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Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 1770 – 26 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire and span the transition from the Classical period to the Romantic era in classical music. His career has conventionally been divided into early, middle, and late periods. His early period, during which he forged his craft, is typically considered to have lasted until 1802. From 1802 to around 1812, his middle period showed an individual development from the styles of Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and is sometimes characterized as heroic. During this time, he began to grow increasingly deaf. In his late period, from 1812 to 1827, he extended his innovations in musical form and expression.

Beethoven was born in Bonn. His musical talent was obvious at an early age. He was initially harshly and intensively taught by his father, Johann van Beethoven. Beethoven was later taught by the composer and conductor Christian Gottlob Neefe, under whose tutelage he published his first work, a set of keyboard variations, in 1783. He found relief from a dysfunctional home life with the family of Helene von Breuning, whose children he loved, befriended, and taught piano. At age 21, he moved to Vienna, which subsequently became his base, and studied composition with Haydn. Beethoven then gained a reputation as a virtuoso pianist, and was soon patronized by Karl Alois, Prince Lichnowsky for compositions, which resulted in his three Opus 1 piano trios (the earliest works to which he accorded an opus number) in 1795.

His first major orchestral work, the First Symphony, premiered in 1800, and his first set of string quartets was published in 1801. Despite his hearing deteriorating during this period, he continued to conduct, premiering his Third and Fifth Symphonies in 1804 and 1808, respectively. His Violin Concerto appeared in 1806. His last piano concerto (No. 5, Op. 73, known as the Emperor), dedicated to his frequent patron Archduke Rudolf of Austria, premiered in 1811, without Beethoven as soloist. He was almost completely deaf by 1814, and he then gave up performing and appearing in public. He described his problems with health and his unfulfilled personal life in two letters, his Heiligenstadt Testament (1802) to his brothers and his unsent love letter to an unknown "Immortal Beloved" (1812).

After 1810, increasingly less socially involved, Beethoven composed many of his most admired works, including later symphonies, mature chamber music and the late piano sonatas. His only opera, Fidelio, first performed in 1805, was revised to its final version in 1814. He composed Missa solemnis between 1819 and 1823 and his final Symphony, No. 9, one of the first examples of a choral symphony, between 1822 and 1824. Written in his last years, his late string quartets, including the Grosse Fuge, of 1825–1826 are among his final achievements. After some months of bedridden illness, he died in 1827.

Birth and Death Data: Born December 16, 1770 (Bonn), Died March 26, 1827 (Vienna)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1902 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 1002 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor [Pre-matrix D-]2010 14-in. 1903 Egmont overture Victor Symphony Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor B-1868 10-in. 11/1/1904 Die Ehres Gottes aus der Natur Dr. Jul Hoffman Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Victor C-3419 12-in. 5/28/1906 Egmont overture Victor Concert Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor C-4252 12-in. 2/13/1907 Egmont overture Victor Symphony Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor C-6019 12-in. 3/6/1908 In questa tomba oscura Emma Calvé Soprano vocal solo, with piano composer  
Victor C-6375 12-in. 8/31/1908 Adelaide Evan Williams Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-7002 10-in. 4/16/1909 German melodies : The tear ; Worship of God Victor Brass Quartet Brass quartet composer  
Victor B-8802 10-in. 4/6/1910 Minuet in G, no. 2 Mischa Elman Violin solo, with piano composer  
Victor C-8870 12-in. 4/20/1910 Leonore overture, no. 3 Arthur Pryor's Band Band composer  
Victor B-9837 10-in. 1/23/1911 Ha! Welch ein Augenblick Otto Goritz Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-10205 12-in. 4/7/1911 Moonlight sonata : First movement Vessella's Italian Band Band composer  
Victor B-10979 10-in. 9/18/1911 In questa tomba oscura Herbert Witherspoon Bass vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-11056 12-in. 10/4/1911 Die ehre Gottes aus der Natur Albert G. Janpolski Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-11633 10-in. 2/28/1912 Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur Arthur Van Eweyk Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Victor B-11641 10-in. 2/28/1912 Unglückliche Liebe Arthur Van Eweyk Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Victor C-11788 12-in. 3/25/1912 Arie der Lenore Margarete Matzenauer Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-11789 10-in. 3/25/1912 Arie der Lenore Margarete Matzenauer Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-12451 12-in. 10/2/1912 Adagio from 5th concerto, op. 73 Frank La Forge Piano solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-12561 10-in. 11/4/1912 Ich liebe dich Frances Alda ; Victor Orchestra Soprano vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor C-12600 12-in. 11/8/1912 Adagio from Fourth symphony Vessella's Italian Band Band composer  
Victor C-12610 12-in. 11/13/1912 Leonore overture, no. 3 Victor Concert Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor C-12611 12-in. 11/13/1912 Leonore overture, no. 3 Victor Concert Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor C-12612 12-in. 11/13/1912 Leonore overture, no. 3 Victor Concert Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor C-12726 12-in. 12/17/1912 Andante from Beethoven's 5th symphony Victor Concert Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor B-13194 10-in. 4/24/1913 Sonatine (for mandolin) William Place, Jr. Mandolin solo, with piano composer  
(Results 1-25 of 1002 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Beethoven, Ludwig van," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102527.

Beethoven, Ludwig van. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102527.

"Beethoven, Ludwig van." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/102527

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