Information about Beethoven. Beethoven - interesting facts from life

What did Beethoven really look like? In this matter, you have to trust the skill of the artists who happened to work with the great composer as a model. Here are attributed images of Beethoven, which were made "from nature", and which can be considered as a historical document.

"Genuine" portraits of Beethoven.

This silhouette was designed by Joseph Neesen and is the first confirmed image of Beethoven that is available to us. According to his friend Franz Gerhard Wegeler, it was made in 1786 at the home of the von Brüning family in Bonn (where Beethoven gave music lessons and spent a lot of time as a friend at home) on one of two evenings when the silhouettes were made. all family members.

The earliest attributed painting of Beethoven is believed to date back to 1800. This is a portrait by the Austrian artist Gandolph Ernst Stainhauser von Treuberg, painted shortly after the first great success of the composer in Vienna (the first "Academy" at the Burgtheater, 1800). The original portrait has not survived, but it served as a model for several engravings, which were created in Vienna and Leipzig by order of Beethoven's publishers from 1801 to 1805.

Miniature ivory portrait of 1803 by Danish artist Christian Horneman. Beethoven in this portrait looks like an elegant socialite young man, dressed and trimmed in the latest fashion. Apparently, the composer himself liked the portrait very much, because a year later Beethoven presented it to his Bonn friend Stephan von Breuning as a sign of reconciliation. It can be assumed that the artist managed to perfectly convey the lively expression and inquisitive gaze of the young Beethoven.

The Viennese amateur artist Joseph Willibrord Mähler was introduced to Beethoven by Stefan von Bruining around 1803. A year later, in 1804, Maeler painted his first portrait of the composer - in the "academic" style, in the garden of Arcadia and with a lyre in his hand. The portrait is now kept in the Vienna Museum Pasqualati-Haus. In the 19th century, this image gained great fame thanks to the lithography of Josef Kriehuber, created on its basis.

There are two versions of this portrait by Berlin artist Isidor Neugass. The first was commissioned by one of the main patrons of Beethoven, Prince Karl Lichnovsky in 1806, the second was commissioned by the Hungarian aristocratic Brunswick family, with whom the composer also maintained close friendly relations, presumably in 1805. The versions differ mainly in the color of their clothes, as well as in one small detail: on the version belonging to the Brunswick family, you can see the lorgnette tape (which is often called the watch chain in the literature), on the version of Lichnovsky it is absent. Neugass chose the half-length portrait format that was popular in Vienna at this time. The artist somewhat "smoothed" Beethoven's facial features (especially in Likhnovsky's version), bringing them closer to the ideal that existed at that time.

Pencil drawing by Ludwig Ferdinand Schnorr von Carolsfeld, presumably 1808-1810. (Gleichenstein Collection) Below the drawing is an unidentified inscription: "From the old director Schnorr von Karolsfeld of Dresden, in 1808 or 1809 in the album of the Malfatti family in Munich. Property of Frau von Gleichenstein, née Malfatti in Frei in Breisgau ".

Probably the only absolutely objective depiction of Beethoven can be considered the lifetime mask made in 1812 by the sculptor Franz Klein, on which many later sculptural and pictorial images are based. In 1812, Beethoven's friends, the grand piano master Andreas Streicher and his wife Nanette, opened a large piano salon, which also served as a concert hall. They decided to decorate it with busts of famous musicians, among whom there was to be a bust of Beethoven, and the most realistic one. The sculpture was commissioned by Franz Klein, who until 1805 was engaged in the manufacture of plaster copies from casts from the original for Franz Joseph Gall, MD.

In 1814, the Viennese publisher Dominik Artaria published an engraving of Beethoven by the master Blasius Höfel. The sketch for the engraving was commissioned by a French artist named Louis-René Létronne, who worked in 1805-1817. in Vienna. However, Letronn's pencil drawing did not suit Höfel, who asked Beethoven to pose for him again. The composer agreed, and Höfel painted a new portrait, which eventually served as a sketch for the engraving. Letronne's drawing also served as a sketch for at least one anonymous etching and is now kept in a private collection in Paris.

Beethoven liked the engraved portrait immensely and sent copies with personal dedication to his Bonn friends Gerhard Wegeler, Johann Heinrich Crevelt and Nikolaus Simrock. The composer at that moment was at the zenith of fame after the premieres of his works dedicated to the Vienna Congress: the cantata "Der glorreiche Augenblick" Op. 136 and the battle symphonic piece "Wellingtons Sieg oder Schlacht bei Vittoria") Op. 91, as well as the successful revival of Fidelio.

The engraving quickly became popular in Vienna, and the following year the portrait was re-engraved by Karl Traugott Riedel in Leipzig. In 1817, this engraving was published in the Leipzig "Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung" and thus became widespread.

It is interesting that it was this image (more precisely, the Höfel version) that served as one of the bases for the theory of Beethoven's African roots, which was spread on the Internet.

A painterly portrait by an unknown artist, probably from an engraving by Höfel or from a drawing by Letronne, is kept in the Teatro La Scala.

Russian German Gustav Fomich Gippius (Gustav Adolf Hippius) studied painting abroad and in 1814-1816. lived in Vienna. It is not known whether Beethoven posed for him, in any case his pencil portrait of the composer (56 × 40 cm), dated presumably in 1815, is not a copy of any of the known images. The drawing is now kept at the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn.

Around 1815, Joseph Willibrord Mähler painted a series of portraits of contemporary Viennese composers, which included a portrait of Beethoven. Several versions of this portrait were created, one of which Maeler kept for himself and kept throughout his life.

Portrait by Johann Christoph Heckel, 1815. The portrait is now kept in the Library of Congress in Washington DC. On the website of the Beethoven-haus you can also see an anonymous copy of the painting (canvas / oil) and lithograph by A. Hatzfeld.

Ferdinand Schimon painted several portraits of the musicians, among whom were Louis Spohr, Weber (Carl Maria von Weber) and Beethoven. The history of this portrait of Beethoven, created in 1818, is known from the words of Anton Schindler, who, as he himself writes, was the initiator of this work of Shimon. Since Beethoven did not like to pose, Shimon worked on the portrait right in the composer's apartment when he was composing. However, in this way it was not possible to complete the portrait, and some time later, Beethoven invited the artist so that he could make the necessary improvements, which were especially needed by the area around the eyes. As a result, the composer was "quite pleased" with the portrait obtained in such an intricate way.

In contrast to many other idealized images of Beethoven, Klobert's pencil drawing, created in the summer of 1818 in Mödling, conveys a direct and immediate perception of the composer's appearance (Beethoven did not pose for this portrait). According to Klobert's memoirs, Beethoven himself believed that this sketch was a good capture of nature, and that his hairstyle turned out especially well.

Claubert created two more portraits of Beethoven based on this drawing. One of them, canvas / oil, is now considered lost. On it, Beethoven was depicted together with his nephew Karl in the bosom of nature. However, a charcoal and chalk drawing has survived, created a few years later and depicting Beethoven in a much more idealized form. There were two more versions of this drawing, but they have not survived.

Since the 1840s, Berlin lithographers Theodor Neu and Carl Fischer have created several lithographs based on charcoal and chalk drawings - under the direct supervision of the artist, as evidenced by the inscriptions on some of the prints. Thanks to the widespread distribution of these lithographs, which were copied by many artists of the 19th century, this image of Beethoven became especially popular. Claubert's pencil drawing did not attract much attention until the 20th century.

Joseph Karl Stieler's portrait of Beethoven, painted in the spring of 1820, is perhaps the composer's most popular depiction. Stieler's portrait shaped the public's perception of Beethoven's personality and appearance for two centuries. In the eyes of subsequent generations, in his idealized image, the artist captured the creative genius of the great composer. The portrait was commissioned by the spouses Franz and Antonie Brentano, who had been Beethoven's friends since about 1810. "Conversational notebooks" give a rather detailed idea of ​​the origin of the portrait. The composer posed for this portrait 4 times - an unusually many, since, according to Beethoven himself, he was not able to sit still for a long time.

In 1823, Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller received an order from the Leipzig publishing house Breitkopf & Härtel for a portrait of Beethoven. As can be seen from several letters and entries in "conversational notebooks", the composer posed for this portrait only once. Moreover, the session was interrupted ahead of time and there was no continuation. Therefore, it is assumed that Waldmüller managed to paint only the composer's face, and the clothes and, possibly, part of the hair were added later.

Portrait of 1823 by Johann Stephan Decker. This is the last known portrait of Beethoven and is now kept in the Vienna City History Museum (Hisctorisches Museum der Stadt Wien).

Bibliography:
Comini, Alessandra. The changing image of Beethoven: a study in mythmaking. New York: Rizzoli, 1987.
"Ludwig Van Beethoven, Bicentennial Edition 1770-1970", LOC 70-100925, Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft mbH, Hamburg, 1970.
Robert Bory. Ludwig van Beethoven: His Life and His Work in Pictures. Atlantis Books, Zurich, 1960.
http://www.mozartportraits.com/index.php?p=3&CatID=1

Ludwig van Beethoven remains a phenomenon in the world of music today. This man created his first works as a young man. Beethoven, whose interesting facts from his life to this day make people admire his personality, all his life believed that his destiny was to be a musician, which he, in fact, was.

Family of Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig's grandfather and father had a unique musical talent in the family. Despite his rootless origin, the first managed to become a bandmaster at the court in Bonn. Ludwig van Beethoven Sr. had a unique voice and ear. After the birth of his son Johann, his wife Maria Theresa, who was addicted to alcohol, was sent to a monastery. The boy, upon reaching the age of six, began to study singing. The child had a great voice. Later, men from the Beethoven family even performed together on the same stage. Unfortunately, Ludwig's father was not distinguished by his grandfather's great talent and hard work, which is why he did not reach such heights. What could not be taken away from Johann was his love of alcohol.

Beethoven's mother was the daughter of a chef Elector. The famous grandfather was against this marriage, but, nevertheless, did not interfere. Maria Magdalena Keverich was already a widow at the age of 18. Of the seven children in the new family, only three survived. Maria loved her son Ludwig very much, and he, in turn, was very attached to his mother.

Childhood and adolescence

The date of birth of Ludwig van Beethoven is not listed in any documents. Historians suggest that Beethoven was born on December 16, 1770, since he was baptized on December 17, and according to Catholic custom, children were baptized the next day after birth.

When the boy was three years old, his grandfather, the elder Ludwig Beethoven, died, and his mother was expecting a child. After the birth of another offspring, she could not pay attention to the eldest son. The child grew up as a bully, for which he was often locked in a room with a harpsichord. But, surprisingly, he did not break the strings: little Ludwig van Beethoven (later composer) sat down and improvised, playing with both hands at the same time, which is unusual for young children. Once the father caught the child doing this. Ambition played in him. What if his little Ludwig is the same genius as Mozart? It was from this time that Johann began to study with his son, but often hired him teachers who were more qualified than himself.

While his grandfather was alive, who was actually the head of the family, little Ludwig Beethoven lived comfortably. The years after the death of Beethoven Sr. became an ordeal for the child. The family was constantly in need due to the drunkenness of his father, and the thirteen-year-old Ludwig became the main earner of livelihood.

Attitude towards learning

As contemporaries and friends of the musical genius noted, rarely in those days was there such an inquiring mind that Beethoven possessed. Interesting facts from the life of the composer are associated with his arithmetic illiteracy. Perhaps the talented pianist failed to master mathematics due to the fact that, without graduating from school, he was forced to work, and perhaps the whole thing is in a purely humanitarian mindset. Ludwig van Beethoven is not ignorant. He read volumes of literature, adored Shakespeare, Homer, Plutarch, was fond of the works of Goethe and Schiller, knew French and Italian, mastered Latin. And it was precisely the inquisitiveness of the mind that he owed his knowledge, and not the education he received at school.

Beethoven's teachers

From early childhood, Beethoven's music, unlike the works of his contemporaries, was born in his head. He played variations on all sorts of compositions known to him, but because of his father's conviction that it was too early for him to compose melodies, the boy did not record his compositions for a long time.

The teachers whom his father brought him were sometimes just his drinking companions, and sometimes they became mentors of the virtuoso.

The first person whom Beethoven himself fondly remembers was his grandfather's friend, the court organist Eden. Actor Pfeifer taught the boy to play the flute and harpsichord. For some time, the monk Koch taught to play the organ, and then Hantsman. After that, the violinist Romantini appeared.

When the boy was 7 years old, his father decided that the work of Beethoven Jr. should become public, and organized his concert in Cologne. According to connoisseurs, Johann realized that Ludwig did not succeed as an outstanding pianist, and, nevertheless, his father continued to bring teachers to his son.

Mentors

Christian Gottlob Nefe soon arrived in the city of Bonn. Whether he himself came to Beethoven's house and expressed a desire to become a teacher of young talent, or Father Johann had a hand in this, is unknown. Nefe became the mentor whom Beethoven the composer remembered all his life. Ludwig, after his confession, even sent some money to Nefe and Pfeifer as a token of gratitude for the years of study and the help provided to him in his youth. It was Nefe who promoted the thirteen-year-old musician at court. It was he who introduced Beethoven to other luminaries of the musical world.

Beethoven's work was influenced not only by Bach - the young genius idolized Mozart. Once upon his arrival in Vienna, he was even lucky to play for the great Amadeus. At first, the great Austrian composer coldly perceived Ludwig's play, mistaking it for a previously learned work. Then the stubborn pianist invited Mozart to set the theme for the variations himself. From that moment on, Wolfgang Amadeus listened without interruption to the young man's play, and later exclaimed that the whole world would soon start talking about the young talent. The words of the classic became prophetic.

Beethoven managed to take some lessons from Mozart. Soon the news came about the imminent death of his mother, and the young man left Vienna.

After his teacher was such as Joseph Haydn, but they did not find And one of the mentors - Johann Georg Albrechtsberger - considered Beethoven a complete mediocrity and a person unable to learn anything.

The character of the musician

Beethoven's story and the vicissitudes of his life left a noticeable imprint on his work, made his face sullen, but did not break the stubborn and strong-willed young man. In July 1787, the closest person to Ludwig dies - his mother. The young man suffered a grievous loss. After the death of Mary Magdalene, he himself fell ill - he was struck down by typhus, and then smallpox. Ulcers remained on the face of the young man, and myopia struck his eyes. The still immature young man takes care of the two younger brothers. His father had completely drunken by that time and died 5 years later.

All these troubles in life were reflected in the character of the young man. He became withdrawn and unsociable. He was often sullen and harsh. But his friends and contemporaries argue that, despite such an unbridled disposition, Beethoven remained a true friend. He helped all his friends who were in need with money, provided for the brothers and their children. It is not surprising that Beethoven's music seemed gloomy and gloomy to his contemporaries, because it was a complete reflection of the inner world of the maestro himself.

Personal life

Very little is known about the emotional experiences of the great musician. Beethoven was attached to children, loved beautiful women, but never created a family. It is known that his first bliss was the daughter of Helena von Breining - Lorkhen. Beethoven's music of the late 80s was dedicated to her.

She became the first serious love of a great genius. This is not surprising, because the fragile Italian was beautiful, docile and had a penchant for music, the already mature thirty-year-old teacher Beethoven focused on her. Interesting facts from the life of a genius are associated with this particular person. Sonata No. 14, later called Lunar, was dedicated to this particular angel in the flesh. Beethoven wrote letters to his friend Franz Wegeler, in which he confessed his passionate feelings for Juliet. But after a year of study and affectionate friendship, Juliet married Count Gallenberg, whom she considered more talented. There is evidence that after a few years their marriage was unsuccessful, and Juliet turned to Beethoven for help. The former lover gave money, but asked not to come again.

Teresa Brunswick, another student of the great composer, became his new hobby. She dedicated herself to raising children and giving charity. Until the end of her life, Beethoven had a friendship with her by correspondence.

Bettina Brentano, a writer and friend of Goethe, became the composer's latest hobby. But in 1811 she also linked her life with another writer.

Beethoven's longest lasting affection was his love of music.

Music of the great composer

Beethoven's work has immortalized his name in history. All of his works are masterpieces of world classical music. During the composer's life, his style of performance and musical compositions were innovative. In the lower and upper register at the same time, no one had played or composed melodies before him.

In the work of the composer, art critics distinguish several periods:

• Early, when variations and pieces were written. Then Beethoven composed several songs for children.
• The first - the Viennese period - dates from 1792-1802. The already renowned pianist and composer completely abandons the manner of performance that was characteristic of him in Bonn. Beethoven's music becomes absolutely innovative, lively, sensual. The manner of performance makes the audience listen in one breath, absorb the sounds of beautiful melodies. The author numbers his new masterpieces. During this time he wrote chamber ensembles and pieces for piano.

• 1803 - 1809 characterized by gloomy works reflecting the raging passions of Ludwig van Beethoven. During this period he wrote his only opera "Fidelio". All compositions of this period are filled with drama and anguish.
• The music of the last period is more measured and difficult for perception, and the audience did not perceive some concerts at all. Ludwig van Beethoven did not receive such a reaction. The sonata dedicated to the Exduke Rudolph was written at this time.

Until the end of his days, the great, but already very sick composer continued to compose music, which would later become a masterpiece of the world musical heritage of the 18th century.

Disease

Beethoven was an extraordinary and very hot-tempered person. Interesting facts from life relate to the period of his illness. In 1800, the musician began to feel. After a while, doctors recognized that the disease was incurable. The composer was on the verge of suicide. He left society and high society and lived in seclusion for some time. After a while, Ludwig continued to write from memory, reproducing sounds in his head. This period in the work of the composer is called "heroic". By the end of his life, Beethoven was completely deaf.

The last journey of the great composer

Beethoven's death was a huge grief for all fans of the composer. He died on March 26, 1827. The reason has not been clarified. For a long time, Beethoven suffered from liver disease, he was tormented by abdominal pain. According to another version, the genius sent to the next world the mental anguish associated with the slovenliness of their nephew.

Recent evidence from British scientists suggests that the composer may have inadvertently poisoned himself with lead. The content of this metal in the body of a musical genius was 100 times higher than the norm.

Beethoven: interesting facts from life

Let's summarize a little what was said in the article. Beethoven's life, like his death, was overgrown with many rumors and inaccuracies.

The date of birth of a healthy boy in the Beethoven family to this day raises doubts and controversy. Some historians argue that the parents of the future musical genius were sick, and therefore a priori could not have healthy children.

The talent of the composer woke up in the child from the first lessons of playing the harpsichord: he played the melodies that were in his head. The father, on pain of punishment, forbade the baby to play unreal melodies, it was only allowed to read from the sheet.

Beethoven's music had an imprint of sadness, gloom and some despondency. One of his teachers - the great Joseph Haydn - wrote about this to Ludwig. And he, in turn, retorted that Haydn had not taught him anything.

Before composing pieces of music, Beethoven dipped his head into a basin of ice-cold water. Some experts argue that this type of procedure may have caused his deafness.

The musician loved coffee and always made it from 64 beans.

Like any great genius, Beethoven was indifferent to his appearance. He often walked disheveled and unkempt.

On the day of the musician's death, nature raged: bad weather broke out with a blizzard, hail and thunder. At the last moment of his life, Beethoven raised his fist and threatened the sky or higher powers.

One of the great sayings of the genius: "Music should strike fire from the human soul."

Beethoven's short biography of the famous composer is presented in this article.

Ludwig van Beethoven short biography

Ludwig van Beethoven was born into a musical family in 1770 in Bonn. In childhood, the future composer was introduced to playing musical instruments - organ, harpsichord, violin, flute.

Composer Christian Gottlob Nefe was Beethoven's first teacher. At the age of 12, Beethoven became assistant organist at court. In addition to studying music, Ludwig studied languages, reading such authors as Homer, Plutarch, Shakespeare, while trying to compose music.

Beethoven loses his mother early and takes care of all the family's expenses.

After moving to Vienna, Beethoven took music lessons from such composers as Haydn, Albrechtsberger, Salieri. Haydn notes the gloomy manner of performance of the future genius of music, but nevertheless virtuoso.

The famous works of the composer appeared in Vienna: the Moonlight Sonata and the Pathetique Sonata. Beethoven's work in the following years was filled with new works: First, Second Symphonies, "The Creation of Prometheus", "Christ on the Mount of Olives".

Beethoven lost his hearing due to middle ear disease and settled in the city of Geiligenstadt. The peak of the composer's popularity is coming. A painful illness only helps Beethoven to work with even greater enthusiasm on his compositions.

Origin

The house where the composer was born
Ludwig van Beethoven was born in 1770 in Bonn on December 16, baptized on December 17, 1770 in Bonn, in the Catholic Church of St. Remigius.

His father, Johann Beethoven (1740-1792), was a singer, tenor in the court chapel. Mother, Mary Magdalene, before her marriage Keverich (1748-1787), was the daughter of a court chef in Koblenz. They got married in 1767.

Grandfather, Ludwig (1712-1773), served in the same chapel as Johann, first as a singer, bass, then as conductor. He was originally from Mechelen in the Southern Netherlands, hence the prefix "van" in front of his surname.

early years

The composer's father wanted to make a second Mozart out of his son and began to teach him to play the harpsichord and violin. In 1778, the boy's first performance took place in Cologne. However, Beethoven did not become a miracle child, while his father entrusted the boy to his colleagues and friends. One taught Ludwig to play the organ, the other taught the violin.

In 1780, organist and composer Christian Gottlob Nefe came to Bonn. He became a real teacher of Beethoven. Nefe immediately realized that the boy had talent. He introduced Ludwig to Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier and the works of Handel, as well as the music of his older contemporaries: F.E.Bach, Haydn and Mozart. Thanks to Neffa, Beethoven's first work was also published - a variation on the Dressler march. Beethoven was twelve years old at the time and was already working as an assistant to the court organist.

After the death of his grandfather, the family's financial situation deteriorated. Ludwig had to leave school early, but he learned Latin, studied Italian and French, and read a lot. Having already become an adult, the composer admitted in one of his letters:

“There is no composition that would be too scholarly for me; Without pretending in the slightest degree to scholarship in the proper sense of the word, since childhood I have tried to understand the essence of the best and wisest people of every era. "

Among Beethoven's favorite writers are the ancient Greek authors Homer and Plutarch, the English playwright Shakespeare, and the German poets Goethe and Schiller.

At this time, Beethoven began to compose music, but was in no hurry to publish his works. Much that was written in Bonn was subsequently revised by him. Three children's sonatas and several songs, including "The Marmot", are known from the composer's youthful compositions.

In 1787, Beethoven visited Vienna. After listening to Beethoven's improvisation, Mozart exclaimed:

"He will make everyone talk about himself!"

But the classes did not take place: Beethoven learned about his mother's illness and returned to Bonn. She died on July 17, 1787. A seventeen-year-old boy was forced to become the head of the family and take care of his younger brothers. He entered the orchestra as a violist. Italian, French and German operas are staged here. The operas of Gluck and Mozart made a particularly strong impression on the young man.

In 1789, Beethoven, wishing to continue his education, begins to attend lectures at the university. Just at this time, the news of the revolution in France arrives in Bonn. One of the university professors publishes a collection of poems praising the revolution. Beethoven subscribes to it. Then he composes "The Song of a Free Man", which contains the words: "He is free for whom the advantages of birth and title mean nothing."

Haydn stopped in Bonn on his way from England. He spoke with approval of Beethoven's composing experiments. The young man decides to go to Vienna to take lessons from the renowned composer, since, after returning from England, Haydn becomes even more famous. In the fall of 1792, Beethoven leaves Bonn.

First ten years in Vienna (1792-1802)

Arriving in Vienna, Beethoven began studying with Haydn, later claiming that Haydn had not taught him anything; the classes quickly disappointed both the student and the teacher. Beethoven believed that Haydn was not attentive enough to his efforts; Haydn was frightened not only by the bold views of Ludwig at that time, but also by the rather gloomy melodies, which were rare in those years. Haydn once wrote to Beethoven:

“Your things are wonderful, they are even wonderful things, but here and there something strange, gloomy occurs in them, because you yourself are a little gloomy and strange; and the style of a musician is always himself. "

Soon Haydn left for England and transferred his student to the famous teacher and theorist Albrechtsberger. In the end, Beethoven chose his own mentor - Antonio Salieri.

Already in the first years of his life in Vienna, Beethoven won fame as a virtuoso pianist. His performance amazed the audience.

Beethoven boldly opposed the extreme registers (and at that time they played mainly on the average), widely used the pedal (it was also rarely used then), and used massive chord accords. In fact, it was he who created the piano style, far from the exquisitely laced manner of the harpsichordists.

This style can be found in his Piano Sonatas No. 8 "Pathetique" (named by the composer himself), No. 13 and No. 14. Both have the author's subtitle Sonata quasi una Fantasia ("in the spirit of fantasy"). The poet L. Relshtab later called Sonata No. 14 "Lunar", and although this name is suitable only for the first movement, and not for the finale, it stuck with the entire work.

Beethoven also strongly stood out for his appearance among the ladies and gentlemen of that time. He was almost always found casually dressed and unkempt.

On another occasion, Beethoven was staying with Prince Likhnovsky. Likhnovsky respected the composer very much and was a fan of his music. He wanted Beethoven to play in front of the audience. The composer refused. Likhnovsky began to insist and even ordered to break down the door of the room where Beethoven locked himself. The indignant composer left the estate and returned to Vienna. The next morning Beethoven sent a letter to Likhnovsky: “Prince! What I am I owe to myself. There are and will be thousands of princes, but Beethoven is only one! "

However, despite such a harsh character, Beethoven's friends considered him a rather kind person. For example, the composer never refused to help his close friends. One of his quotes:

“None of my friends should be in need while I have a piece of bread, if my wallet is empty and I can't help right away, well, I just have to sit down at the table and get to work, and pretty soon I I will help him get out of trouble. "

Beethoven's works began to be widely published and enjoyed success. During the first ten years spent in Vienna, twenty sonatas for piano and three piano concertos, eight sonatas for violin, quartets and other chamber works, the oratorio Christ on the Mount of Olives, the ballet The Creations of Prometheus, the First and Second Symphonies were written.

In 1796, Beethoven begins to lose his hearing. He develops tinnitus, an inflammation of the inner ear that leads to ringing in the ears. On the advice of doctors, he retires for a long time in the small town of Heiligenstadt. However, peace and quiet do not make him feel better. Beethoven begins to understand that deafness is incurable. In these tragic days, he writes a letter that will later be called the Heiligenstadt testament. The composer talks about his experiences, admits that he was close to suicide:

“It seemed inconceivable to me to leave the light before I had fulfilled everything to which I felt called.”

In Heiligenstadt, the composer begins work on a new Third Symphony, which he will call Heroic.

As a result of Beethoven's deafness, unique historical documents have been preserved: "conversational notebooks", where Beethoven's friends wrote down their remarks for him, to which he answered either orally or in response.

However, the musician Schindler, who had two notebooks of Beethoven's conversations left, in all likelihood, burned them, as “they contained the crudest, fiercest attacks against the emperor, as well as the crown prince and other dignitaries. This, unfortunately, was Beethoven's favorite theme; in conversation, Beethoven was constantly indignant at the powers that be, their laws and regulations. "

Later years (1802-1815)

Beethoven composes his Sixth Symphony
When Beethoven was 34 years old, Napoleon abandoned the ideals of the French Revolution and declared himself emperor. Therefore, Beethoven gave up his intentions to dedicate his Third Symphony to him: “This Napoleon is also an ordinary person. Now he will trample underfoot all human rights and become a tyrant. "

In piano work, the composer's own style is already noticeable in the early sonatas, but in symphonic music, maturity came to him later. According to Tchaikovsky, it was only in the third symphony that "the whole immense, amazing power of Beethoven's creative genius was revealed for the first time."

Due to deafness, Beethoven rarely leaves the house, loses his sound perception. He becomes sullen, withdrawn. It was during these years that the composer, one after another, creates his most famous works. During these years, Beethoven was working on his only opera, Fidelio. This opera belongs to the genre of "horror and salvation" operas. Success to "Fidelio" came only in 1814, when the opera was staged first in Vienna, then in Prague, where it was conducted by the famous German composer Weber and, finally, in Berlin.

Juliet Guicciardi, to whom the composer dedicated the Moonlight Sonata
Shortly before his death, the composer handed the manuscript of Fidelio to his friend and secretary Schindler with the words: “This child of my spirit was brought into the world in more severe torment than others, and gave me the greatest grief. Therefore, it is dearer to me than anyone else ... "

Last years (1815-1827)

After 1812, the composer's creative activity temporarily declines. However, after three years, he begins to work with the same energy. At this time, piano sonatas from the 28th to the last, 32nd, two sonatas for cello, quartets, the vocal cycle "To a Distant Beloved" were created. Much time is also devoted to the processing of folk songs. Along with Scottish, Irish, Welsh, there are Russians. But the main creations of recent years have become two of Beethoven's most monumental works - "Solemn Mass" and Symphony No. 9 with a choir.

The Ninth Symphony was performed in 1824. The audience gave the composer a standing ovation. It is known that Beethoven stood with his back to the audience and did not hear anything, then one of the singers took him by the hand and turned his face to the audience. People waved handkerchiefs, hats, hands, welcoming the composer. The ovation lasted so long that the police officials who were present immediately demanded that it stop. Such greetings were allowed only in relation to the person of the emperor.

In Austria, after the defeat of Napoleon, a police regime was established. Frightened by the revolution, the government suppressed any "free thoughts". Numerous secret agents penetrated all sectors of society. In Beethoven's notebooks every now and then there are warnings: “Hush! Watch out, there is a spy here! " And, probably, after some particularly bold statement of the composer: "You will end up on the scaffold!"

However, Beethoven's popularity was so great that the government did not dare to touch him. Despite his deafness, the composer continues to be aware of not only political, but also musical news. He reads (that is, listens with his inner ear) the scores of Rossini's operas, looks through the collection of Schubert's songs, gets acquainted with the operas of the German composer Weber "The Magic Shooter" and "Euryante". Arriving in Vienna, Weber visited Beethoven. They ate breakfast together, and Beethoven, usually averse to ceremony, courted his guest.

After the death of his younger brother, the composer took over the care of his son. Beethoven places his nephew in the best boarding schools and entrusts his student Karl Cerny to study music with him. The composer wanted the boy to become a scientist or an artist, but he was attracted not by art, but by cards and billiards. Entangled in debt, he attempted suicide. This attempt did not cause much harm: the bullet only slightly scratched the skin on the head. Beethoven was very worried about this. His health deteriorated sharply. The composer develops a severe liver disease.

Beethoven died on March 26, 1827. Over twenty thousand people followed his coffin. During the funeral, Beethoven's favorite funeral mass was performed, Requiem in C minor by Luigi Cherubini. At the grave, a speech was made by the poet Franz Grillparzer:

"He was an artist, but also a man, a man in the highest sense of the word ... One can say about him like no one else: he did great, there was nothing wrong in him."

Causes of death

Beethoven on his deathbed (drawing by Joseph Eduard Telcher)
On August 29, 2007, the Viennese pathologist and forensic medicine expert Christian Reiter (Associate Professor of the Department of Forensic Medicine at the Medical University of Vienna) suggested that his doctor Andreas Vavruch had inadvertently accelerated Beethoven's death, who repeatedly pierced the patient's peritoneum (to remove fluid), and then applied it to wounds, lotions containing lead. Hair studies by Reuters showed that Beethoven's lead levels rose sharply each time he visited a doctor.

Beethoven the teacher

Beethoven began giving music lessons back in Bonn. His Bonn student Stefan Breining remained the composer's most devoted friend until the end of his days. Braining assisted Beethoven in reworking the libretto "Fidelio". In Vienna, the young Countess Juliet Guicciardi became Beethoven's student. Juliet was a relative of the Brunswicks, in whose family the composer was especially often. Beethoven was carried away by his student and even thought about getting married. He spent the summer of 1801 in Hungary, on the Brunswick estate. According to one hypothesis, it was there that the Moonlight Sonata was composed. The composer dedicated it to Juliet. However, Juliet preferred Count Gallenberg to him, considering him to be a talented composer. Critics wrote about the writings of the count that they could indicate exactly from which work of Mozart or Cherubini one or another melody was borrowed. Teresa Brunswick was also a student of Beethoven. She had a musical talent - she played the piano beautifully, sang and even conducted.

Having met the famous Swiss teacher Pestalozzi, she decided to devote herself to raising children. In Hungary, Teresa opened charitable kindergartens for the children of the poor. Until her death (Teresa died in 1861 at an advanced age), she remained faithful to her chosen cause. Beethoven had a long-term friendship with Teresa. After the death of the composer, a large letter was found, which was named "Letter to the immortal beloved." The addressee of the letter is unknown, but some researchers consider Teresa Brunswick to be the "immortal lover".

Dorothea Ertman, one of the best pianists in Germany, was also a student of Beethoven. One of her contemporaries spoke of her like this:

“A tall, stately figure and a beautiful face, full of animation, aroused in me ... tense expectation, and yet I was shocked, as never before, by her performance of Beethoven's sonata. I have never met such a combination of strength with heartfelt tenderness - even among the greatest virtuosos. "

Ertman was famous for her performance of Beethoven's works. The composer dedicated Sonata No. 28 to her. Upon learning that Dorothea's child had died, Beethoven played for her for a long time.

At the end of 1801, Ferdinand Ries came to Vienna. Ferdinand was the son of a Bonn bandmaster, a friend of the Beethoven family. The composer received the young man. Like other students of Beethoven, Ries already owned the instrument and also composed. One day Beethoven played him a newly completed adagio. The young man liked the music so much that he remembered it by heart. Going to Prince Likhnovsky's, Rhys played a play. The prince learned the beginning and, having come to the composer, said that he wanted to play his work for him. Beethoven, who had little ceremony with the princes, categorically refused to listen. But Likhnovsky started playing all the same. Beethoven immediately guessed about Rhys's trick and became terribly angry. He forbade the student to listen to his new compositions and really never played anything to him again. One day Rhys played his march, passing it off as Beethoven. The audience was delighted. The composer who appeared immediately did not begin to expose the student. He only told him:

“You see, dear Rhys, what these great experts are. Give them only the name of their favorite, and they don't need anything else! "

Once Rhys happened to hear Beethoven's new creation. Once, on a walk, they got lost and returned home in the evening. On the way, Beethoven growled a stormy melody. Arriving home, he immediately sat down at the instrument and, carried away, completely forgot about the presence of the student. This is how the Appassionata finale was born.

At the same time as Rhys, Karl Cerny began to study with Beethoven. Karl was perhaps the only child among Beethoven's students. He was only nine years old, but he has already performed with concerts. His first teacher was his father, the famous Czech teacher Wenzel Cerny. When Karl first got into Beethoven's apartment, where, as always, the disorder reigned, and saw a man with a dark, unshaven face, in a vest made of coarse woolen fabric, he took him for Robinson Crusoe.

Cerny studied with Beethoven for five years, after which the composer gave him a document in which he noted "the exceptional success of the student and his amazing musical memory." Czerny's memory was really amazing: he knew by heart all the piano works of the teacher.

Czerny started teaching early and soon became one of the best teachers in Vienna. Among his students was Theodor Leshetitsky, who can be called one of the founders of the Russian piano school. From 1858 Leshetitsky lived in St. Petersburg, and from 1862 to 1878 he taught at the newly opened conservatory. Here he studied A. N. Esipova, later professor of the same conservatory, V. I. Safonov, professor and director of the Moscow Conservatory, S. M. Maikapar.

In 1822, a father and a boy came to Czerny, who came from the Hungarian town of Doboryan. The boy had no idea about the correct fit or fingering, but an experienced teacher immediately realized that he was facing an extraordinary, gifted, maybe a genius child. The boy's name was Ferenc Liszt. Liszt studied with Cerny for a year and a half. His successes were so great that the teacher allowed him to speak to the public. Beethoven was present at the concert. He guessed the boy's giftedness and kissed him. Liszt kept the memory of this kiss all his life.

Not Rhys, not Czerny, but Liszt inherited Beethoven's style of playing. Like Beethoven, Liszt treats the grand piano as an orchestra. While touring Europe, he promoted Beethoven's work, performing not only his piano works, but also symphonies, which he adapted for the grand piano. At that time, Beethoven's music, especially symphonic music, was still unknown to a wide audience. In 1839 List came to Bonn. For several years there had been plans to erect a monument to the composer, but the progress was slow.

“What a shame for everyone! - wrote the indignant Liszt to Berlioz. - What a pain for us! ... It is unacceptable that a monument to our Beethoven was built on this barely cobbled together stingy alms. It shouldn't be! It will not happen!"

Liszt made up for the missing amount with proceeds from his concerts. It was only thanks to these efforts that the monument to the composer was erected.

Students

Franz Liszt
Karl Cherni
Ferdinand Rees
Rudolf Johann Joseph Rainer von Habsburg-Lorraine

A family

Johann van Beethoven (1740-1792) - father
Mary Magdalene Keverich (1746-1787) - mother

Ludovicus Van Beethoven (1712-1773) - paternal grandfather
Maria Josepha Poll (1714-1775) - paternal grandmother
Johann Heinrich Keverich (1702-1759) - maternal grandfather
Anna Clara Westorff (1707-1768) - maternal grandmother

Caspar Anton Karl van Beethoven (1774-1815) - brother
Franz Georg van Beethoven (1781-1783) - brother
Johann Nikolaus van Beethoven (1776-1848) - brother
Ludwig Maria van Beethoven (1769-1769) - sister
Anna Maria Franziska van Beethoven (1779-1779) - sister
Maria Margarita van Beethoven (1786-1787) - sister
Johann Peter Anton Leym (1764-1764) - maternal half-sister. Father Johann Leym (1733-1765).

The image of Beethoven in culture

In literature

Beethoven became the prototype of the main character - composer Jean Christophe - in the novel of the same name, one of the most famous works of the French author Romain Rolland. The novel became one of the works for which Rolland was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1915.

In cinema

The main character of the cult film A Clockwork Orange, Alex, loves listening to Beethoven's music, so the film is full of it.
Beethoven's music sounds in the film "Remember Me This Way", filmed in 1987 at Mosfilm by Pavel Chukhrai.
The comedy film "Beethoven" has nothing to do with the composer, except that a dog was named after him.
Ian Hart played in Beethoven's Heroic Symphony.
In the Soviet-German film Beethoven. Days of Life ”of Beethoven was played by Donatas Banionis.
In the film "Knowledge" the main character loved to listen to Beethoven's music, and at the end of the film, when the end of the world began, everyone died under the second movement of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony.
Rewriting Beethoven tells the story of the last year of the composer's life (starring Ed Harris).
The fictional 2-part film "The Life of Beethoven" (USSR, 1978, director B. Galanter) is based on the surviving memories of the composer of his close friends.
The film Lecture 21 (Italy, 2008), the film debut of the Italian writer and musicologist Alessandro Baricco, is dedicated to the Ninth Symphony.
In the film Equilibrium (USA, 2002, directed by Kurt Wimmer), the protagonist Preston discovers a myriad of records. He decides to listen to one of them. The film features a fragment of Ludwig Van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
In the film "The Soloist" (USA, France, Great Britain, director Joe Wright) The plot is based on the real life story of musician Nathaniel Ayers. Ayers' career as a young virtuoso cellist is cut short when he falls ill with schizophrenia. Many years later, a journalist from the Los Angeles Times finds out about the homeless musician, and the result of their communication is a series of articles. Ayers simply raves about Beethoven, he constantly performs his symphonies on the street.
In the film "Immortal Beloved" they find out exactly who owns Beethoven's inheritance. In his will, he himself gives all his works to a certain immortal beloved. The film features works by the composer.

In non-academic music

American musician Chuck Berry wrote the song Roll Over Beethoven in 1956, which was included in the list of 500 greatest songs of all time according to Rolling Stone magazine. In addition to Beethoven himself, Tchaikovsky is also mentioned in the song. Later (1973) in the album ELO-2 this song was performed by the group Electric Light Orchestra, and at the beginning of the composition a fragment of the 5th symphony is used.
The song "Beethoven" from the album "Split Personality" by the Spleen group is dedicated to the composer.
The song "Silence" by Aella is dedicated to the composer.
The Dutch band Shocking Blue used an excerpt from "To Elise" in the song "Broken heart" from the 1972 Attila album.
In 1981, Rainbow, led by ex-Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, released Difficult to Cure, a composition of the same name based on Beethoven's 9th Symphony;
On the 1985 album Metal Heart of the German heavy metal band Accept, the guitar solo of the title track is an interpretation of Beethoven's "To Elise".
In 2000, the neo-classic metal band Trans-Siberian Orchestra released the rock opera Beethoven's Last Night, dedicated to the composer's last night.
In the composition Les Litanies De Satan from the album Bloody Lunatic Asylum of the Italian gothic black metal band Theaters des Vampires, Sonata No. 14 is used as an accompaniment to the poems of Charles Baudelaire.

In popular culture

According to a popular meme, one of Beethoven's parents was sick with syphilis, Beethoven's older brothers were blind, deaf or mentally retarded. This legend is used as an argument against abortion:

“You know a pregnant woman who already has 8 children. Two of them are blind, three are deaf, one is mentally underdeveloped, she herself is sick with syphilis. Would you advise her to have an abortion?

If you were advised to have an abortion, you just killed Ludwig van Beethoven. "

Richard Dawkins refutes this legend and criticizes this line of reasoning in his book God as an Illusion.

Beethoven's parents were married in 1767. In 1769, their first son, Ludwig Maria, was born, who died 6 days later, which was quite common for that time. There is no evidence of whether he was blind, deaf, mentally retarded, etc. In 1770, Ludwig van Beethoven was born. In 1774, the third son, Caspar Karl van Beethoven, was born, who died in 1815 from pulmonary tuberculosis. He was neither blind, nor deaf, nor mentally retarded. In 1776, the fourth son was born, Nikolaus Johann, who had enviable health and died in 1848. In 1779, daughter Anna Maria Francis was born, she died four days later. There is also no information about her whether she was blind, deaf, mentally retarded, etc. In 1781, Franz Georg was born, who died two years later. In 1786, Maria Margarita was born, she died a year later. In the same year, Ludwig's mother dies of tuberculosis, a disease common at that time. There is no reason to believe that she suffered from sexually transmitted diseases. Father, Johann van Beethoven, died in 1792.

Monuments

Memorial plaque in Prague
Memorial plaque in Vienna
Monument in Bonn

Facts

Once Beethoven and Goethe, walking together in Teplice, met Emperor Franz who was there at that time, surrounded by his retinue and courtiers. Goethe, stepping aside, bowed deeply, Beethoven walked through the crowd of courtiers, barely touching his hat.
In 2011, a professor at the University of Manchester, Brian Cooper, reported that he was able to restore a 72-bar opus for a string quartet, written by Beethoven in 1799, rejected and subsequently lost: “Beethoven was a perfectionist. Any other composer would have been happy to have composed this passage. " The newfound music was played on September 29 by the University of Manchester String Quartet.
Depicted on an Austrian postage stamp 1995, a series of stamps were issued in Albania for Beethoven's 200th anniversary

Performances of Beethoven's music

Among the conductors who recorded all of Beethoven's symphonies are Claudio Abbado (twice), Ernest Anserme, Nikolaus Arnoncourt, Daniel Barenboim, Leonard Bernstein (twice), Karl Boehm, Bruno Walter (twice), Gunther Wand, Felix Weingardiner, John Eliot Carlo Maria Giulini, Kurt Sanderling, Eugen Jochum (three times), Herbert von Karajan (four times), Otto Klemperer, Andre Kluitans, Willem Mengelberg, Pierre Monteux, George Sell, Arturo Toscanini (twice), Wilhelm Furtwängler (three times), Bernard Heitink Hermann Scherchen, Georg Solti (twice).

Among the pianists who have recorded all of Beethoven's piano sonatas are Claudio Arrau (twice, the second cycle is not completed), Vladimir Ashkenazy, Wilhelm Backhaus (twice, the second cycle is not completed), Daniel Barenboim (three times), Alfred Brendel (three times), Maria Greenberg , Friedrich Gulda (three times), Wilhelm Kempf (twice), Tatiana Nikolaeva, Annie Fischer, Arthur Schnabel. They began to record full cycles of sonatas, but Walter Gieseking, Emil Gilels, Rudolf Serkin died before completing these projects.

Artworks

• 9 symphonies: No. 1 (1799-1800), No. 2 (1803), No. 3 "Heroic" (1803-1804), No. 4 (1806), No. 5 (1804-1808), No. 6 "Pastoral" (1808) , No. 7 (1812), No. 8 (1812), No. 9 (1824).
• 8 symphonic overtures, including Leonora No. 3.
• 5 concerts for piano and orchestra.
• music for dramatic performances: "Egmont", "Coriolanus", "King Stephen"
• 6 youthful piano sonatas.
• 32 Piano Sonatas, 32 Variations in C Minor and about 60 Piano Pieces.
• 10 sonatas for violin and piano.
• concert for violin and orchestra, concert for violin, cello and piano and orchestra ("triple concerto").
• 5 sonatas for cello and piano.
• 16 string quartets.
• 6 trios.
• Ballet "Creations of Prometheus".
• Opera "Fidelio".
• Solemn Mass.
• Vocal cycle "

Beethoven was born in Bonn, presumably December 16, 1770 (baptized December 17). In his veins, in addition to German, flowed Flemish blood: the composer's paternal grandfather, also Ludwig, was born in 1712 in Malines (Flanders), served as a chorister in Ghent and Louvain and in 1733 moved to Bonn, where he became a court musician in the chapel of the Elector-Archbishop of Cologne ... He was an intelligent man, a good singer, a professionally trained instrumentalist, he rose to the position of court bandmaster and was respected by those around him. His only son Johann (the rest of the children died in infancy) sang in the same chapel since childhood, but his position was precarious, since he drank heavily and led a hectic life. Johann married Maria Magdalena Lyme, the daughter of a cook. They had seven children, of whom three sons survived; Ludwig, the future composer, was the eldest of them.

Beethoven grew up in poverty. The father drank away his meager salary; he taught his son to play the violin and piano in the hope that he would become a child prodigy, the new Mozart, and provide for his family. Over time, the father's salary was added to the future of his gifted and hardworking son. For all that, the boy was uncertain about the violin, and on the piano (as well as on the violin) he liked to improvise more than to improve the playing technique.

Beethoven's general education was as unsystematic as that of music. In the latter, however, practice played an important role: he played the viola in the court orchestra, played keyboards, including the organ, which he quickly mastered. C.G. Nefe, from 1782 the Bonn court organist, became the first real teacher of Beethoven (among other things, he passed with him the entire Well-Tempered Clavier of J.S.Bach). Beethoven's duties as court musician expanded significantly when Archduke Maximilian Franz became Elector of Cologne and began to take care of the musical life of Bonn, where his residence was located. In 1787, Beethoven managed to visit Vienna for the first time - at that time the musical capital of Europe. According to the stories, Mozart, having listened to the young man's play, highly appreciated his improvisations and predicted a great future for him. But soon Beethoven had to return home - his mother was dying. He remained the sole breadwinner of a family consisting of a dissolute father and two younger brothers.

The young man's talent, his greed for musical impressions, his ardent and receptive nature attracted the attention of some enlightened Bonn families, and his brilliant piano improvisations provided him with free entrance to any musical gatherings. Especially the Breuning family did a lot for him, which took custody of the awkward, but original young musician. Dr. F.G. Wegeler became his lifelong friend, and Count F.E.G. Waldstein, his enthusiastic admirer, managed to convince the Archduke to send Beethoven to study in Vienna.

Vein. 1792-1802. In Vienna, where Beethoven came for the second time in 1792 and where he remained until the end of his days, he quickly found titled friends, patrons of art.

People who met the young Beethoven described the twenty-year-old composer as a stocky young man prone to panache, sometimes cocky, but good-natured and sweet in relationships with friends. Realizing the inadequacy of his education, he went to Joseph Haydn, a recognized Viennese authority in the field of instrumental music (Mozart had died a year earlier) and brought him counterpoint exercises for some time to test. Haydn, however, soon lost interest in the obstinate student, and Beethoven, secretly from him, began to take lessons from I. Schenk and then from the more thorough I. G. Albrechtsberger. In addition, wishing to improve his vocal writing, he visited for several years the famous opera composer Antonio Salieri. Soon he entered a circle that brought together titled amateurs and professional musicians. Prince Karl Likhnovsky introduced the young provincial to his circle of friends.

The question of how the environment and the zeitgeist influence creativity is controversial. Beethoven read the works of FG Klopstock, one of the predecessors of the Storm and Onslaught movement. He knew Goethe and deeply respected the thinker and poet. The political and social life of Europe at that time was alarming: when Beethoven arrived in Vienna in 1792, the city was agitated by news of the revolution in France. Beethoven enthusiastically embraced revolutionary slogans and praised freedom in his music. The volcanic, explosive nature of his work is undoubtedly the embodiment of the spirit of the times, but only in the sense that the character of the creator was to some extent shaped by this time. A bold violation of generally accepted norms, a powerful self-affirmation, a thunderous atmosphere of Beethoven's music - all this would have been unthinkable in the era of Mozart.

Nevertheless, Beethoven's early works largely follow the canons of the 18th century: this applies to trios (strings and piano), violin, piano and cello sonatas. The piano was then the closest instrument for Beethoven, in piano works he expressed his innermost feelings with utmost sincerity, and the slow parts of some sonatas (for example, Largo e mesto from Sonata Op. 10, No. 3) were already imbued with romantic longing. Pathetic Sonata, Op. 13 is also an obvious anticipation of Beethoven's later experiments. In other cases, his innovation is in the nature of a sudden invasion, and the first listeners perceived him as sheer arbitrariness. Published in 1801, six string quartets op. 18 can be considered the greatest achievement of this period; Beethoven was clearly in no hurry with the publication, realizing what lofty examples of quartet writing left behind by Mozart and Haydn. Beethoven's first orchestral experience was connected with two concertos for piano and orchestra (No. 1, C major and No. 2, B flat major), created in 1801: he, apparently, was not sure of them either, being well acquainted with the greats Mozart's achievements in this genre. Among the most famous (and least defiant) early works is the septet, op. 20 (1802). The next opus, the First Symphony (published late 1801), is Beethoven's first purely orchestral work.

Approaching deafness.

We can only guess to what extent Beethoven's deafness influenced his work. The disease developed gradually. Already in 1798 he complained of tinnitus, it was difficult for him to distinguish high tones, to understand a conversation conducted in a whisper. Horrified at the prospect of becoming an object of pity - a deaf composer, he told his close friend, Karl Amenda, about his illness, as well as doctors, who advised him to protect his hearing whenever possible. He continued to move in the circle of his Viennese friends, took part in musical evenings, and composed a lot. He was so good at hiding his deafness that until 1812 even people who often met him did not suspect how serious his illness was. The fact that during a conversation he often answered inappropriately was attributed to a bad mood or absent-mindedness.

In the summer of 1802, Beethoven retired to a quiet suburb of Vienna - Heiligenstadt. A stunning document appeared there - "Heiligenstadt Testament", a painful confession of a musician tormented by an illness. The will is addressed to the brothers of Beethoven (with instructions to read and execute after his death); in it he speaks of his mental suffering: it is painful when “a person standing next to me hears a flute playing from afar, not audible to me; or when someone hears the shepherd's singing, and I cannot distinguish a sound. " But then, in a letter to Dr. Wegeler, he exclaims: "I will take fate by the throat!" 36, magnificent piano sonatas op. 31 and three violin sonatas, op. thirty.

Second period. "New way".

According to the "three-period" classification proposed in 1852 by one of the first researchers of Beethoven's work W. von Lenz, the second period approximately covers 1802-1815.

The final break with the past was more a realization, a continuation of the tendencies of the early period, rather than a conscious "declaration of independence": Beethoven was not a reformer-theoretician, like Gluck before him and Wagner after him. The first decisive breakthrough to what Beethoven himself called the "new path" occurred in the Third Symphony (Heroic), work on which dates back to 1803-1804. Its duration is three times longer than any other symphony written earlier. The first movement is music of extraordinary power, the second is a stunning outpouring of sorrow, the third is a witty, whimsical scherzo, and the finale - variations on a jubilant, festive theme - far surpasses the traditional rondo-shaped finals composed by Beethoven's predecessors. It is often argued (and not without reason) that at first Beethoven dedicated the Heroic to Napoleon, but upon learning that he had proclaimed himself emperor, he canceled the dedication. "Now he will trample on human rights and satisfy only his own ambition," - these, according to the stories, were the words of Beethoven when he tore the title page of the score with a dedication. In the end, the Heroic was dedicated to one of the patrons of the arts - Prince Lobkowitz.

Works of the second period.

During these years, brilliant creations came out from under his pen one after another. The main works of the composer, listed in the order of their appearance, form an incredible stream of genius music, this imaginary sound world replaces the world of real sounds for his creator. It was a victorious self-affirmation, a reflection of the intense work of thought, evidence of the musician's rich inner life.

We can name only the most important works of the second period: the violin sonata in A major, op. 47 (Kreutserova, 1802-1803); Third Symphony, op. 55 (Heroic, 1802-1805); oratorio Christ on the Mount of Olives, op. 85 (1803); piano sonatas: Waldstein's, op. 53; in F major, op. 54, Appassionata, op. 57 (1803-1815); Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, op. 58 (1805-1806); Beethoven's only opera - Fidelio, op. 72 (1805, second edition 1806); three "Russian" quartets, op. 59 (dedicated to Count Razumovsky; 1805-1806); Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, op. 60 (1806); violin concerto, op. 61 (1806); overture to the tragedy of Collin Coriolanus, op. 62 (1807); Mass in C major, op. 86 (1807); Fifth Symphony in C minor, op. 67 (1804-1808); Sixth Symphony, Op. 68 (Pastoral, 1807-1808); cello sonata in A major, op. 69 (1807); two piano trios, op. 70 (1808); piano concerto no. 5, op. 73 (The Emperor, 1809); quartet, op. 74 (Harp, 1809); piano sonata, op. 81a (Farewell, 1809-1910); three songs on verses by Goethe, op. 83 (1810); music to the tragedy of Goethe Egmont, op. 84 (1809); Quartet in F minor, op. 95 (1810); Eighth Symphony in F major, op. 93 (1811-1812); piano trio in B-flat major, op. 97 (Archduke, 1818).

The second period includes the highest achievements of Beethoven in the genres of violin and piano concertos, violin and cello sonatas, operas; the genre of piano sonata is represented by such masterpieces as Appassionata and Waldstein's. But even the musicians were not always able to perceive the novelty of these compositions. They say that one day one of his colleagues asked Beethoven: does he really consider one of the quartets dedicated to the Russian envoy in Vienna, Count Razumovsky, to be music? "Yes," the composer answered, "but not for you, but for the future."

A number of his works are inspired by the romantic feelings that Beethoven had for some of his high society students. This probably refers to the two quasi una Fantasia sonatas, op. 27 (published in 1802). The second of them (later named "Lunar") is dedicated to Countess Juliet Guicciardi. Beethoven even thought to propose to her, but realized in time that a deaf musician was not the right couple for a flirty socialite. Other lady acquaintances rejected him; one of them called him "freak" and "half-crazy." The situation was different with the Brunswick family, in which Beethoven gave music lessons to two older sisters - Teresa (Tezi) and Josephine (Pepi). The assumption that the addressee of the message to the "Immortal Beloved" found in Beethoven's papers after his death was Teresa has long been rejected, but modern researchers do not exclude that this addressee was Josephine. In any case, the idyllic Fourth Symphony owes its design to Beethoven's stay at the Hungarian Brunswick estate in the summer of 1806.

The Fourth, Fifth and Sixth (Pastoral) Symphonies were composed in 1804–1808. The fifth - probably the most famous symphony in the world - opens with a short tune, about which Beethoven said: "This is how fate knocks at the door." The Seventh and Eighth Symphonies were completed in 1812.

In 1804, Beethoven willingly accepted an order to compose an opera, since success on the opera stage in Vienna meant fame and money. The plot was briefly as follows: a brave, enterprising woman, dressed in men's clothes, saves her beloved husband, imprisoned by a cruel tyrant, and exposes the latter to the people. To avoid confusion with the already existing opera on this plot - Leonora Gaveau, Beethoven's work was named Fidelio, after the name that the disguised heroine takes. Of course, Beethoven had no experience of composing for theater. The climaxes of the melodrama are marked by excellent music, but in other sections, the lack of dramatic flair prevents the composer from rising above the operatic routine (although he was very eager for this: there are fragments in Fidelio that have been redone up to eighteen times). Nevertheless, the opera gradually conquered the audience (during the composer's lifetime, three productions of it took place in different editions - in 1805, 1806 and 1814). It can be argued that the composer did not put so much work into any other work.

Beethoven, as already mentioned, deeply revered Goethe's creations, composed several songs based on his texts, music for his tragedy Egmont, but met Goethe only in the summer of 1812, when they were together at a resort in Teplice. The refined manners of the great poet and the harshness of the composer's behavior did not contribute to their rapprochement. “His talent struck me extremely, but, unfortunately, he has an indomitable disposition, and the world seems to him a hated creation,” says Goethe in one of his letters.

Friendship with Archduke Rudolph.

Beethoven's friendship with Rudolph, the Austrian archduke and half-brother of the emperor, is one of the most interesting historical stories. Around 1804, the Archduke, then 16 years old, began taking piano lessons from the composer. Despite the huge difference in social status, teacher and student felt a sincere affection for each other. While attending lessons at the Archduke's palace, Beethoven had to pass by countless lackeys, call his student "Your Highness" and fight his amateurish attitude towards music. And he did all this with amazing patience, although he never hesitated to cancel lessons if he was busy writing. The Archduke commissioned compositions such as the Farewell Piano Sonata, the Triple Concerto, the last and most grandiose Fifth Piano Concerto, Solemn Mass (Missa solemnis). It was originally intended for the ceremony of elevating the archduke to the rank of archbishop of Olmutsky, but was not completed on time. The Archduke, Prince of Kinsky, and Prince Lobkowitz established a sort of scholarship for the composer, who glorified Vienna, but did not receive support from the city authorities, and the Archduke turned out to be the most reliable of the three patrons of the arts. During the Congress of Vienna in 1814, Beethoven drew considerable material benefits from communication with the aristocracy and kindly listened to compliments - he managed to at least partially hide the contempt for the court "splendor" that he always felt.

Last years. The composer's financial situation has improved markedly. Publishers hunted for his scores and commissioned, for example, compositions such as the Grand Piano Variations on Diabelli's Waltz (1823). His caring friends, especially A. Schindler, who was deeply devoted to Beethoven, observing the chaotic and deprivation of a musician's lifestyle and hearing his complaints that he was "robbed" ), could not understand where he was putting the money. They did not know that the composer was postponing them, but he was not doing it for himself. When his brother Kaspar died in 1815, the composer became one of the guardians of his ten-year-old nephew Karl. Beethoven's love for the boy, the desire to secure his future came into conflict with the composer's mistrust of Karl's mother; as a result, he only constantly quarreled with both, and this situation colored the last period of his life with a tragic light. During the years when Beethoven was seeking full guardianship, he wrote little.

Beethoven's deafness became almost complete. By 1819, he had to completely switch to communicating with interlocutors using a slate board or paper and a pencil (Beethoven's so-called conversational notebooks have survived). Completely immersed in the work on such compositions as the majestic Solemn Mass in D major (1818) or the Ninth Symphony, he behaved strangely, instilling alarm in strangers: he “sang, howled, stamped his feet, and in general it seemed that he was waging a mortal struggle with invisible enemy "(Schindler). The brilliant last quartets, the last five piano sonatas - grandiose in scale, unusual in form and style - seemed to many contemporaries to be works of a madman. And yet the Viennese listeners recognized the nobility and greatness of Beethoven's music, they felt that they were dealing with a genius. In 1824, during the performance of the Ninth Symphony with its choral finale to the text of Schiller's ode To Joy (An die Freude), Beethoven stood next to the conductor. The hall was conquered by a powerful climax at the end of the symphony, the audience was on a rampage, but Beethoven did not turn around. One of the singers had to take him by the sleeve and turn him to face the audience so that the composer bowed.

The fate of other later works was more complex. Many years have passed since Beethoven's death, and only then the most receptive musicians began to perform his last quartets (including the Great Fugue, Op. 33) and the last piano sonatas, revealing to people these highest, most beautiful achievements of Beethoven. Sometimes Beethoven's late style is characterized as contemplative, abstract, in some cases neglecting the laws of euphony; in fact, this music is a never-ending source of powerful and intelligent spiritual energy.

Beethoven died in Vienna on March 26, 1827 from pneumonia, complicated by jaundice and dropsy.

Beethoven's contribution to world culture.

Beethoven continued the general line of development of the genres of symphony, sonata, quartet, outlined by his predecessors. However, his interpretation of well-known forms and genres was distinguished by great freedom; we can say that Beethoven expanded their framework in time and space. He did not expand the composition of the symphony orchestra that had developed by his time, but his scores require, firstly, a larger number of performers in each part, and secondly, the incredible performing skill of each orchestra member in his era; in addition, Beethoven is very sensitive to the individual expressiveness of each instrumental timbre. The piano in his compositions is not a close relative of the elegant harpsichord: the entire extended range of the instrument, all its dynamic capabilities are used.

In the areas of melody, harmony, rhythm, Beethoven often resorts to a sudden change, contrast. One form of contrast is the juxtaposition of decisive themes with a clear rhythm and more lyrical, smoothly flowing sections. Sharp dissonances and unexpected modulations into distant keys are also an important feature of Beethoven's harmony. He expanded the range of tempos used in music and often resorted to dramatic, impulsive changes in dynamics. Sometimes the contrast appears as a manifestation of Beethoven's characteristically somewhat crude humor - as it happens in his frantic scherzos, which in his symphonies and quartets often replace the more sedate minuet.

Unlike his predecessor Mozart, Beethoven had difficulty composing. Beethoven's notebooks show how, step by step, step by step, a grandiose composition emerges from uncertain sketches, marked by a convincing logic of construction and rare beauty. Just one example: in the original sketch of the famous "motive of fate", which opens the Fifth Symphony, he was entrusted to the flute, which means that the theme had a completely different figurative meaning. A powerful artistic intellect allows the composer to turn a disadvantage into dignity: Beethoven opposes an unsurpassed musical and dramatic logic to Mozart's spontaneity and an instinctive sense of perfection. It is she who is the main source of Beethoven's greatness, his incomparable ability to organize contrasting elements into a monolithic whole. Beethoven erases traditional caesuras between sections of form, avoids symmetry, merges parts of the cycle, develops extended constructions from thematic and rhythmic motifs, which at first glance do not contain anything interesting. In other words, Beethoven creates musical space with the power of his mind, with his own will. He anticipated and created those artistic trends that became decisive for the musical art of the 19th century. And today his works are among the greatest, most revered creations of human genius. Beethoven
Soshenkov S.N. 2009-02-18 17:40:24

Cool man. His musical and dramatic (exactly so!) Works, especially the first and second movements of the Ninth Symphony, have no equal in all world art in terms of depth, beauty and purity of content.

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2 2007-11-13 13:00:01

norms written will come down

Beethove is with us!
Reward 2010-05-14 20:01:08

Nature has put a barrier between her and humanity: morality. A person who is always aware of his social level challenges fate with his creativity and higher forces are looking at his rebellion. However, they are also preparing the talent for such a protest. They form him as much as is required for the accomplishment of the main work of his life, in the case of Beethoven, his music, for to imagine humanity without his symphonies is the same as deleting Columbus, trampling the fire donated by Prometheus, or returning humanity from space. Yes, there would be no Beethoven before space, we would have had to shrug our hands at the starts: something is missing, something slows down, somewhere we "gave a blunder" ... But - everything is all right, friends! Beethoven is with us. With humanity forever this rebel, this loner, who sacrificed a successful cozy bedroom, a comfortable family nest and contrary to respectable burgher morality, it is he who lends his shoulder to any breakthrough of humanity into the future, he, this breakthrough, is unthinkable without Beethoven.

Nice article, thanks. I was looking for whether Beethoven had children and found this article. Just today I wrote the thought that if people were not so obsessed with sex and reproduction, they would be able to approach the greatness of the geniuses of mankind, a striking example of which is Beethoven. When I lose heart and life is ready to crush me, when they try to intimidate me with death - I always remember the sounds of his 9th Symphony I heard in my youth and understand that the one who went through and survived the 9th Symphony with Beethoven to the end is invincible and fearless. 9 The symphony is my personal nuclear weapon, a nuclear button that turns me into Beethoven's Superman .. His Spirit comes to life and lives in me in time for moments and my weak body and mind are not at all a burden for him and not a burden. Feelings such as if the engine was put on the car from Belaz, or even from a jet plane in general)) This is a unique experience. But, nevertheless, I cannot listen to Beethoven's music for a long time. It hardens the heart and you begin to climb the wall, quarrel with everyone .. In this regard, Tchaikovsky more harmoniously influences Spirit and Mind. In Tchaikovsky's music there is not only a fierce struggle, but much that touches the heart, melts it and makes it cry for some reason. Because Tchaikovsky awakened your soul and showed himself to you .. And Beethoven's symphonies are well suited for some titanic efforts and achievements. Or to pull oneself out of a complete swamp, like Baron Munchausen by the scruff of his neck .. Tchaikovsky gives Reason, thanks to which one can go not ahead, but with intelligence, which relieves of titanic overstrain. However, not everyone thinks so. Some people told me that Tchaikovsky's music is full of water compared to Beethoven's ..) I don't think so. You can't throw out a single note. In general, these 2 composers are my life teachers. Whoever listened to and lived the 6th Symphony of Tchaikovsky, consider him to have lived a whole life and his soul became wiser for this life ..