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Beethoven was a prolific composer, and his output spanned a wide range of musical genres. He wrote symphonies, concertos, string quartets, piano sonatas, and other works for a variety of ensembles. Many of his pieces are considered staples of the classical music repertoire.
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Introduction
There is no simple answer to this question because Beethoven’s music changed significantly over his lifetime and he wrote music in a number of different genres, including symphonies, concertos, string quartets, piano sonatas, and songs.
Beethoven’s early work was strongly influenced by the classical style of Haydn and Mozart. However, as he grew older, Beethoven began to develop his own unique style that incorporated elements of the classical style with new ideas and techniques.
One of the most notable characteristics of Beethoven’s later work is his use of chromaticism, which is the use of notes that are not in the major or minor scale. This gave his music a more expressive feel and made it some of the most technically challenging pieces ever written.
The early years
Beethoven began his musical career as a court musician in the city of Bonn. He was born into a family of musicians, and his father taught him how to play the violin and clavier. As a young man, Beethoven became a student of the great composer Joseph Haydn.
During his early years, Beethoven wrote mostly music for small ensembles, including chamber music and works for piano trio. He also wrote a few symphonies during this period, but they were not as successful as his later symphonies.
The classical period
During the classical period, symphonies, concertos, sonatas, and string quartets were written in abundance. For these pieces, Beethoven often used a scalar approach to composition, which means that he wrote melodies that flowed within a certain key. This made his music very accessible to audiences of the time. However, Beethoven also experimented with dissonance and chromaticism, which caused some of his music to be banned by the censors.
The middle period
Beethoven’s “middle” period began after the success of the Op. 18 string quartets in 1800 and lasted until 1802, when his health deteriorated and he withdrew to the country to recuperate. These works mark the beginning of his experimental period, in which he expanded the formal and emotional possibilities of instrumental music. His compositions during this time include six symphonies (Nos. 2–7), five solo concerti (including No. 5, the “Emperor”), seven string quartets (including Opp. 59, 74, 95, and 127), several piano sonatas (Opp. 28, 54, 78, 79, 81a), numerous organizational works for pianoTrio Op. 70 No. 1 (“Ghost”), Violin Sonata Op. 30 No. 2, as well as the last five of his 32 piano sonatas (Opp
The first three years of Beethoven’s “middle” period were among the most creative of his life; they included the premiere of three gigantic works: his Second Symphony in 1803; his oratorio Christ on the Mount of Olives in 1803; and his opera Fidelio in 1805 (its original version).
The late period
Beethoven’s music went through a radical change during what is known as his “late period.” This was a time when he was grappling with personal issues, including his hearing loss and declining health. He also experienced some success, particularly with his opera Fidelio.
During this time, Beethoven’s music became more expressive and introspective. He wrote longer, more complex works that explored the range of human emotions. Many of these pieces are considered some of the greatest ever written, including the symphonies no. 7 and 9, and the piano sonatas no. 28-32.
The opera
Of all the genres that Beethoven composed in, opera was the one in which he struggled the most. In his early career he attempted to write several operas, all of which were met with mixed success. It was not until his final opera, Fidelio, that Beethoven finally found critical and popular acclaim in the genre. Even then, Fidelio was not an instant success and took some time to catch on with the public.
The symphonies
Beethoven wrote nine symphonies that are canonical works of the Western musical tradition. These symphonies are conventionally numbered symphonies 1–9. In addition, Beethoven wrote several other works that were titled symphonies at the time of their composition, but which were in fact concert overtures or other works for large orchestra. The most famous of these early “symphonies” is the Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36 (1800), which was hastily composed to celebrate Napoleon’s military victories, but quickly supplanted by the “Eroica” Symphony No. 3 in E♭ major, Op. 55 (1803).
The piano concertos
Beethoven wrote nine piano concertos, in which the piano is accompanied by an orchestra. The best known of these are the Emperor Concerto, the last and most technically demanding; the Moonlight Sonata, a solo piano work famous for its elegiac middle movement; and the Waldstein and Appassionata sonatas, both of which helped to secure his reputation as a major composer during his lifetime.
The violin concerto
Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio, premiered in 1805 to mixed reviews. Nevertheless, the work’s popularity has increased steadily since its revived production in Leonore form in 1814. In the Romantic era, appreciation for Beethoven’s operas increased exponentially. Of particular interest to many Romantic opera composers was the treatment of heroism and idealism within the context of ordinary people’s lives, as opposed to royalty or other social elites, which they found in Fidelio.
During his stay in Heiligenstadt in 1802, Beethoven began work on his second piano concerto, also known as the Emperor Concerto. It was first performed in Vienna on December 22, 1808, with Beethoven himself as soloist. The concerto is notable for its grandeur and majesty, befitting its alternative name.
The third and last of Beethoven’s piano concerti, the Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major Op. 73 (1809), is referred to as the “Emperor Concerto”. This concerto is one of only two works that Beethoven himself published with a dedication (the other being the “Archduke” Trio). The choice of dedicatee was Prince Lobkowitz who later withdrew his support of Beethoven financially and institutionally
In his last decade, Beethoven composed some of his most admired works: his Symphony No. 9; Missa Solemnis; Diabelli Variations; the late string quartets Opp. 127, 130/133 & 132; his only opera Fidelio; and many piano works including his Hammerklavier Sonata and late bagatelles Opp. 119 & 126.
The string quartets
Beethoven was the first composer to write string quartets with a totally novel, larger-scale design. They raised the genre from one concerned principally with balance and elegance to one in which intellectual weight and emotional substance could take precedence. He wrote 15 string quartets, six of which were published as a set in 1801 (“Opus 18”).
