BEETHOVEN

BEETHOVEN

Ludwig van Beethoven (Bonn, 16 December 17702 -Vienna, 26 March 1827) was a German composer, conductor and pianist. His musical legacy covers, chronologically, from Classicism to the beginnings of musical Romanticism. He is generally regarded as one of the most important and important composers in the history of music and his legacy has decisively influenced the later evolution of this art.

Beethoven was the last great representative of Viennese classicism (after Christoph Willibald Gluck, Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart), he succeeded in transcending the music of Romanticism, influencing the diversity of musical works of the nineteenth century. His art was expressed in many genres and although the symphonies were the main source of his international popularity, his impact turned out to be mainly significant in his works for piano and chamber music.

His production includes the genres pianístico (thirty-two piano sonatas), camera (including numerous works for instrumental ensembles of between eight and two members), concertante (concerts for violin and triple), sacra (two masses, one Oratory), lieder, incidental music (the opera Fidelio, a ballet, music for theatrical works), and orchestral, in which prevailing place Nine symphonies.
Soon, Beethoven stopped needing concerts and recited them in the courtrooms to survive. The editors disputed their works; In addition, the Austrian aristocracy, perhaps embarrassed by the death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in poverty, assigned him an annual pension. Due to the loss of his hearing abilities, he gave himself to a feverish creative activity, and, at the same time, suffered personal penalties produced by two amorous disappointments. He never married, but he is credited with several romances, especially among ladies of the nobility. Antonie von Birkenstock, married to the German banker Franz Brentano, was one of the great loves of her life.9

Between 1804 and 1807, he was in love with the young and beautiful Countess Josephine Brunswick, widow of Joseph Graf Deym. His love was reciprocated by the countess but this could not be realized due to the rigid social restrictions of the time and the strict separation between the nobility and the common people, so that the relationship ceased. During this period, Beethoven had finished Leonore, his only opera. He composed up to four different overtures and finally changed the name of the opera to Fidelio, against his wishes. 20 of November of 1805 was the date of the first representation, that had little affluence of public, since that same week the troops of Napoleón had entered for the first time in Vienna. In the following years, Beethoven increased his creative activity and composed many works, among them the Fifth Symphony, the Sixth Symphony or Pastoral Symphony, the Coriolan Overture and the piano trifle for Elisa.

His public appearances were increasingly infrequent. On December 22, 1808 Beethoven gave one of his last concerts live, in a long day that included the premiere of the Fantasia for piano, orchestra and choir Op. 80, the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies, the Concerto for Piano # 4 Op. 58, the aria Ah pierced! And three movements of the Mass in D major Op. 86. He had as student to the archduke Johann Joseph Rainer Rudolph, brother of the emperor, and eventually also became its greater benefactor. In 1809, Beethoven was not satisfied with his situation in Vienna, especially under the economic aspect. Then came the invitation of Jerome Bonaparte, to leave Vienna and move to Holland. His old friend Countess Anna Marie Erdödy managed to persuade Beethoven to stay in Vienna with the help of his richest admirers, among them Archduke Rudolf, Prince Lobkowitz and Prince Kinsky, who offered Beethoven a An annual pension of 4000 guilders, which allowed him to live without economic worries. The only condition that was put was not to leave the city of Vienna, condition accepted by the composer. This pension made him the first independent artist and composer of history, since previously musicians and composers (Bach, Haydn and Mozart included) were servants in the houses of the aristocracy, forming part of their domestic staff and composing and interpreting according to Their masters asked them. On the other hand, the conditions of the arrangement to which Beethoven arrived with his benefactors gave the composer the freedom to compose whatever he wanted, whether on demand or not, and when he wished.In 1812, Beethoven moved to Teplice and during his stay wrote the letter to his "Immortal Beloved", which caused a lot of speculation about its recipient although it has never been possible to ascertain exactly. In 1977, the American musicologist Maynard Solomon stated that the letter was addressed to Antonie Brentano, the wife of a merchant from Frankfurt am Main and mother of four children. Due to his ethical sense and his fear of marriage, Beethoven abandoned this relationship, despite the emotional conflicts he caused.10 In July of that year, Bettina von Arnim organized a meeting between the composer and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The Countess later published her correspondence with Goethe, and in one of her letters to Count Hermann von Pückler-Muskau he related a certain event which appeared to have taken place in that spa resort that same summer when Beethoven and Goethe met for the first time. They both walked along the boulevard of the spa, and suddenly the empress Maria Luisa of Austria-Este appeared before them with her family and the court. Goethe, seeing them, stepped aside and took off his hat. The composer, on the other hand, took it even further and continued on his way without slowing down, causing the nobles to step aside to greet. When they were at a distance, he stopped to wait for Goethe and tell him what he thought of his "lackey" behavior.

According to Elisabeth von Arnim, the same Beethoven would have told this anecdote. However, its veracity is much discussed and there is a certain agreement today to consider it, if not at least in good part, Elisabeth's invention. In his letter to von Pückler-Muskau, he asks if he likes history, Kannst du sie brauchen? ("Can you use it?"). Von Arnim, however, decides to use it herself and in 1839 published in the magazine Athenäum a letter, supposedly of Beethoven, in which this one told the anecdote. The original of this letter never appeared, only the copy and some details (like the date) indicate that Beethoven never wrote it, or at least not as it was transcribed. Regardless of its authenticity, the incident charmed the Viennese society, which believed it to be true for a long time.Beethoven spent the last years of his life almost totally isolated by deafness, relating only to some of his friends through the "notebooks" that served as a means of communication. His last great success was the Ninth Symphony, completed in 1823. In the final three years, he devoted himself to composing string quartets and the Missa Solemnis. On April 13 of that year he met Franz Liszt, who was then eleven years old, during a concert by the Hungarian composer and congratulated him for his performance. Years later, Liszt transcribed all the symphonies of Beethoven for piano and was an outstanding interpreter of its work. The premiere of the Ninth Symphony took place on May 7, 1824 and was a resounding success despite the technical difficulties involved in the work. This success did not result in a financial gain and the economic problems continued pressing the composer, who although he had the money that was saving, could not use it since it was destined like inheritance for his nephew.

The health of the master inexorably fell during his stay in the house of his brother in Gneixendorf, despite the care of his family. His brother Nikolaus Johann recalled: "At lunch he ate only eggs that had been washed with water, but then he drank more wine, and so he often suffered from diarrhea, so that his belly was enlarged, and for a long time he was blindfolded." He had edema on his feet and continually complained of thirst, stomach aches, and loss of appetite.15 At that time, the composition of the Tenth Symphony began.

On December 1, 1826, Beethoven and Karl returned to Vienna. The urgency of the decision determined that they lacked adequate transportation and could only get an old wagon discovered. The trip is catastrophic for a person in the state where Beethoven was, who wore summer clothes and was forced to spend the night in a tavern in the village, where the room had no heating or shutters to protect it from the cold. Toward midnight he suffered a feverish chill and began a dry cough accompanied by intense thirst and severe pains in the sides. Being thus, the teacher drank large amounts of icy water that only aggravated its condition. However, he managed to recover from his crisis thanks to the care of Dr. Wawruch and managed to reach the capital. On December 20, abdominal fluids were extracted. Karl remained for the whole month at his side until his incorporation in January to his regiment. The young man had completely reconciled with his uncle after the lamentable episode of suicide: "My dear father, I live satisfied and it only weighs me to see myself separated from you.Almost in misery, despite having a great fortune in financial stocks, he wrote to his friends in London to ask for some money. The answer came immediately, along with a hundred pounds sterling borrowed unconditionally. When the terminal state of Beethoven spread in Vienna, all his former friends who still lived went to his home in the Schwarzspanierhaus to express his wish for a speedy recovery, although in reality his purpose was to bid farewell to the aging composer.

Despite the care of his doctor and the affection of his friends, the musician's battered health, who had suffered liver problems throughout his life, worsened. Franz Schubert was accompanied by Franz Schubert, who did not dare to visit the master, but a friend of the two showed the dying man the scores of his lieders, which Beethoven had the opportunity to admire and is credited with the phrase: "It is true That in this Schubert there is a divine spark, "recalling Mozart's comment about him and making the compliment that he did not do to any other musician.18 On March 20 he writes:" I am sure that I will leave very soon. " And on the 23rd, in the death throes of the dying, some sources indicate that he exclaimed: "Aplaudid amigos, comedia finita est" ("The comedy is over"), a typical end of the comedy of art, although in 1860 Anselm Hüttenbrenner denied Beethoven would have uttered such words. That same afternoon he took the pen to designate his nephew Karl legatee of all his goods.

CLARA VALLEJO 2AB