Ludvig van Beethoven Flashcards
dates
1770-1827
born in
Bonn, Germany to a musical family
grandfather was ________
kapellmeister at electoral court, source of inspiration for beethoven
father was_____
a singer and instrumentalist at the electoral court, he was a harsh, severe parent who became an alcoholic
teachers
received early musical training from Johann, later studied composition and counterpoint with Christian Neefe
early career in _____ as _______ and _______
Bonn, organist, violist in court orchestras
when did he travel to Vienna to study with Mozart
1787, mothers illness compelled him to return to Bonn after a short time. became head of household after mother’s death, financially responsible for brothers
moved to Vienna in
1792, close relations between the courts in Bonn and Vienna helped get established
briefly studied with
haydn
influential patrons include
Prince Lobkowitz, Prince Lichnowsky, count Rasumovsky
influential patrons include
Prince Lobkowitz, Prince Lichnowsky, count Rasumovsky
had _____ romantic infatuations
many, remained single
began to lose hearing in _____
mid twenties
believed in the French motto____
liberte, égalité, fraternite
thoughts on Napoleon
admired him then hated him after he declared himself emperor. originally wrote symphony no 3 for him, removed name after.
gained custody of nephew Karl after a lengthy legal battle with his __________
sister in law (his brother Kaspar had died in 1815)
_______ deaf in later years
totally
how did he spend his final years
in total isolation. Devastated by Karl’s suicide attempt, fell gravely ill
died
March 26, 1827, pneumonia. highly respected in Vienna, funeral attracted thousands of admirers
musical style and contributions
- bold innovator, original and influential
- planned meticulously revised works in sketchbooks
- thematic material often grows out of short, incisive motives
- developed and expanded classical genres, sonata, concerto, symphony, string quartet
- transformed every genre he touched
- innovations include replacing the graceful menuet and trio with the more dramatic scherzo, use of cyclical structure, programmatic elements, inclusion of chorus and soloists in the symphony
- new orchestral instruments: pics, trombone, contrabassoon
early period
1782-1802
- abosorbed the classical style traits from Haydn and Mozart
middle period
1803-1815
- more romantic elements, such as increased chromaticism, abrupt modulations
- epic, heroic character
late period
1815-1827
- style became more abstract and meditative
- counterpoint more frequent
- experimented with form and content
genres and titles
symphonies, concertos, orchestral, chamber, piano, vocal
