An Outline of The History of Western Music Grout ... - The Reel Score

I. Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827)
A. Background
1. Pivotal Figure
a) Although he built on the musical conventions, genres, and styles of the Classic
period, Beethoven transformed this heritage and created a body of work that
became models for composers of the Romantic period
1: wrote music with great deliberation keeping sketchbooks for his compositions
which planned his musical ideas throughout the composing process
2: his hearing loss started around 1796 and by 1820 could hardly hear at all
b) An age greatly influenced by the French Revolution in Europe
2. Teachers & Influences
a) Earliest lessons was with his father who pushed the young Beethoven in hopes of
making him a second Mozart - actually played for Mozart (who prophesied a bright
future for him)
b) Lessons with Haydn (1732-1809) from late 1792 until Haydn left for his second
London visit - also receiving help from Johann Schenk (1753-1836) during this
same period
c) Studied counterpoint for a year with Johann Georg Albrechtsberger (1736-1809)
d) Vocal composition from Antonio Salieri (1750-1825)
e) Singspiele and songs from Christian Gottlob Neefe (1748-1798)
3. End of "old style" patronage
a) annuity provided by patrons to have him remain in Austria
b) played concerts (piano) organized by himself or others and taught piano to make a
living
B. Beethoven's Three Periods - based on style and chronology
1. The divisions occur at different chronological points in different genres with no hard
and fast boundaries between periods
2. First period to about 1802: Imitation
a) assimilating the musical language of his time and finding his personal voice
b) six String Quartets, Op. 18; piano sonatas thru Op. 28; first three piano concertos;
first two symphonies
3. Second period to about 1815: Externalization
a) his rugged independence took hold - battle with current fashion; expands the
traditional forms
b) Symphonies 3 thru 8; incidental music to Goethe's drama Egmont; the Coriolan
Overture; opera Fidelio; Piano Concertos in G & Eb; the Violin Concerto; Quartets
of Opp. 59,74,95; Piano Sonatas thru Op. 90
4. Third period post 1815: Reflection
a) music is remote from external conflict, involves a series of unprecedented
inventions in the domain of musical structure; creating entirely new forms
b) last 5 piano sonatas; the Diabelli Variations; the Missa Solemnis; Symphony 9, the
Quartets Opp. 127,130,131,132,135; the Grosse Fugue for string quartet
C. First Period
1. Piano Sonatas
a) themes and their treatment in the first 3 piano sonatas are reminiscent of works by
Haydn (to whom they are dedicated)