Ludwig van Beethoven

and the Ninth Symphony

Background

• Born in Bonn, Germany • Baptized on Dec. 17 1770

• Grandfather was Kapellmeister at court

• Father sang in choir and taught voice and violin lessons from their home

Early Life

• First performance at age of 7

• Took lessons with court organist, Christian Gottlob Neefe

 • Neefe introduced him to the

works of J.S. Bach, Joseph Haydn, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

• 1782 - 1783: wrote several variations on an existing march and three piano sonatas

Mozart and Haydn

• Went to Vienna to study with Mozart but had to return home to to his mother's failing health

 •  Mother died and father became an alcoholic

• Got his first salaried position as an organist at court and also had part of his father's salary transfered to him

• 1792: returned to Vienna to study with Joseph Haydn (Mozart had died only a year earlier)

Starting His Career

• 1795: funding for his studies was cut off due to the French Revolution

• Made a name for himself in the local salons; especially popular for his improvisation on the piano

• Starting in 1800, Prince Licknowski provided him a yearly stipend so he could focus on composing music

Hearing Loss

• 1801: no longer able to hear high-pitched tones

 • Retreated to village of

Heiligenstadt where he wrote the Heiligenstadt Testament

"I will grasp Fate by the neck, it shall not bring me down entirely."

- Beethoven

Dark Period• Beethoven's music reflected his

mood while struggling with his hearing loss

 •  Moonlight Sonatas

• Eroica Symphony; originally intended as an homage to Napoleon Bonaparte

• Scratched Napoleon's name off the symphony after hearing he had declared himself emperor of France

Financial Worries

• First opera, Fidelio, not very successful • Falling out with long-time supporter, Prince Licknowsky

• Turned down for permanent post with Vienna opera

• Considered position as Kapellmeister for Napoleon's brother in Kassel

• Prince Kinsky, Prince Lobkowitz, and Archduke Randolph joined together to provide an annual stipend of 4000 florins

Troubled Success

• Publication of music reached its peak during 1810 to 1811

 • Wellington's Victory

• Revival of Fidelio

• 1816 - 1820: Guardianship battle for nephew

• Missa Solemnas

Final Years• Symphony No. 9 and Ode to Joy

 • Performed on May 7, 1824; met with thunderous

applause

• Nephew attempted to kill himself and was sent to an army post

• Beethoven grew progressively sicker until confined to a bed by November 1826

• Died March 26, 1827

• Over 20,000 attended his funeral (funeral oration)

Symphony No. 9 - History

• Delayed by guardianship battle and Missa Solemnas

 • First time voices were included in

     a symphony• Group of Viennese art lovers

petitioned Beethoven to have the first performance in Vienna

• Final concert before his death

Listening Guide

• Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 Choral 4th Movement

• Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven

• Conducted by Zubin Mehta, a musical director of Florence, Italy

• Performed by the NHK Symphony Orchestra and the Tokyo Opera Singers of Japan

• This musical number was performed at a charity concert for the survivors of the March 11, 2011 Japan earthquake.

Listen

Listening Guide 0:00 - 2:30

0:00 - Bass drums and brass instruments in unison

0:30 - Abrupt changes from bass drums to brass and woodwinds; rapid violin notes then slow cello and basses

1:00 - Forte; dramatic, quick cello strokes become pianissimo then return to forte

1:30 - Bass strings and high pitched woodwinds take turns

2:00 - Slow to quick bass notes with woodwinds

2:30 - Bass instruments varying from high to low notes

Listening Guide 2:45 - 5:00

2:45 - Brief stop then "Ode to Joy" melody on bass and cello

3:15 - Melody continues

3:35 - Violins join then a bassoon

4:00 - Bassoon becomes louder the violins take over again

4:30 - Violins continue melody with violas harmonizing

5:00 - Full orchestra play melody and harmony then brass instruments begin to dominate the melody

Listening Guide 5:30 - 7:45

5:30 - Bass drums join trumpets on melody

6:00 - Forte, rapid music slows down to just woodwinds then full orchestra joins in and speeds up

6:30 - Orchestra stops and bass singer continues a Capella

7:00 - Singer continues with short bursts of music from orchestra; flutes and piccolos play softly in background

7:30 - Plucking violin and soloist on melody

7:45 - Full choir on melody then instrumental interlude

Listening Guide 8:15 - 10:15

8:15 - Two high pitched female singers and two low pitched male singers take over melody

8:30 - Full choir, forte, and orchestra take over melody

8:45 - Woodwind interlude then male singers on melody

9:15 - Orchestra and choir join together then slow down

9:45 - Pause, bassoon starts in unison with drum beat

10:15 - Flutes, piccolos, and trumpets continue with bassoon getting louder

Listening Guide 10:30 - 13:00

10:30 - Tenor soloist with drums, symbols, and triangle; music becomes a marching rhythm

11:00 - Male choir members join soloist; fortissimo

11:30 - Musical interlude with fast violins and woodwinds joined by trumpets then full orchestra

12:00 - Orchestra continues at rapid pace

12:30 - Musical interlude winds down

13:00 - Full orchestra and choir join in fortissimo union to complete the piece

Bibliography

Autexier, Philippe. Beethoven, The Composer as Hero. New York:           Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1992. Print.Geck, Martin. Beethoven. London: Haus, 2003. Print.Johnson, Stephen. Ludwig Van Beethoven: An Essential Guide to His     Life and Works. London: Pavilion, 1997. PrintWegeler, Franz Gerhard, and Ferdinand Ries. Beethoven     Remembered: the Biographical Notes of Franz Wegeler and     Ferdinand Ries. Arlington, VA: Great Ocean, 1987. Print.Wyn Jones, David. The Life of Beethoven. Cambridge: Cambridge     UP, 1998. Print.