37 There is a pause followed by a slow in the tempo, the dynamics and tone of the music softens then expectantly pick right back up into different distinct movements accentuated by the cymbals. • 10:38-10:56 The main melody moves into a finale with all instruments and the percussion joint with the vocals. It is a major chord and very powerful.

17. Fur Elise-For Elise • One of the most well known pieces • Who is Elise?? • Theories for Elise • Miss-interpreted handwriting • Elise= Sweetheart • Nickname perhaps? • Published in 1865- post death • Outset for emotional expression

18. Fur Elise- Listening Guide • Fur Elise • 0-:20 There is a simple treble with a simple bass cleft. The music is very conjunct and in a major key. It has a medium tempo with a very smooth flowing main melody. The dynamics are mf-mp • :20-:27 A change to the melody or a new melody is introduced. This melody covers a seemingly broader range especially with the treble cleft. This section ends with octave jumps in a scale like fashion. The dynamics are mainly m. • :27-:38 The song reverts back to the first melody and this part is exactly the same the only difference I noticed is it seems to be more mp or a slightly softer dynamic. • :38-:48 The song now repeats the second melody. It is once again identical including the octave jumps at the end however, the dynamics seem to be slightly louder: mf. • :48-:56 The song repeats the first melody again at mp but instead the ending is different as the last few notes begin to move up on the scale but then instead of continuing they move back down which leads into the change of pace and song.

19. :56-1:15 This is an all new section beginning with staccato. The mood is bright, the tempo is faster. The treble cleft carries the melody with a variety of scales. The pace then moves to a very fast tempo and very fluid or conjunctive feel. The dynamics in this section move from m to mf to mp and end with p. • 1:15-1:19 This is a transitory trill on the treble cleft. • 1:19-1:28 The song now repeats the first melody exactly and stays at a mp dynamic. The tempo also matches the original melody. • 1:28-1:35 Moves back to the second melody at mf. Exact replica of the original. • 1:35-1:46 Back to the first melody. It is exactly the same. • 1:46-2:02 There is a mood change here due to the key change to a minor. There are small sections of a major feel but then back to the minor. The tempo is fast and distinct and the dynamics change throughout from m to mf to f to mf for the end of this movement. • 2:02-2:11 Here in the music there is a clear and distinct resolution. There is a complete change in the feel with a move to a major key. There is a brief moment of a few minor notes then back to major.

20. 2:11-2:19 Here in the song there is a scale. The tempo is very quick. The scale alters between climbing and then a short decline on the scale to then continue with more climbing. Once the scale reaches its peak it moves downward until reaching the beginning notes of the original first melody transitioning into the primary melody. • 2:19-2:27 The original melody is played the exact same as in the beginning. • 2:27-2:33 The second melody is played the exact same as in the beginning. • 2:33-end The primary melody begins but is softer(p) and the tempo slows moving into the end chord(pp) which is held for a moment then released. This last chord is interesting because it has the feel of resolution but at the same time it is not quite the resolution you hope for.

21. Works Cited • http://www.forelise.com/about • http://classicalmusic.about.com/od/onestopbeethoven/qt/beethove-fur-elise.htm • http://www.biography.com/people/ludwig-van-beethoven-9204862?page=1 • http://www.lvbeethoven.com/Bio/BiographyLudwig.html • http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5487727