Illustrations for the works of Beethoven. Beethoven's biography briefly the most important

(1770-1827) German composer, pianist, conductor

Ludwig van Beethoven was born on December 16, 1770 in Bonn. The boy chose the profession for a reason: his father and grandfather were professional musicians, so he naturally followed in their footsteps. His childhood was spent in material need, was bleak, harsh.

At the same time, Ludwig had to devote most of his time to studies: the boy was taught to play the violin, piano, organ.

He quickly made progress, and since 1784 he served in the court chapel. We can say that Beethoven owed a lot to the favorable atmosphere that developed at the court of the Elector of Cologne Franz Maximilian. Ludwig went through a good school in the court orchestra, where he was taught by many outstanding musicians - K. Nefe, I. Haydn, I. Albrechtsberger, A. Salieri. There he began to compose music, and also managed to take the place of organist and cellist.

In 1787, Ludwig van Beethoven decided to go to meet his fate in Austria. Its capital, Vienna, was famous for its great musical traditions. Mozart lived there, learning from whom was Beethoven's long-standing desire. Hearing the young Bonn musician playing, Mozart said: “Pay attention to him. He will make everyone talk about himself! "

But Ludwig Beethoven could not stay in Vienna for a long time due to his mother's illness. True, after her death, he again came there, this time at the invitation of another composer - Haydn.

Influential friends helped Beethoven, and he soon became a fashionable pianist and teacher. Since 1792, Beethoven has lived permanently in Vienna. Soon he gained fame as a remarkable pianist and improviser. His playing amazed his contemporaries with the depth of his passions, emotionality, and extraordinary instrumentation.

The time spent in the Austrian capital was very fruitful for the aspiring composer. During the first decade of his stay there, he created 2 symphonies, 6 quartets, 17 piano sonatas and other works.

However, the composer, who was in his prime, was struck by a serious illness. From 1796 he began to go deaf and by the end of 1802 he was completely deaf. At first, he fell into despair, but, having overcome a severe psychological crisis, he was able to pull himself together and began to compose music again. Ludwig van Beethoven reflected heavy experiences and a great love for life and music in his works, but now they have acquired a dramatic shade.

His worldview was determined by the ideas of the Great French Revolution of 1789. Therefore, the main themes in his work are the themes of life and death, brotherhood and equality of people, a heroic feat in the name of freedom. These themes were first sounded in his choral song "Free Man", written under the impression of revolutionary events.

Beethoven's work was a transitional stage from the canonical music of Bach and Handel, in which the dogmatic framework of church music was still strong, to the music of modern times. Therefore, contemporaries did not accept all the works of Ludwig Beethoven. Some were frightened by the intensity of passions, the power of transmitted emotions, the depth of philosophical problems. Others talked about the complexity of the execution.

Ludwig Beethoven was not only the greatest composer, but also a remarkable pianist. That is why his sonatas, which contemporaries called "instrumental dramas", are so expressive. In music, sometimes they see songs without words. In the first place is Appassionata. Beethoven introduced here a special form based on the repetition of melodic cycles. Thus, the main idea of ​​the work was strengthened and the drama of the various feelings conveyed increased.

In the famous "Moonlight Sonata", Beethoven's personal drama was revealed with the greatest completeness, due to the impossibility of marriage with Countess Julia Guicciardi, whom the composer loved deeply and passionately.

In the Third Symphony, Beethoven continued his search for other means of expression. Here he introduces a new theme of life and death for his work. The dramatic basis of the narrative did not mean the appearance of pessimistic moods, but, on the contrary, called for a decisive change in reality. Therefore, this symphony is better known as "Heroic". It is characterized by the scale of forms, richness and sculptural relief of images, expressiveness and clarity of the musical language, saturated with volitional rhythms and heroic melodies.

The last of the symphonies created by Beethoven was the Ninth, which sounds like a hymn to the power and strength of the human spirit, rebelling over an illness. After all, the last years of Beethoven's life were overshadowed by severe life hardships, illness, loneliness. The symphony was first performed on May 7, 1824. Its main idea is the unity of millions. This is also stated in the choral finale of this brilliant work on the text of F. Schiller's ode "To Joy".

In terms of the power of thought, breadth of design, and perfection of embodiment, the Ninth Symphony has no equal. Only in the XX century Russian composers D. Shostakovich and A. Schnittke were able to reach the heights of Beethoven's creative spirit.

Almost simultaneously with the Ninth Symphony, the composer creates "Solemn Mass", where he also carries out the idea of ​​peace and brotherhood of mankind. At the same time, he goes beyond the traditional musical accompaniment of the solemn service, introduces the idea of ​​the need for a concrete embodiment of the unity of all people. Monumentality, careful elaboration of vocal and instrumental parts made this work innovative.

Ludwig VanBethoven wrote only one opera - "Fidelio" (1805). In this heroic opera, monumental scenes alternate with everyday, often comedic, sketches. The love story became the basis for the transmission of deep feelings and at the same time was a response to the revolutionary events of its time.

In the center of almost all of Beethoven's works, the striking, uncommon character of a struggling personality is presented, possessing genuine optimism. At the same time, heroic images are intertwined with deep, concentrated lyrics, with images of nature. Beethoven's ability to combine elements of different genres in one work became not only a discovery, but also a feature of the music of his followers. The composer's work has had a great influence on European music.

Brahms, Mendelssohn and Wagner admired Beethoven and considered him their teacher.

- an outstanding German composer, brilliant pianist and conductor. The date of birth of the great composer is supposedly December 16, 1770. The date of his baptism is precisely known - December 17, 1770, the church of St. Remigius, Bonn. The boy's family was closely connected with music, which had a great influence on his musical development and choice in his future life path. Ludwig's grandfather was a conductor, and his father was a chorister of the court chapel. After the death of his grandfather, the family's financial situation deteriorated further and the boy could not continue his studies at school. True, he has already mastered Latin, French and Italian, read a lot. At first, his father and his colleagues were involved in Ludwig's musical education. Ludwig learned to play the piano virtuously, easily improvised, which made the accomplished pianists amazed. At the age of eight, his first concert took place in Cologne. Since 1780 he studied with the court organist Nefe. At the age of twelve, he successfully replaced Nefe. At this time, his first publication appeared in print, containing 12 variations for the clavier.

In 1787, Beethoven visited Vienna for the first time, the world-renowned musical capital of Europe. Here he met Mozart, who praised his skill in piano improvisation. If the first stay in Vienna was short-lived, then in 1792 Beethoven finally moves to Vienna. Here he improved in composition with Haydn and Albrechtsberger, and enjoyed the advice and support of Schenk and Salieri. Initially, he was financially supported by the Elector of Cologne. Soon the talented pianist found admirers and patrons among the wealthy aristocrats of Vienna. Until the end of the days of the outstanding composer, Archduke Rudolph was his grateful student, devoted admirer of talent and patron. He becomes the most fashionable and sought-after salon pianist.

In 1795, a public performance took place Beethoven as a pianist. His 3 piano trios and 3 piano sonatas appeared this year. Beethoven's performances in Vienna, Berlin, Dresden, Prague are held with great success. The audience was captivated by the pianist's stormy temperament and virtuoso performance, brilliantly combined with the depth of feelings and rich imagination. Until 1802, the composer wrote 20 piano sonatas, including the famous Pathetique Sonata (Sonata No. 8, 1798) and the Moonlight Sonata (Sonata No. 14, 1801). During this period he created 2 symphonies, 3 piano concertos, 6 quartets, 2 cello and 8 violin sonatas.

In 1797, Beethoven showed the first signs of deafness, the disease progressed rapidly and threatened the composer with complete deafness. In October 1802, being in a state of mental crisis, Beethoven compiled for his family "Heiligenstadt testament". However, he soon overcame this extremely pessimistic state and managed to return to creativity. He cut back on his concert performances, after 1815 he gave them up altogether. A new stage began in the work of the great composer, which began in 1803 and ended in 1812. His music was dominated by the motives of the heroic struggle for justice and freedom. These motives are embodied with particular force in the 3rd ("Heroic"), 5th (with the famous "motive of fate"), 7th and 9th symphonies, in the opera "Fidelio", overtures "Coriolanus" and "Egmont ”, In the piano dreamFbOtNPpP2p0ate“ Appassionata ”, in his famous“ Kreutzer Sonata ”, written for violin and piano.

In 1813-1815 there is a decline in the work of the composer. After 1815, a new, late stage began in Beethoven's work. Over the next 11 years, he created 16 major works. Among them: 2 cello sonatas, 5 - piano sonatas, the outstanding 9th symphony to the words of Schiller's ode "To Joy" with a closing chorus, Solemn Mass, 6 string quartets, 33 variations on A. Diabelli's waltz. The fame of the great composer went far beyond the borders of Germany and Austria. Ludwig van Beethoven died on March 26, 1827 in Vienna, more than 10 thousand people left to see the outstanding composer on his last journey.

Name: Ludwig van Beethoven

Age: 56 years

Place of Birth: Bonn, Germany

A place of death: Vienna, Austria

Activity: composer, violinist, pianist, conductor

Family status: was not married

Ludwig Van Beethoven - biography

The most unusual composer who learned to play the violin and piano, who managed to conduct an entire orchestra, being completely deaf.

Childhood, family

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in German Bonn in a harsh winter. The fate of both grandfather and father was connected with music, therefore the entire biography of the successor of the Beethoven family was deliberately determined. The older men from the family of the famous composer had excellent vocal abilities, which they used in their work. The men found use of their talent in the chapel at the court. Ludwig's father often came home drunk, drinking half of what he earned. And the rest of the money was not enough to provide for the family.

The boy's so-called children's room had no furniture, except for an iron bed and an old harpsichord. And the room itself was located in the attic of the house. The father went there to beat his son, although the mother always got a good part of the beatings. Maria Beethoven loved Ludwig dearly, he was not the only child in the family, seven were born, but only three survived. Mother made their childhood happy as best she could.

Music

Father Johann immediately noticed that the child has an excellent ear for music and has certain abilities. Amadeus Mozart became the yardstick for the envious head of the family. He decided to make a genius out of his son. Every day the boy studied violin and piano. The father needed to know which musical instrument nature, having endowed his son with talent, preferred. Ludwig had a wide variety of choices: organ, harpsichord, viola, violin and flute. Punishments followed every mistake in playing music. The teachers Johann hired were mediocre.

Mother in the life of a composer

The father longed for an easy profit at the expense of a gifted child. In the chapel, his salary was raised, but all efforts were in vain, since all the money was spent on alcohol. Ludwig gave his first concert at the age of 6. Cologne listeners liked his playing, but they didn't get much money from the concert.

Mother, unlike father, was wiser and more far-sighted. Her son began to compose melodies, which he outlined with his mother. The boy was absorbed in music, sometimes outside intervention was required to bring him out of his immersed state. The composer's biography stubbornly led the young Beethoven along the paved path.

Comprehensive development of Beethoven

In the newly appointed director of the chapel, Louis found a teacher. Christian Gottlobu noticed the boy's giftedness and began to teach him everything that he owned. Music alone is not enough for writing good music; it is necessary to draw feelings and emotions from literature, from ancient languages ​​with their melodiousness, and philosophy. Ludwig read Goethe and Shakespeare, listens to Bach, Handel, Mozart.

Mozart

Nevertheless, Ludwig Beethoven came to Vienna and met the great genius of music. Wolfgang listened to the youth's improvisations. Mozart predicted Louis' worldwide fame. The composer promised to give some lessons. Suddenly, his mother fell ill, and Ludwig hastily left the one to whom he had been striving for all his youth.

The mother passed away, leaving the children and the drunkard father. Ludwig was forced to seek help from the prince. The family began to receive benefits. The young man managed to get permission to attend music meetings. The future composer gave private lessons. One of these families helped Beethoven. Their daughter was a student of a talented musician.

Vein

It was difficult for him to communicate with the Austrian luminaries of science. Handel could not find a common language with Ludwig. with pleasure he studied with young Beethoven and even introduced him to titled musicians and noble persons.

Ludwig writes music for Schiller's work, which was heard and appreciated only 39 years later. At the age of 25, the fame of the most fashionable pianist came to the musician. After three years, tinnitus begins to develop. For ten years no one knew that he had this disease. Beethoven's deafness was attributed to the composer's absent-mindedness.

The most fruitful moment of creativity

The fear of going deaf finally developed the composer's incredible capacity for work and the rise of creativity. The second symphony, "Pastoral Symphony", was written. During this period, Beethoven began to visit nature more often, leaving for remote places. In this solitude with nature, real masterpieces of music were born. The theater management invited the composer to write music for Goethe's drama. The music was created, and along the way there were rehearsals of the performance, which were attended by the maestro.

Ludwig Van Beethoven - biography of personal life

Ludwig never accepted to know, which means that he could not marry a girl from high society. The young man fell deeply in love with the young countess, who did not share his feelings and soon married a man of her circle. The composer's "Moonlight Sonata" became a hymn to all unspoken and unrequited feelings.

Beethoven's next love for the widow of Count Deim also ended in failure, in a fit of feelings he proposes to a third girl - and again refusal. The composer was disappointed and decides not to offer his hand and heart to anyone for the rest of his life. Ludwig decides to take his deceased brother to raise the child. The child inherited from his mother an addiction to alcohol, which gives a lot of trouble to his own uncle.

Beethoven's last years

Hearing begins to disappear completely, but Beethoven does not lose hope of hearing and composing music. He recognizes sound by vibration.

The Moonlight Sonata was actually dedicated not to the moon, but to an 18-year-old girl, and the author's title of this composition is “Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor”. This is known only to connoisseurs of the history of music - as, probably, that the exact date of birth of Ludwig van Beethoven is still a mystery. Nevertheless, this will not prevent all music lovers and readers of Fashion-concert from celebrating the birth of the great "gloomy" genius of music on December 16.

Beethoven redefined culture by bringing music from the entertainment stage to the pinnacle of art. He not only made the piano the main instrument, which had a more powerful, "orchestral" sound compared to the harpsichord, which was in vogue, but also became the founder of romanticism, with its bright emotional storms as opposed to refined classicism.

Equally revolutionary for his contemporaries were the appearance and character of the German composer, and perhaps best of all, the artist Joseph Stiler was able to capture them. The portrait, created in the spring of 1820, is the most replicated image of Beethoven. And it is not surprising - there are an abyss of unique details in this picture.

First, the famous rebellious whirlwinds of the composer are shown here: acquaintances often reproached him for the lack of a "decent" hairstyle, but Ludwig Beethoven did not want to change it to please the tastes of the public. This behavior was very characteristic of him, often he openly went against social foundations. Take, for example, the case in Teplice, which has become the talk of the town and the plot for caricature drawings. Legend has it that once Beethoven and Goethe, while walking together, met Emperor Franz, surrounded by his retinue. Goethe, stepping aside, made a deep bow to the highest person, while Beethoven walked through the crowd of courtiers, barely touching his hat.

Secondly, the expression on the face, burning cheeks and focused gaze of the subject vividly convey the strong character and rebellious spirit of the creator. This, of course, can be attributed to the conditions in which the artist and the composer worked. It is known that Beethoven posed for this portrait four times - an unusually many, since, according to the composer himself, he was not able to sit still for a long time. He considered meeting with Stieler a punishment and agreed to pose for him only at the request of his friends. However, he nevertheless got out of patience ahead of time, and Stieler wrote Beethoven's hands from memory.

Thirdly, Beethoven is depicted in the process of work, at the most intimate moment of creativity, which also meets the ideals of romanticism. The composer assured that he communicates with God while composing music and spared no time and effort, wishing to achieve perfection. Once one of the violinists complained to him about a very uncomfortable passage in one of his compositions. “As I wrote this, God Almighty guided me,” Beethoven replied. "Do you really think that I could think of your little party when He spoke to me?"

The portrait is kept in the Beethovenhaus Museum in Bonn, the hometown of the German genius. Interestingly, this already textbook picture was overtaken by a second wave of popularity thanks to Andy Warhol, who in 1967 took it as the basis for his images of Beethoven.

I looked at the portrait with you

More than two hundred years have passed since the Viennese public first heard Beethoven's works. But the music of the great composer and today excites millions of people around the world.

Childhood

Ludwig van Beethoven, whose musical works were included in the golden collection of world classics, was born in Bonn, in the family of a tenor of the court chapel. The composer's father dreamed that his son would someday become the second Mozart. Therefore, under his leadership, from an early age, Ludwig van Beethoven studied piano. The young pianist studied musical works with incredible zeal. However, the young Beethoven, like Mozart, did not become a child prodigy.

The father was rude and quick-tempered. Perhaps that is why the young musician did not immediately show his talent. The lessons of Kapellmeister Nefe, to whom Ludwig became an apprentice, turned out to be much more effective than the exercises imposed by his father.

The beginning of creativity

Beethoven was only fifteen years old when he was entrusted with the position of organist of the chapel. And seven years later, at the behest of one of his mentors, he left for Vienna in order to continue his music studies. There he took lessons from Haydn and Salieri.

The most significant pieces of music by Beethoven in the eighties of the eighteenth century:

1. "Pathetic Sonata".
2. "Moonlight Sonata".
3. The Kreutzer Sonata.
4. Opera "Fidelio".

The earliest pieces of music by Beethoven were never published. But children's sonatas and the song "Marmot" have survived to this day.

Return to Bonn

Once the works of Beethoven were heard by Mozart. The great composer, according to the memoirs of his contemporaries, said: "This musician will make people talk about himself!" Mozart's prophecy came true. But later. Shortly after Beethoven arrived in Vienna, his mother fell ill. The young composer was forced to return to his hometown.

After the death of his mother, all the worries about the family fell on the shoulders of the young Ludwig. In order to feed his younger brothers, he got a job in the orchestra as a violist. The works of Beethoven were once heard by Haydn, who was returning from England and stopped in transit in Bonn. This musician was also delighted with the works of the young Beethoven. In 1792, Ludwig left again for Vienna, where this time he lived for more than ten years.

Haydn's lessons

The Austrian composer became Beethoven's teacher. However, his lessons, according to Ludwig, did not bring any benefit. Beethoven's works seemed strange and gloomy to his teacher. Soon, Ludwig stopped taking lessons from Haydn and became an apprentice to Salieri.

Style

The works of Ludwig Beethoven differed significantly from the works of contemporary composers. He used the upper and lower registers, a pedal. His style was different from that of other writers. In the second half of the eighteenth century, exquisite lace works for the harpsichord were popular.

In addition, Ludwig van Beethoven, whose works seemed too extravagant to his contemporaries, was himself an unusual person. First of all, he stood out for his appearance. The unrecognized genius often appeared in public unkempt, casually dressed. In conversation, he was often extremely harsh.

Once, during a speech, one of those present in the hall had the imprudence to speak to his lady. Beethoven canceled the concert. No apologies or requests softened the pianist's heart. But despite his proud and unshakable disposition, according to the memoirs of his contemporaries, he was an extremely kind and sympathetic person.

Loss of hearing

The works of Ludwig Beethoven began to enjoy wide popularity in the nineties. During his ten years in Vienna, he wrote three piano concertos and about twenty sonatas. His works were published well and enjoyed success. But in 1796, a disease began to develop, which led to complete deafness.

Because of his illness, Beethoven rarely left the house. He became withdrawn and sullen. Surprisingly, his best works were created exactly when he lost his hearing. Works of recent years - "Solemn Mass", Symphony No. 9. The latter was performed in 1824. The audience gave Beethoven a standing ovation, which lasted so long that the police had to pacify the fans of the piano playing.

Last years

After Napoleon's defeat, a curfew was imposed in Austria. The government imposed censorship on all areas of activity. Freethinking was severely punished. Beethoven, even in his younger years, was distinguished by independent judgments. Once, while walking with Goethe, he met Emperor Franz and his retinue. The poet bowed respectfully. Beethoven walked through the courtiers, slightly raising his hat. This story happened when the composer was still young. In the last years of his life, when spies and secret agents met at every step, Beethoven became completely unrestrained in expressions. But his authority was so great that the authorities turned a blind eye to very harsh judgments.

Despite his deafness, the composer was aware of all musical and political news. He reviewed the scores of Schubert and Rossini. During these years, Beethoven met Weber - the author of the operas "Evrianta", "The Magic Shooter".

In 1926, the composer's health deteriorated sharply. He began to develop liver disease. In March 1927, Ludwig van Beethoven died. The funeral of the author of the Moonlight Sonata and other great works was attended by about twenty thousand people.

Beethoven wrote nine symphonies, eight symphonic overtures and five piano concertos. In addition, he is the author of several dozen sonatas and other musical works. Many monuments around the world have been erected to Ludwig van Beethoven. The first of them is in the homeland of one of the greatest composers, Bonn.