Ludwig van Beethoven (Bonn, 1770 – Vienna, 1827), a German composer with Flemish roots, spent most of his life in Vienna. Although he is officially given an established position among the trio of composers of Viennese Classicism, which also includes Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as the youngest among the three, he is undoubtedly also one of the originators of Romantic music. He performed as both a conductor and an excellent pianist, and he was also the first major composer who lived mostly as a freelance artist without permanent employment. Haughty and proud, in a continuous yet unfulfilled search for love, he diligently composed, striving for perfection in each motif and phrase.
His music is well-known for its clarity of form, impressive melodies, majesty, and striking rhythm. When his long-lasting progressive hearing loss resulted in complete deafness in 1819, this did not stop him from composing some of his best works, such as the magnificent Symphony No. 9, in which, for the first time in the history of symphony, he added human voice to the orchestra. Ode to Joy, from the final movement of the symphony, was chosen as the anthem for the unification of Europe through music.
The best part of Beethoven’s opus, which consists of around 200 compositions, is his instrumental music: symphonies, piano and violin sonatas, and chamber music, particularly for string quartets; the majestic Missa solemnis and the opera Fidelio stand out among his vocal works. Many are familiar with his piano compositions Für Elise and Moonlight Sonata, while the impressive opening motif of Symphony No. 5 (Fate Symphony) is one of the most well-known motifs of classical music in general. Judging by the influence he had on subsequent development of music and the enduring popularity of his compositions among a wide audience, it can be said that Beethoven is the most respected composer in the history of music.
Nada Bezić, PhD
Musicologist
