BEETHOVEN, LrDwm VAN, the unrivaled composer, whose works have made a new epoch in the development of music, was born at Bonn, Dec. 17, 1770, and died in Vienna, Mar. 26, 1827. His father, a tenor-singer in the elector's chapel at Bonn, began to cultivate the genius of his son when only five years of age. He next placed him under the court-organist, Van Eden, and shortly after under the composer Neefe. In his eighth year lie created astonishment by his _performance on the violin; when only 11. he played the music in Bach's Wo hltempennes Klarier ; and in his 13th year be published, at 3Ianheim, a volume of variations on a march, songs, and sonatas. In 1792 he was sent to Vienna by his patron, the elector of Cologne, to enjoy the instructions of Haden, who first made him acquainted with the works of Handel. he also studied composition under Albrechtsberger. There he soon attracted notice by his extraordinary ability as an extempore player of fantasias, and also by some compositions, which, however, did not escape the censure of critics. He became so much attached to Vienna, that, after his patron's death in 1801, hti deterinined to renfain, and declined an invitation to England. In 1809, when another offer tempted him to leave Vienna, several friends of music, with the archduke Rudolf at their head, raised a subscription to provide for the composer a pension sufficient to retain him. At Vienna, therefore, he stayed during the remainder of his life, secluded from the world, of which be knew as little as it knew of him; and in later years, still more isolated from society by a defect of hearing, which gradually became confirmed into entire deafness. In this sad inviolable solitude, he produced his new symphonies, his sublime overtures, his quintets and quartets, so full of profound conceptions and mysterious revelations of the highest harmonies, and his pianoforte sonatas, which express, sometimes, a peculiar train of feelings, at other times appear to represent his own recluse character. Shut out in a large measure from the ordinary pleasures of life, ignorant of the sweetness of married life, and able to enjoy only in a slender measure social intercourse, he retired for compensation into the world of his own imagination, and brought forth from its deep resources those treasures of harmony which, though at first received with a shy astonishment rather than a cordial admiration, are now ranked among the works of art which cannot die. These new forms and original creations, which display B.'s majestic powers in music, were only gradually developed; in his early productions, he submitted to established forms of composition.
The works of B. may be divided into three classes, or may be assigned to three distinct periods of his intellectual development. All the works of his first period, though important, show the influence of his teacher lladyn, or of his more highly esteemed model, Mozart. This period of composition may be said to extend to his 16th orchestral work, including, besides several pianoforte sonatas, trios for pianoforte and for stringed instruments. All these early works display the highest cultivation of the forms and principles of art previously established in the Viennese school of music.— The second period of B.'s artistic life, in which his genius was completely self-reliant, extends from the 16th to the 80th work. This was certainly the most productive and bril liant part of his career. To it belong his greatest creations, his magnificent and powerful orchestral overtures, etc.—all of which display the highest quali ties of imaginative composition. Besides the great orchestral works, it includes many sonatas for pianoforte. and various compositions of chamber-music—septets, quintets, quartets, trios, serenades, etc. In dramatic composition, B. produced only one opera, but this was Fidelio, the first truly German musical work of a dramatic character. This was the result of great study, and, as it is now given, is the reconstruction of an earlier composition. Other dramatic pieces are—the overture, interludes, and melodra matic music in Goethe's Egmont, and the instrumental music and choruses in the Ruins of Athens.—In the third and last period of B.'s career we find those two gigantic works, the Missa Solemnis in D Minor, and the ninth symphony (1) minor) with chorus. These works transcend all common laws and forms, and belong to the highest sphere of art. Their deep mysteries can he apprehended only by those who have deep emotions and profound technical knowledge of music. Other works of this last class approach those just mentioned, though they do not reach the same elevation. But all are alike in passing far beyond the ordinary traditional forms of art. All are pervaded by an impulse as of inspiration. Among these works may be mentioned, the great quartets for bow-instni meats (mostly published after the.death of B.), the grand overtures—works 115 and 124 —and several sonatas for pianoforte, especially that in Bp major.
The life of B. has been written by Schlosser, Schindler, Moscheles, Marx, NohI, Thayer (1866-71). See also Nettobohm, Skizzentmeh B.'s.