The Evolution Of Beethoven's Music

Selected Pieces from the Early (Imitation) Period

Symphony No.1 in C, Op.21 (c.1787)

As one of, if not the greatest composer of symphonies, it could be expected that this work be full of surprises  and novelty, when in fact it is a very conservative piece; ironic considering Beethoven's reputation as the composer who did not conform. There are clear parallel's to Mozart and Haydn's music in terms of following sonata form, but there are some original Beethoven-esque moments, such as the opening to the first movement where he plays with the keys of F and G major instead of clearly establishing the tonic key of C, and his more prominent and independent use of wind instruments.

My Thoughts

This piece does sound very 'classical', especially, in my opinion, the slow second movement where if I didn't know better could be mistaken for Mozart's work! Although I'm not fully aware of all the musical devices Beethoven used in this piece, in a lot of places it sounds like Beethoven, and I can see the link to his later symphonies. Overall, the piece is certainly not as 'stormy' as his later works and I think this contributes to its classically-influenced sound.


String Quartet No.1 in F, Op.18 No.1 (revised version) (c.1799)

This quartet (along with the other five in Op.18) was published around the same time as his first symphony. The Op.18 quartets are often considered Beethoven's closet 'imitation' of Haydn and Mozart before he shook up the genre with his next set, the Op.59. One of the primary characteristics of the 'first Viennese school' (Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven) was the use of a motif, a short recurring figure that is developed to create drama and tension whilst providing a unique identifier for the music. The second movement, with its emotional intensity, shows Beethoven's independence showing through with a sharp departure from Haydn's style. (Mozart however produced examples of chamber music with similar traits).

My Thoughts

In several ways this quartet raises many of the same points to me that the first symphony did. It shows a firm basis in the genre conceived by Haydn and perfected by Mozart, but Beethoven even at this early stage was pushing boundaries and giving more emotional emphasis.


Selected Pieces from the Middle (Externalization) Period

Symphony No.3 in Eb, Op.55 "Eroica" (1803)

Beethoven's Eroica symphony shattered the ground rules of symphonic writing, exhibiting defining features of the romantic style, and is often cited as the beginning of Beethoven's second period, and of the romantic period in music. At the time it was unprecedented in length, twice as long as the Haydn and Mozart symphonies that had come before. Its aim was more than entertainment and mere aesthetic, with deep emotional connotations. This work marked the beginning of a period where Beethoven expressed a desire to pursue a new musical path, and resulted in his turning tradition upside-down; one such example is his evolution of standard sonata form with multiple transitional sections, and the development section introducing a new theme as well as developing existing material.

My Thoughts

This piece is bigger and bolder than the first symphony I looked at previously. It's 'heroic' title is apt, as by listening to the music, especially in the first movement, you can hear an epic battle taking place between what was expected and unexpected at the time. Non-harmony notes such as the C sharp which disrupts the main theme at the beginning of the work, and displaced accents causing rhythmic syncopation all serve to surprise the listener and give the feeling of musical push and pull. What is very clear is Beethoven's portrayal of the human condition, and his strides to convey a plethora of emotions.


Piano Sonata No.14 in C# Minor, Op.27 No.2 "Moonlight" (1801)

Both pieces in Op.27 were titled by Beethoven as 'sonata quasi una fantasia', meaning a sonata in the style of a fantasy; a fantasy being a work composed free of any particular form. The 'Moonlight' title was given by music critic Ludwig Rellstab and has remained in the public consciousness since. As Beethoven's title might suggest, this piece doesn't follow strict sonata form with regards to the movement arrangement, instead he opts to put the most important movement last, with the opening movement serving a more introductory than statory purpose. Beethoven's chosen key for the sonata was also highly unusual; Mozart didn't write a single work in this key, and Haydn wrote only one. Pianist and writer Charles Rosen, of the final movement, remarked that "it is the most unbridled in its representation of emotion. Even today, two hundred years later, its ferocity is astonishing."

My Thoughts

I perceive this sonata as portraying a whole range of emotions, with the first movement which feels funeral-march-esque as much as it does dreamy and lyrical, and the last movement which is an unrelenting assault on the keyboard which really feels like the 'main act.' The middle movement I find a complete contrast to the outer two, being of a much more jovial character, and seemingly at odds with them. It feels like Beethoven was giving the listener a false sense of security before barraging them with the tempestuous finale.


Selected Pieces from the Late (Reflection) Period

Symphony No.9 in D Minor, Op.125 "Choral" (1824)

This was hugely influential to major composers that followed, notably Schubert, Brahms and Mahler. Beethoven broke almost every classical-era convention with this symphony, ignoring the limits of rhythm, harmony and structure. The symphony is over an hour long, very lengthy by the standards of the time and pushes all performers to their limits. This work innovated by being the first by a major composer to use voices in a symphony - since his early twenties Beethoven had wanted to set the words of Friedrich Schiller's poem 'Ode an die Freude' (ode to joy) to music.

My Thoughts

This is the third Beethoven symphony I have looked at for this exercise, and each one just got more experimental, more bold and of greater scope than the last. This symphony is a very complex and large scale work, with the final choral movement being like a complete work in its own right. Some musicologists have remarked that this final movement is like a 'compressed symphony', with its own internal sequence of movements. This whole symphony feels firmly grounded in the romantic era, written for maximum emotional impact.


String Quartet No.14 in C# Minor, Op.131 (1826)

Beethoven breaks convention again in this work, with avante-garde techniques such as the finale movement directly quoting the theme of the first; It is considered one of Beethoven's most integrated works. The seven movements are played continuously without a break, creating a single, giant structure. The late string quartets were Beethoven's final compositions, and as such are very personal and introspective.

My Thoughts 

It is clear to see, after the gargantuan ninth symphony, the inward looking focus presented here. This work, rather than expanding on the scope of the symphony instead draws into itself but still manages a surprising amount of innovation, especially when compared to the first string quartet looked at earlier, where he kept very close to Haydn and Mozart's influence.


Conclusion

This has been a brief but very enlightening look at the development of Beethoven's music over his early, middle and late periods. Beethoven not only operated between eras, but his music positively caused a shift in public perception of what music was about. It became less about entertaining 'tunes', and more about outpourings of emotion and passion which influenced the next wave of great composers.