Ludvig van Beethoven

Question 1

dates

Answer 1

1770-1827

Question 2

born in

Answer 2

Bonn, Germany to a musical family

Question 3

grandfather was ________

Answer 3

kapellmeister at electoral court, source of inspiration for beethoven

Question 4

father was_____

Answer 4

a singer and instrumentalist at the electoral court, he was a harsh, severe parent who became an alcoholic

Question 5

teachers

Answer 5

received early musical training from Johann, later studied composition and counterpoint with Christian Neefe

Question 6

early career in _____ as _______ and _______

Answer 6

Bonn, organist, violist in court orchestras

Question 7

when did he travel to Vienna to study with Mozart

Answer 7

1787, mothers illness compelled him to return to Bonn after a short time. became head of household after mother’s death, financially responsible for brothers

Question 8

moved to Vienna in

Answer 8

1792, close relations between the courts in Bonn and Vienna helped get established

Question 9

briefly studied with

Answer 9

haydn

Question 10

influential patrons include

Answer 10

Prince Lobkowitz, Prince Lichnowsky, count Rasumovsky

Question 10

influential patrons include

Answer 10

Prince Lobkowitz, Prince Lichnowsky, count Rasumovsky

Question 11

had _____ romantic infatuations

Answer 11

many, remained single

Question 12

began to lose hearing in _____

Answer 12

mid twenties

Question 13

believed in the French motto____

Answer 13

liberte, égalité, fraternite

Question 14

thoughts on Napoleon

Answer 14

admired him then hated him after he declared himself emperor. originally wrote symphony no 3 for him, removed name after.

Question 15

gained custody of nephew Karl after a lengthy legal battle with his __________

Answer 15

sister in law (his brother Kaspar had died in 1815)

Question 16

_______ deaf in later years

Answer 16

totally

Question 17

how did he spend his final years

Answer 17

in total isolation. Devastated by Karl’s suicide attempt, fell gravely ill

Question 18

died

Answer 18

March 26, 1827, pneumonia. highly respected in Vienna, funeral attracted thousands of admirers

Question 19

musical style and contributions

Answer 19

• bold innovator, original and influential
• planned meticulously revised works in sketchbooks
• thematic material often grows out of short, incisive motives
• developed and expanded classical genres, sonata, concerto, symphony, string quartet
• transformed every genre he touched
• innovations include replacing the graceful menuet and trio with the more dramatic scherzo, use of cyclical structure, programmatic elements, inclusion of chorus and soloists in the symphony
• new orchestral instruments: pics, trombone, contrabassoon

Question 20

early period

Answer 20

1782-1802
- abosorbed the classical style traits from Haydn and Mozart

Question 21

middle period

Answer 21

1803-1815
- more romantic elements, such as increased chromaticism, abrupt modulations
- epic, heroic character

Question 22

late period

Answer 22

1815-1827
- style became more abstract and meditative
- counterpoint more frequent
- experimented with form and content

Question 23

genres and titles

Answer 23

symphonies, concertos, orchestral, chamber, piano, vocal