Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 is one of the most important piano works from the composer. It was completed in his middle period in 1804 and in many ways surpasses his previous piano sonatas. The name Waldstein comes from its dedication to his friend and patron, Count Waldstein. Sometimes this sonata is also called as …
Symphony No. 5 in C minor of Ludwig van Beethoven, Op. 67, was composed over many years, between 1804 and 1808. He had the habit of working on more project simultaneously and often put them on halt for longer periods. The first performance of the Symphony was in Vienna’s Theater an der Wien, 1808. The instrumentation of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony …
Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31, No. 2 (composed in 1802) is often called The Tempest or Der Sturm in German. The name, and the legend, comes from Anton Schindler, who for a period was the secretary of Beethoven. According to his recollection, when asked how to interpret this piano sonata, Beethoven replied, “Read [Shakespeare’s] The …
Beethoven composed his piano trios with the same dedication as he did his string quartets. Many consider them equal to the string masterpieces. This article will summarize the most important aspects of these works. Piano trio is group music, a form of chamber music, with piano and two other instruments, most often violin and cello. Piano trios are usually written …
Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 is commonly known as Sonata Pathétique. He composed this sonata at the age of 27, still in his first, classical period. It was written in 1798, published the following year. The Pathétique piano sonata made an immediate sensation all over Europe. Today, the word Pathétique (pathetic in English) …
Beethoven’s Violin Concerto Op.61 is a central work of violin literature and his only violin concerto. It was composed in his most creative and productive period of his life, in the first decade of 1800s. Even this concerto is understood to be written in just a few weeks time. The piece was commissioned by his violinist friend Franz Clement, director …