Beethoven: The Musical Genius

Listen to Beethoven's Symphony No. 9

Biography

Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. He was born in Bonn in 1770 and died in Vienna in 1827. He is widely considered one of the greatest composers in the history of Western classical music.

Early Life
Born in Bonn in 1770
Youth
Showed musical talent from a young age
Student Years
Studied under Christian Gottlob Neefe
Emigration to Vienna
Moved to Vienna in 1792 to study with Joseph Haydn
Health Problems
Began losing his hearing in his late 20s
Last Symphony
Completed his Ninth Symphony in 1824
Death
Died in Vienna in 1827

Music

Beethoven's compositions include symphonies, concertos, piano sonatas, string quartets, and other chamber music. His most famous works include the Ninth Symphony and the "Moonlight Sonata".

Legacy

Beethoven's influence on music is profound. He bridged the Classical and Romantic eras and inspired countless musicians and composers after him.

Play Beethoven's Doodle Game

Click here to play the game on the Google Doodle website

Beethoven's Compositions ▼

Canon ▼

Abbé Stadler, WoO 178
Alles Gute, alles Schöne!, WoO 179
An Mälzel, WoO 162
Edel sei der Mensch, WoO 185
Ewig dein, WoO 161
Glück zum neuen Jahr, WoO 165
Glück zum neuen Jahr, WoO 176
Hofmann und kein Hofmann, WoO 180
Ich bitt' dich, WoO 172
Im Arm der Liebe ruht sich's wohl, WoO 159

Concerto ▼

3. Klavierkonzert
Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 19
Piano Concerto no. 1 in C major, Op. 15
Piano Concerto no. 4 in G major, Op. 58
Piano Concerto no. 5 in E-flat major 'Emperor', Op. 73
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61

Fantasy ▼

Fantasia for Piano, Op. 77
Fantasia in C minor, Op. 80

Oratorio ▼

Christ in the Mount of Olives, Op. 85

Prelude ▼

2 Preludes, Op. 39
Prelude in F minor, WoO 55

Funeral Music ▼

Elegie auf den Tod eines Pudels, WoO 110

Rondo ▼

2 Rondos, Op. 51

Serenade / Divertimento / Cassation ▼

Trio in E-flat major, Op. 38

Piece ▼

3 Equali, WoO 30
Adagio for Mandolin and Harpsichord, WoO 43b
Allegretto (Gratulations-Menuett) for Orchestra, WoO 3
Cadenzas for Piano Concertos Nos. 1-4
Duos, Trios, Quartette, Quintette, Sextette
Ecossaise for Wind Band, WoO 22
Ecossaise, WoO 23

Sonata ▼

Cello Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 64
Cello Sonata no. 1, Op. 5 no. 1
Cello Sonata no. 2, Op. 5 no. 2
Cello Sonata no. 4 in C major, Op. 102 no. 1
Cello Sonata no. 5 in D major, Op. 102 no. 2
Cello sonata no. 3 in A major, Op. 69
Complete Sonatas for Piano
Flute Sonata in B-flat major, Anh. 4
Horn Sonata, Op. 17
Klaviersonate Nr. 18
Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-flat major, Op. 27 No. 1, "Quasi una fantasia"
Piano Sonata No. 19 in G Minor, Op. 49 No. 1
Piano Sonata No. 20 in G Major, Op. 49 No. 2
Piano Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109
Piano Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10, No. 3
Piano Sonata No.5 in C minor, Op.10
Piano Sonata no. 1 in F minor, Op. 2 no. 1
Piano Sonata no. 10 in G major, Op. 14 no. 2
Piano Sonata no. 11 in B-flat major, Op. 22
Piano Sonata no. 12 in A-flat major, Op. 26
Piano Sonata no. 14 in C-sharp minor 'Moonlight Sonata', Op. 27 no. 2
Piano Sonata no. 15 in D major 'Pastoral', Op. 28
Piano Sonata no. 16 in G major, Op. 31 no. 1
Piano Sonata no. 17 in D minor 'The Tempest', Op. 31 no. 2
Piano Sonata no. 2 in A major, Op. 2 no. 2
Piano Sonata no. 21 in C major 'Waldstein', Op. 53
Piano Sonata no. 22 in F major, Op. 54
Piano Sonata no. 23 in F minor 'Appassionata', Op. 57
Piano Sonata no. 24 in F-sharp major 'A Thérèse', Op. 78
Piano Sonata no. 25 in G major, Op. 79
Piano Sonata no. 26 in E-flat major 'Les adieux', Op. 81a
Piano Sonata no. 27 in E minor , Op. 90
Piano Sonata no. 28 in A major, Op. 101
Piano Sonata no. 29 in B-flat major 'Hammerklavier', Op. 106
Piano Sonata no. 3 in C major, Op. 2 no. 3
Piano Sonata no. 31 in A flat Major, Op. 110
Piano Sonata no. 32 in C minor, Op. 111
Piano Sonata no. 4 in E-flat major, Op. 7
Piano Sonata no. 6 in F major, Op. 10 no. 2
Piano Sonata no. 8 in C minor 'Pathetique', Op. 13
Piano Sonata no. 9 in E major, Op. 14 no. 1
Sonata for Piano four hands in D major, Op. 6
Sonatas for Violin and Piano
Violin Sonata No.2 in A Major, Op.12
Violin Sonata no. 1 in D major, Op. 12
Violin Sonata no. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 12
Violin Sonata no. 6 in A major, Op. 30 no. 1
Violin Sonata no. 9 'Kreutzer', Op. 47
Violin sonata no. 10 in G major, Op. 96
Violin sonata no. 4 in A minor, Op. 23
Violin sonata no. 5 in F major 'Spring', Op. 24
Violin sonata no. 7 in C minor, Op. 30 no. 2
Violin sonata no. 8 in G major, Op. 30 no. 3

Symphony ▼

Sinfonía n.º 7 de Beethoven
Sinfonía núm. 9 en re menor, op. 125
Symphonien für Pianoforte zu vier Händen
Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
Symphony no. 1 in C major, Op. 21
Symphony no. 2 in D Major, Op. 36
Symphony no. 3 in E-flat major 'Eroica', Op. 55
Symphony no. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60
Symphony no. 6 in F major 'Pastoral', Op. 68
Symphony no. 8 in F major, Op. 93

Theatrical / Incidental ▼

Egmont, Op. 84
Germania, WoO 94
The Ruins of Athens, Op. 113
Wellingtons Sieg, Op. 91

Dance ▼

12 Contredanses for Orchestra, WoO 14
12 German Dances, WoO 13
12 German Dances, WoO 8
3 Dances
6 German Dances, WoO 42

Polonaise ▼

Polonaise in C major, Op. 89

Waltz ▼

Adieu to the Piano
Farewell to Piano, Anh. 15

Octet ▼

Wind Octet in E-flat major, Op. 103

Quartet ▼

String Quartet No. 6 in B-Flat Major, Op. 18, No. 6
String Quartet no. 1 in F major, Op. 18 no. 1
String Quartet no. 10 in E-flat major 'The Harp', Op. 74
String Quartet no. 11 in F minor 'Serioso', Op. 95
String Quartet no. 12 in E-flat major, Op. 127
String Quartet no. 13 in B-flat major, Op. 130
String Quartet no. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 131
String Quartet no. 15 in A minor, Op. 132
String Quartet no. 16 in F major, Op. 135
String Quartet no. 2 in G major, Op. 18 no. 2
String Quartet no. 3 in D major, Op. 18, no. 3
String Quartet no. 4 in C minor, Op. 18 no. 4
String Quartet no. 5 in A major, Op. 18 no. 5
String Quartet no. 7 in F major, Op. 59 no. 1
String Quartet no. 8 in E minor, Op. 59 no. 2
String Quartet no. 9 in C major, Op. 59 no. 3
Sämtliche Streichquartette

Quintet ▼

Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 16
Quintette für 2 Violinen, 2 Bratschen und Violoncell
String Quintet in C major, Op. 29

Sextet ▼

Sextet in E-flat major, Op. 81b
Wind Sextet in E-flat major, Op. 71

Trio ▼

3 String Trios, Op. 9
Allegretto for Piano Trio, WoO 39
Piano Trio in B-flat major 'Archduke', Op. 97
Piano Trio in B-flat major, Op. 11
Piano Trio in D major, Op. 70 no. 1
Piano Trio in E-flat major, Op. 1 no. 1
Piano Trio in E-flat major, Op. 70 no. 2
Piano Trio in G major, Op. 1 No. 2
String Trio in E-flat major, Op. 3
Trio for Piano, Flute and Bassoon, WoO 37
Trio in C major, Op. 87
Trios für Pianoforte, Violine und Violoncell
Trios, Quartette und Quintette für Streichinstrumente

Overture ▼

Coriolan Overture, Op. 62
König Stephan, Op. 117
Leonore Overture no. 3, Op. 72b
Ouverturen für Piano und Violine
Overture to Egmont, Op. 84
Sämmtliche Ouverturen
The Consecration of the House, Op. 124
Zur Namensfeier (Nameday) Overture, Op. 115

Opera / Operetta ▼

Ah! Perfido, Op. 65
Fidelio, Op. 72

Nocturne ▼

Notturno in D major, Op. 42

Minuet ▼

6 Minuets, WoO 10

Piano piece ▼

6 Ecossaises for Piano, WoO 83
Allegretto quasi Andante, WoO 61a
Allegretto, WoO 53
Allegretto, WoO 61
Allemande, WoO 81
Andante favori, WoO 57
Andenken, WoO 136
Ecossaise, WoO 86
Sämmtliche Compositionen

Cantata ▼

Cantata on the Accession of Emperor Leopold II, WoO 88
Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph II, WoO 87
Der glorreiche Augenblick, Op. 136

Song Cycle ▼

12 Irish Songs, WoO 154
20 Irish Songs, WoO 153
25 Irish Songs, WoO 152
25 Schottische Lieder, Op. 108
3 Gesänge, Op. 83
6 Gesänge, Op. 75
Abendlied unter'm gestirnten Himmel, WoO 150
Abschiedsgesang an Wiens Bürger, WoO 121
Abschiedsgesang, WoO 102
Adelaide, Op. 46
Als die Geliebte sich trennen wollte, WoO 132
An Minna, WoO 115
An die Geliebte, WoO 140
An die Hoffnung, Op. 32
An die Hoffnung, Op. 94
An die ferne Geliebte, Op. 98
An einen Säugling, WoO 108
Das Geheimnis, WoO 145
Das Glück der Freundschaft, Op. 88
Der Bardengeist, WoO 142
Der Gesang der Nachtigall, WoO 141
Der Jüngling in der Fremde, WoO 138
Der freie Mann, WoO 117
Ein Selbstgespräch, WoO 114
Elegischer Gesang, Op. 118
Es ist vollbracht, WoO 97
Gedenke mein!, WoO 130
Gesang der Mönche, WoO 104
Ich liebe dich, WoO 123
In questa tomba oscura, WoO 133

Sacred / Mass ▼

Hymne an die Nacht
Mass in C major, Op. 86
Missa solemnis, Op. 123

Song ▼

Bundeslied, Op. 122
Mélodie
Ode to joy

Duet ▼

3 Duets for Clarinet and Bassoon, WoO 27
Duet mit zwei obligaten Augengläsern, WoO 32
Duo for 2 Flutes, WoO 26
Klassische Sinfonien und Kammermusik für Piano und Violine

Aria / Arietta ▼

2 Arias, WoO 91
4 Arietten und ein Duett, Op. 82

March ▼

Anhang 13 Trauermarsch Nr. 1
March for Military Band, WoO 24

Bagatelle ▼

6 Bagatelles, Op. 126
7 Bagatelles, Op. 33
Bagatelas, Op. 119
Bagatelle in B-flat major, WoO 60
Bagatelle in C major, WoO 56
Bagatelle in C minor, WoO 52
Bagatelle in C minor, WoO 54
Bagatelle in F minor
Op. 126 Six Bagatelles
Per Elisa

Theme and Variations ▼

10 Variations on 'La stessa, la stessissima' by Salieri, WoO 73
32 Variations in C minor, WoO 80
6 National Airs with Variations, Op. 105
6 Variations in F major, Op. 34
7 Variations on 'Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen', WoO 46
Diabelli Variations, Op. 120
Variations and Fugue in E-flat major 'Eroica', Op. 35
Variations on 'Nel cor piu non mi sento', WoO 70
Variations on a theme from The Magic Flute, Op. 66

Sonatina ▼

2 sonatinas for piano, Anh. 5

Romance ▼

Romance in F major, Op. 50

Fugue ▼

15 Fugues
Fugue for Organ, WoO 31
Fugue in D major, Op. 137
Grand Fugue, Op. 133

Ballet ▼

The Creatures of Prometheus, Op. 43

Chorale ▼

Ihr weisen Gründer, WoO 95