Beethoven - Piano Music

Ludwig van Beethoven

Beethoven pushed the boundaries for what was possible to express on the piano. Compared to polished classicists like Mozart and Haydn, he wears his heart on his sleeve - Beethoven is rough, direct, passionate, and bold. He had more than his fair share of inner turmoil, ill health, and personal troubles. Still, he remained an optimist in the deepest sense of the word - his music can be an emotional roller coaster, but more often than not, it leaves you feeling uplifted.

Top Pieces:

Für Elise

The graceful, meandering simplicity of this slightly melancholy music never loses its charm. The opening phrase is one of the best known motifs in classical music.

Sonata 8 (Pathéthique) in C Minor, Op. 13

In his eighth piano sonata, Beethoven’s bold, revolutionary approach to the piano becomes truly evident.

Sonata 14 (Moonlight) in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2

The soothingly beautiful sadness of Beethoven’s most beloved piano sonata can almost place a listener into a state of hypnosis.

Sonata 23 (Appassionata) in F Minor, Op. 57

Beethoven’s own favorite piano sonata is dominated by a sense of anger and frustration - nothing can prepare you for the first movement’s violent outburst and crashing chords.

Sonatina 6 in G Major, Anh. 5/1

Beethoven’s most popular Sonatina is a lyrical, pleasant, happy work, with two moderately paced movements. A great piece for the early intermediate student who wants to get to know Beethoven’s style.

Biography

Ludwig van Beethoven’s (1770-1827) mother died when he was 16; because of his father's alcoholism he became responsible for his two younger brothers. To stop the family’s money from being spent on drinking, Beethoven even went to his father’s employer to demand half of the salary. At age 22, Beethoven went from his native town Bonn to Vienna to study with Haydn. He established a reputation as a virtuoso improviser at the keyboard and managed to get support from the aristocracy in spite of his uncouth manners; the Archduke Rudolph later decreed that usual court etiquette did not apply to Beethoven.

Beethoven’s first opus, three piano trios, appeared in 1795 and had immediate success. Not long after this Beethoven began to lose his hearing, which not only made it hard for him to perceive music and to perform, but also intensified his antisocial tendencies. He even contemplated suicide but eventually made a resolution to continue living for his art. He then spent the following decade writing some of the most admired works in all music history, many of them expressing struggle and heroism. The first of these, his 3rd symphony Eroica, was originally dedicated to Napoleon – he erased the dedication when Napoleon proclaimed himself emperor. Beethoven became the most respected composer of his time, but his personal difficulties continued, including a series of failed romances. The realisation that he would never marry probably contributed to a period of depression and low productivity from about 1812. That year he wrote a famous love letter to a certain "Immortal Beloved", the identity of whom remains unknown.

When his brother suddenly died, Beethoven became involved in a long struggle for the custody of his nephew Karl. However, towards the end of the 1810s Beethoven’s creative imagination triumphed once again over his troubles. The works of his late period are written in a unique, highly personal musical language where variation form and contrapuntal writing features prominently and large-scale forms are handled with complete freedom. In spite of his deafness, Beethoven managed to perform on a number of occasions; having conducted the premiere of the Ninth Symphony, he began to weep when he turned around and saw the tumultuous applause of the audience. Beethoven died on 26 March 1827, in the midst of a fierce thunderstorm – legend has it that the dying man shook his fists in defiance of the heavens.

Quotes by Beethoven

Quotes about Beethoven

Beethoven Piano Sheet Music

for digital devices or to download & print

Total pieces by Beethoven: 163