Ludwig van BeethovenHe baptised 17 December 1770[1] – 26 March

1827) was a German composer and pianist. A

crucial figure in the transition between

theClassical and Romantic eras in Western art

music, he remains one of the most famous and

influential of all composers. His best-known

compositions include 9symphonies, 5 piano

concertos, 1 violin concerto, 32 piano sonatas,

16 string quartets, his great Mass the Missa

solemnis and an opera, Fidelio. Born in Bonn,

then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and

part of the Holy Roman Empire, Beethoven displayed his musical talents at an early age and was

taught by his father Johann van Beethoven and by composer and conductor Christian Gottlob Neefe.

At the age of 21 he moved to Vienna and began studying with Joseph Haydn, quickly gaining a

reputation as a virtuoso pianist. He lived in Vienna until his death. By his 30s his hearing began to

deteriorate, and by the last decade of his life he was almost totally deaf. In 1811 he gave up

conducting and performing in public but continued to compose; many of his most admired works

come from these last 15 years of his life.

Biography

Beethoven was the grandson of Ludwig van Beethoven (de) (1712–73), a musician from the

town of Mechelen in the Duchy of Brabant in the Flemish region of what is now Belgium, who at the

age of twenty moved to Bonn.[2][3] Ludwig (he adopted the German cognate of theDutch Lodewijk)

was employed as a bass singer at the court of the Elector of Cologne, eventually rising to

become Kapellmeister (music director). Ludwig had one son, Johann(1740–1792), who worked as a

tenor in the same musical establishment and gave lessons on piano and violin to supplement his

income.[2] Johann married Maria Magdalena Keverich in 1767; she was the daughter of Johann

Heinrich Keverich, who had been the head chef at the court of the Archbishopric of Trier.[4]

Beethoven was born of this marriage in Bonn. There is no authentic record of the date of his

birth; however, the registry of his baptism, in a Roman Catholic service at the Parish of St. Regius on

17 December 1770, survives.[5] As children of that era were traditionally baptised the day after birth in

the Catholic Rhine country, and it is known that Beethoven's family and his teacher Johann

Albrechtsberger celebrated his birthday on 16 December, most scholars accept 16 December 1770

as Beethoven's date of birth.[6][7] Of the seven children born to Johann van Beethoven, only Ludwig,

the second-born, and two younger brothers survived infancy. Caspar Anton Carl was born on 8 April

1774, and Nikolaus Johann, the youngest, was born on 2 October 1776.[8]

Beethoven's first music teacher was his father. Although tradition has it that Johann van

Beethoven was a harsh instructor, and that the child Beethoven, "made to stand at the keyboard,

was often in tears,"[2] the Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians claimed that no solid

documentation supported this, and asserted that "speculation and myth-making have both been

productive."[2] Beethoven had other local teachers: the court organist Gilles van den Eeden (d. 1782),

Tobias Friedrich Pfeiffer (a family friend, who taught Beethoven the piano), and Franz Rovantini (a

relative, who instructed him in playing the violin and viola).[2] Beethoven's musical talent was obvious

at a young age. Johann, aware of Leopold Mozart's successes in this area (with son Wolfgang and

daughter Nannerl), attempted to exploit his son as a child prodigy, claiming that Beethoven was six

(he was seven) on the posters for Beethoven's first public performance in March 1778.[9]

Some time after 1779, Beethoven began his studies with his most important teacher in

Bonn, Christian Gottlob Neefe, who was appointed the Court's Organist in that year.[10] Neefe taught

Beethoven composition, and by March 1783 had helped him write his first published composition: a

set of keyboard variations (WoO 63).[8] Beethoven soon began working with Neefe as assistant

organist, at first unpaid (1781), and then as a paid employee (1784) of the court chapel conducted

by the Kapellmeister Andrea Luchesi. His first three piano sonatas, named "Kurfürst" ("Elector") for

their dedication to the ElectorMaximilian Friedrich (1708–1784), were published in 1783. Maximilian

Frederick noticed Beethoven's talent early, and subsidised and encouraged the young man's

musical studies.[11]

Maximilian Frederick's successor as the Elector of Bonn was Maximilian Franz, the youngest

son of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, and he brought notable changes to Bonn. Echoing

changes made in Vienna by his brother Joseph, he introduced reforms based onEnlightenment

philosophy, with increased support for education and the arts. The teenage Beethoven was almost

certainly influenced by these changes. He may also have been influenced at this time by ideas

prominent in freemasonry, as Neefe and others around Beethoven were members of the local

chapter of the Order of the Illuminati.[12]

In March 1787 Beethoven traveled to Vienna (possibly at another's expense) for the first

time, apparently in the hope of studying with Mozart. The details of their relationship are uncertain,

including whether they actually met.[13] Having learned that his mother was ill, Beethoven returned

about two weeks after his arrival. His mother died shortly thereafter, and his father lapsed deeper

into alcoholism. As a result, Beethoven became responsible for the care of his two younger brothers,

and spent the next five years in Bonn.[14]

Beethoven was introduced in these years to several people who became important in his life.

Franz Wegeler, a young medical student, introduced him to the von Breuning family (one of whose

daughters Wegeler eventually married). Beethoven often visited the von Breuning household, where

he taught piano to some of the children. Here he encountered German and classical literature. The

von Breuning family environment was less stressful than his own, which was increasingly dominated

by his father's decline.[15] Beethoven also came to the attention of Count Ferdinand von Waldstein,

who became a lifelong friend and financial supporter.[16]

In 1789 Beethoven obtained a legal order by which half of his father's salary was paid

directly to him for support of the family.[17] He also contributed further to the family's income by

playing viola in the court orchestra. This familiarised Beethoven with a variety of operas, including

three by Mozart that were performed at court in this period. He also befriendedAnton Reicha,

a flautist and violinist of about his own age who was a nephew of the court orchestra's

conductor, Josef Reicha.[18]

Compositions by Ludwig van Beethoven

The musical works of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) are classified by both genre and

various numbering systems.

The most common methods of numbering Beethoven's works are by opus number, assigned

by Beethoven's publishers during his lifetime, and by number within genre. For example, the

14th string quartet, published as Opus 131, may be referenced either as "String Quartet No. 14" or

"the Opus 131 String Quartet".

Many works that were unpublished or else published without opus numbers have been

assigned either "WoO" (works without opus number) or "Anh" (appendix) numbers. For example, the

short piano piece "Für Elise", is more fully known as the "Bagatelle in A minor, WoO 59 ('Für Elise')".

Some works are also commonly referred to by their nicknames, such as the 'Kreutzer' Violin Sonata,

or the Eroica   Symphony .

T he listings include all of these relevant identifiers. While other catalogues of Beethoven's

works exist, the numbers here represent the most commonly used and widely known. Years in

parentheses denote dates of composition or publication.

Orchestral music

Beethoven wrote nine symphonies, nine concertos, and a variety of other orchestral music, ranging

from overtures and incidental music for theatrical productions to other miscellaneous "occasional"

works, written for a particular occasion. Of the concertos, seven are widely known (one violin

concerto, five piano concertos, and one triple concerto for violin, piano, and cello); the other two are

an unpublished early piano concerto (WoO 4) and an arrangement of the Violin Concerto for piano

and orchestra (Opus 61a).

Symphonies

Opus 21: Symphony No. 1 in C major (composed 1799–1800, premièred 1800)

Opus 36: Symphony No. 2 in D major (composed 1801–02, premièred 1803)

Opus 55: Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major ("Eroica") (composed 1803/04, premièred 1805)

Opus 60: Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major (composed 1806, premièred 1807)

Opus 67: Symphony No. 5 in C minor ("Fate") (composed 1804–08, premièred 1808)

Opus 68: Symphony No. 6 in F major ("Pastoral") (composed 1804–08, premièred 1808)

Opus 92: Symphony No. 7 in A major (composed 1811–12, premièred 1813)

Opus 93: Symphony No. 8 in F major (composed 1812, premièred 1814)

Opus 125: Symphony No. 9 in D minor ("Choral") (composed 1817–24, premièred 1824)

Beethoven is believed to have intended to write a Tenth Symphony in the last year of his life; a

performing version of possible sketches was assembled by Barry Cooper.[1]

ConcertoS

WoO 4: Piano Concerto No. 0 in E-flat major (1784)

Opus 15: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major (composed 1796–97)

Opus 19: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major (first two movements composed 1787–1789,

finale composed in 1795)

Opus 37: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor (composed 1800–01)

Opus 56: Triple Concerto for violin, cello, and piano in C major (1803)

Opus 58: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major (composed 1805–06)

Opus 61: Violin Concerto in D major (1806)

Opus 61a: Beethoven's arrangement of Opus 61 for piano

Opus 73: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major ("Emperor") (composed 1809–10)

Hess 13: Romance in E minor for 3 soloists and orchestra

Hess 15: Piano Concerto No. 6 in D major (unfinished – performing version completed

by Nicholas Cook) (1815)[2]

Anh. 7: Piano Concerto (Allegro) in D major (first movement only) (probably spurious; some

believe this work to be the missing movement of a piano concerto by the Bohemian

composer Johann Joseph Rösler (1771–1813))

Orchestral music

Beethoven wrote nine symphonies, nine concertos, and a variety of other orchestral music, ranging

from overtures and incidental music for theatrical productions to other miscellaneous "occasional"

works, written for a particular occasion. Of the concertos, seven are widely known (one violin

concerto, five piano concertos, and one triple concerto for violin, piano, and cello); the other two are

an unpublished early piano concerto (WoO 4) and an arrangement of the Violin Concerto for piano

and orchestra (Opus 61a).

Symphonies

Opus 21: Symphony No. 1 in C major (composed 1799–1800, premièred 1800)

Opus 36: Symphony No. 2 in D major (composed 1801–02, premièred 1803)

Opus 55: Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major ("Eroica") (composed 1803/04, premièred 1805)

Opus 60: Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major (composed 1806, premièred 1807)

Opus 67: Symphony No. 5 in C minor ("Fate") (composed 1804–08, premièred 1808)

Opus 68: Symphony No. 6 in F major ("Pastoral") (composed 1804–08, premièred 1808)

Opus 92: Symphony No. 7 in A major (composed 1811–12, premièred 1813)

Opus 93: Symphony No. 8 in F major (composed 1812, premièred 1814)

Opus 125: Symphony No. 9 in D minor ("Choral") (composed 1817–24, premièred 1824)

Beethoven is believed to have intended to write a Tenth Symphony in the last year of his life; a

performing version of possible sketches was assembled by Barry Cooper.[1]

Concertos

WoO 4: Piano Concerto No. 0 in E-flat major (1784)

Opus 15: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major (composed 1796–97)

Opus 19: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major (first two movements composed 1787–1789,

finale composed in 1795)

Opus 37: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor (composed 1800–01)

Opus 56: Triple Concerto for violin, cello, and piano in C major (1803)

Opus 58: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major (composed 1805–06)

Opus 61: Violin Concerto in D major (1806)

Opus 61a: Beethoven's arrangement of Opus 61 for piano

Opus 73: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major ("Emperor") (composed 1809–10)

Hess 13: Romance in E minor for 3 soloists and orchestra

Hess 15: Piano Concerto No. 6 in D major (unfinished – performing version completed

by Nicholas Cook) (1815)[2]

Anh. 7: Piano Concerto (Allegro) in D major (first movement only) (probably spurious; some

believe this work to be the missing movement of a piano concerto by the Bohemian

composer Johann Joseph Rösler (1771–1813))

Chamber music

Beethoven wrote 16 string quartets and numerous other forms of chamber music, including piano

trios, string trios, andsonatas for violin and cello with piano, as well as works with wind instruments.

Trios

Piano trios

The numbering of Beethoven's twelve piano trios is fairly arbitrary, and other than the three trios in

Op. 1 as being Nos. 1 through 3, sources including both recordings and authoritative publications

use other numberings from those shown here, or more frequently, none at all. It is more usual to

identify a piano trio only by its catalog number and key.

Biamonti 637: Piano Trio in F minor (incomplete sketches, 1815)

Hess 47: Allegro con brio in E-flat major for Piano Trio

Hess 48: Allegretto in E-flat major for Piano Trio (c. 1790–1792)

WoO 38: Piano Trio in E-flat major (c. 1790-1791)

WoO 39: Allegretto in B-flat major for Piano Trio (1812)

Opus 1: Three Piano Trios (composed 1793; published 1795)

No. 1: Piano Trio No. 1 in E-flat major

No. 2: Piano Trio No. 2 in G major

No. 3: Piano Trio No. 3 in C minor

Opus 11: Piano Trio [No. 4](?) in B-flat major ("Gassenhauer") (1797)

Opus 44: Variations on an original theme in E-flat major (composed 1792; published 1804)

Opus 63: Piano Trio in E-flat major (1806) (arrangement of Op. 4)

Opus 70: Two Piano Trios (1808)

No. 1: Piano Trio [No. 5](?) in D major ("Ghost")

No. 2: Piano Trio [No. 6](?) in E-flat major

Opus 97: Piano Trio [No. 7](?) in B-flat major ("Archduke") (1811)

Opus 121a: Kakadu Variations, for Piano Trio (Variations on "Ich bin der Schneider Kakadu")

(1803)

Piano quartets

WoO 36: 3 Piano Quartets (1785)

No. 1 in E-flat major

No. 2 in D major

No. 3 in C major

Opus 16/b: Piano Quartet in E-flat (1797) (arrangement of Quintet for Piano and Winds, Op. 16)

String trios

Opus 3: String Trio No. 1 in E-flat major (1794); five-movement piano transcription (anon,

supervised composer?, c1814–15)

Opus 8: String Trio No. 2 ("Serenade") in D major (1797)

Opus 9: Three String Trios  (1798)

No. 1: String Trio No. 3 in G major

No. 2: String Trio No. 4 in D major

No. 3: String Trio No. 5 in C minor

Hess 28: Movement in A-flat for String Trio

String quartets

Early

Hess 30: Prelude and Fugue in F major (1795)

Hess 31: Prelude and Fugue in C major (1795)

Opus 18: Six String Quartets

No. 1: String Quartet No. 1 in F major (1799)

No. 2: String Quartet No. 2 in G major (1799)

No. 3: String Quartet No. 3 in D major (1798/99)

No. 4: String Quartet No. 4 in C minor (1799)

No. 5: String Quartet No. 5 in A major (1799)

No. 6: String Quartet No. 6 in B-flat major (1800)

Middle

Opus 59: Three String Quartets ("Rasumovsky") (1806)

No. 1: String Quartet No. 7 in F major

No. 2: String Quartet No. 8 in E minor

No. 3: String Quartet No. 9 in C major

Opus 74: String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat major ("Harp") (1809)

Opus 95: String Quartet No. 11 in F minor ("Serioso") (1810)

“You and Me”

What day is it? And in what month?This clock never seemed so aliveI can't keep up and I can't back downI've been losing so much time

Cause it's you and me and all of the peopleWith nothing to do, nothing to loseAnd it's you and me and all of the peopleAnd I don't know why I can't keep my eyes off of you

All of the things that I want to sayJust aren't coming out rightI'm tripping on words, you got my head spinningI don't know where to go from here

Cause it's you and me and all of the peopleWith nothing to do, nothing to proveAnd it's you and me and all of the peopleAnd I don't know why I can't keep my eyes off of you

Something about you nowI can't quite figure outEverything she does is beautiful

Everything she does is right

Cause it's you and me and all of the peopleWith nothing to do, nothing to loseAnd it's you and me and all of the peopleAnd I don't know why I can't keep my eyes off of

You and me and all of the peopleWith nothing to do and nothing to proveAnd it's you and me and all of the peopleAnd I don't know why I can't keep my eyes off of you

What day is it? And in what month?This clock never seemed so alive

“Wish I May”

Wish that I could say these words tonightWish I have the courage, wish I mightHave the chance to show you, speak what's on my mindWhile you're right next to meI've loved you from the start

Wish that I could walk you down the roadShare each moment, have

my hand to holdMy imagination's beginning to unfoldEvery wish is granted, every dream and hope

[Chorus]Wish I may, wish I mightFind a way to your heartWish that I'll be the sun to warm you all through your lifeWish you may feel my love that is hidden in the starsWish I may, wish I mightBe the one

Maybe now I'm ready to be foundThen I'll be a part of who you arePromise of forever, never break your heartAlways there to listen, always by your side

[Chorus]Wish I may, wish I mightFind a way to your heartWish that I'll be the sun to warm you all through your lifeWish you may feel my love that is hidden in the starsWish I may, wish I mightBe the one

(Wish I may, wish I mightFind a way to your heartWish that I'll be the sun to warm you all through your life)

Wish you may feel my love

that is hidden in the starsWish I may, wish I mightBe the oneWish I mayWish I mightBe the one

"You Are The One"(with Sam Milby)

Another day passes by, I'm dreamin' of you,And though I know it might be just a dream, dreams come true,Somewhere, somehow I'll find you even though it takes all ofMy life (all of my life)

And when I finally do (and when I finally do)I know inside my heart (I know inside my heart)That there could be no doubt, I knew it from the start

(you are the one) you are the oneThat I've been searching for my whole life through,(you are the one) you are the one that I've been looking forAnd now that I have found you,I'll never let you go, I'll hold you in my armsYou are the one

Another night spent aloneI'm lying in the dark (lying in the dark)I don't know your name

But I know your voice sings to my heart (voice sings to my heart)A sweet melody, a symphony of love

I know that come one day (I know that come one day)I time for you and me (a time for you and me)To finally be together, cause I know we're meant to be

(you are the one) you are the oneThat I've been searching for my whole life through,(you are the one) you are the one that I've been looking forAnd now that I have found you,I'll never let you go, I'll hold you in my arms

Forever's a meaningless wordEven though you're here with meHere by my side, here in my heart

I'll never let you go I'll hold you in my arms

(you are the one) you are the one that I've been searching for my whole life through(you are the one) you are the one that I've been looking for and now that I have found you

I'll never let you go, I'll hold you in my arms[repeat]

Cause you are the one, you are the one