On the cover: Could you identify the mystery instruments on the cover?
 

Ludwig van Beethoven
Born in 1770 - Died in 1827

Beethoven was one of the most important composers of all time. He was a genius and helped change music from the styles of the Classical period to the new ideas of the Romantic period.

Listen to some of the links below and see how Beethoven's music changed from his early style to his later masterpieces.

For Older Students:
Beethoven's Letters
During Beethoven's time there was no telephone or email, so writing letters was the main form of communication. Beethoven himself wrote volumes of letters to his employers, friends, and family. They are a wonderful window into his personality, style, and events in his life.

Some of the letters survived and were collected in a book. Here are links to two volumes of his letters published online as an ebook:

http://www.all-about-beethoven.com/resources/beethoven_letters_1.pdf
http://www.all-about-beethoven.com/resources/beethoven_letters_2.pdf

Listen to some of Beethoven's music:

Early Period:
Piano Sonata in C major, Op. 2, No. 3, Allegro con brio played by Alfred Brendel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnDWHhZXfCw
Symphony No. 1
A performance on authentic instruments:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2qr3iYFIi4

Middle Period:
Sonata in C Minor (Pathetique) First movement played by Daniel Barenboim:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeL8oZAkDBA
Symphony No. 3 (first movement):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObYgpSQv2hI

Late Period:
Sonata Op. 109, first movement played by Claudio Arrau:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiycDv0uu-s
Symphony No. 9, Performance of the fourth movement (Ode to Joy) with famous pianist Ashkenazy conducting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtU8dm08XCE

Others that you shouldn't miss!
Fur Elise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQTTFUtMSvQ

Moonlight Sonata: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--1IIe1CGKo
or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4b-PHPuwiM

Symphony No. 5, first movement: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHAaVVytQF0

Symphony No. 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GWMApWKQIY

Minuet in G major  (orchestral version): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSXRJwspGU0

Instrument of the Month: Trombone
   Name three other members of the brass family.
                        Answer

   The trombone is an instrument that is found in many types of music from orchestras to marching bands. You can easily identify it by its long slide that the player moves in and out of the instrument. The slide can also make a cool sliding sound in music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnJ36KyxELk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPYYIm1QrR4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_Z4Gg8TRWE

Sonatas
If you are playing a sonata or a sonatina, see if you can point out the three sections.

1. Can you find the two main themes in the exposition?
2. What key does the exposition start in? What key do you see at the end of the first section of music?
3. How long is the development? (How many measures?)
4. Which passages from the exposition are reworked in the development?
5. Can you find the two main themes return in the recapitulation?

Beethoven's Sonatas are an important part of piano literature, just like Bach's Well Tempered Clavier.  There are many great recordings of Beethoven's piano sonatas. Here are a few worth listening to. Ask your teacher for more suggestions:

Barenboim on Beethoven - The Complete Piano Sonatas Live from Berlin (2007, DVD), EMI Classics
Alfred Brendel, Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas [Box Set], Phillips
Vladimir Ashkenazy, Beethoven: Favourite Piano Sonatas, Decca
Emil Gilels, Beethoven: Sonatas - Pathetique & Moonlight, Deutsche Grammophon
Emilk Gilels, Beethoven: Sonatas - Waldstein, Les Adieux, Appassionata, Deutsche Grammophon
Claudio Arrau, Beethoven: Late Piano Sonatas, Philips