Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven

(1770-1827)

Ludwig van Beethoven was a composer of the late Classical Period. The French Revolution took place during his lifetime and Napoleon Bonaparte's armies stormed through Europe and reached Vienna while the composer lived there. Napoleon was at first Ludwig's hero, apparently liberating people from the oppressive rule of the aristocracy. He even dedicated his Third Symphony (the 'Eroica') to Napoleon but removed the dedication when the Frenchman crowned himself emperor and Ludwig realised he was a tyrant.

Much social change took place during Ludwig's lifetime and composers were no longer regarded as servants. Nevertheless various noblemen took Ludwig under their wing, and between them provided him with lodgings, a horse and a yearly salary! People were frightened of the composer, who cared little for his appearance. His hair looked unkept, his clothes untidy and he was often bad tempered. But much of this was due to the onset of deafness during his twenties which thrust the composer into deep isolation.

DID YOU KNOW THAT?............

• By the time Ludwig was in his thirties he had completely lost his hearing.
• Ludwig moved addresses over eighty times in Vienna!
• This was mainly because he often fell out with his landlords and the neighbours!
• Ludwig was always falling in love but he never got married.
• On the night that Ludwig lay on his deathbed there was a terrible thunderstorm. He opened his eyes and raised a clenched fist into the air. Then he fell back and died.

SUGGESTED LISTENING

The Storm: the 4th movement from Symphony no. 6 (the Pastoral).

The Pastoral Symphony tells the story about life in the countryside. Ludwig van Beethoven spent hours of time walking in the hills and woods around the city of Vienna. He would hear the music inside his head and then he stopped to jot down ideas in a sketch book that he carried with him. Each movement of the symphony has a descriptive title:- 'Awakening of pleasant feelings upon arrival in the countryside'; 'Scene at the brook'; Peasants' merrymaking'; 'Storm and tempest'; 'Shepherds'song'. Descriptive music such as this is called Programme Music. At the start of the 4th movement the music describes heavy raindrops falling as people in the village square scuttle for cover. The rumble of thunder can be heard and the orchestra plays loud, storm-like music. Listen out for the high swirling sound from the piccolo at the top of the orchestra. Gradually the storm dies away, the sun comes out and there is the sound of an alpine horn in the meadows.