Ludwig Van Beethoven As One Of The Greatest Composers

German composer and pianist born in 1770, Ludwig Van Beethoven, is widely regarded as the greatest composer in the history of western music and some might even claim, who ever lived. While others have contributed to his successes, including the musical genius, Amadeus Mozart, his creative enhancement and experimental personal expression, helped influence the Romantic composers who succeeded him and dubbed him as best. His skills and compositions widened the classical scope of the sonata, symphony, concerto, and quartet, though, as a piano player, his incredible piano sonatas (which were 32 in number) are that which I have found to be most admirable and the reason for which I have chosen him to epitomize. Despite his progressive deafness, he managed to compose some of his greatest and most impressive works during the final 10 years of his lifetime, when his hearing had been nearly depleted. To do this, he would place one end of a stick on the sounding board of a piano, and the other between his teeth. In this way, he transported the sound to a place where his nerves could pick it up and decipher the vibrations into sounds; how ingenious. Being a highly determined and persistent person with deep passions, I truly admire this pursuit and creation of art in the form of music, regardless of the adversity and unfavorable circumstances he faced. Some of his most notable as well as my personal favorites of his works include Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op 125 (choral) otherwise known as 'Ode to Joy,' Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op 67, Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp, Op. 27, No. 2: Sonata quasi Uno fantasia, otherwise known as 'Moonlight Sonata,' Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor, otherwise known as Für Elise,' 'Eroica,' to name shortly, Coloring Overture, Op. 62, Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, also known as the Emperor Concerto, 'The Tempest-'Allegretto (to keep this one short in its name as well), and lastly, his String quartet No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op 131. While there are also several others worthy of recognition and inclusion, these are just a handful of my favorite works, some of which I will further elaborate upon as exemplary material to justify his stupendous talent and greatness in comparison to other classical composers.

Moving to Vienna in 1792 undoubtedly kickstarted Beethoven's career, popularizing his music, as the city was the staple of culture and an ideal musical attraction spot. Wealthy people, royal families, and court members gathered here to hear new music and even hired musicians they especially admired, for their personal enjoyment. Beethoven's impressive piano playing ability and ambitious, captivating symphonies, as well as his fierce and rebellious individualism and determination in an age when patronage remained the socially acceptable norm, widely contributed to this success. With the utilization and embrace of the complete, expanded range of the piano in his sonatas and concertos, his attraction, appeal, and following blossomed. While rooted in the classical era aesthetic of clear form, function, and structure, (Mozart being one of his strongest influences in this manner, which will be further examined later,) the pinnacle of his music lies in this expanded orchestration and range, contrast, intensity, uniqueness, song-length, and emotional depth elicited. Each one of these components is a reason that I admire his work so adamantly. Through his composition, the best of both classical and Baroque eras are elevated to new dynamic, instrumental, and emotional extremes that shaped the coming 19th-century Romantic era, naming him the best composer of the classical era. To compare him to other composers is necessary to come to this conclusion.

One composer most easily comparable to Beethoven is one of his very own inspirations, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, from whom he learned a great deal. With Mozart's music, there seems to be almost a jewel-like perfection. Each note is placed so intricately and perfectly, that if anyone note was changed, it would sound off. This balance, symmetry, and fulfilled expectation is incredibly attractive and attention-demanding but not so much in the same way as Beethoven attempts to capture his listener's attention. While Mozart's music personifies an oceanic nature, Beethoven's is volcanic, initially calm but able to suddenly erupt into a beautifully fiery melody. He resembles Mozart in the respect that he sets you up for the same expectation of perfection and balance, yet takes his music just one step further, surprising you with an unexpected but delightful journey through the parts of the sonata. For example, one technique he utilizes, called the Subado Piano Technique, is the building, developing, a crescendo of a moment, only to have you suddenly experience a soft, cloud-like, and airy tone. The composition of Mozart came straight from Heaven, whereas Beethoven only seeks for his music to briefly touch Heaven. You can hear this in the beginning (exposition) of the Opus 14 No. 2 of the G-Major sonata. Even during the later development of the melody, you hear notes you would have never expected to hear after hearing the exposition, making the recapitulation all the sweeter and relieving to the ear. Moods arise, then float away, in an ungraspable nature. Some would say if Mozart represents classical music, Beethoven would be the epitome of heavy classical music- like unto metal versus heavy metal. If Mozart is a walk through a perfectly arranged and groomed garden, Beethoven is a stroll through an imperfect and dense forest. The light, weightlessness of Mozart is wonderful. However, it cannot compare to the depth and gravity of Beethoven. In music, emotions are of utmost importance and when you can truly feel the expression of their tendency to be messy and all over the place, the talent that is unleashed is unsurpassed. Mere perfection in music is satisfying to hear but on its own, lacks the emotional tie that lies in the relatability to the imperfection and unexpected nature of life. Playfulness, naive optimism, sweetness, and overall happiness make up the series of Mozart's sonata parts, where Beethoven's is peace encountering tension, then struggle, and final triumph.

While many composers have mastered instruments such as the piano, organ, and violin and have created breathtaking, challenging, and well-known sonatas, quartets, symphonies, and concertos, none have quite reached the level of perfect contrast, brilliance, and divinity that Beethoven has in his work. His skill is unbeatable and unsurpassable even in comparison to other extremely talented composers; so much so, that his music is still widely popular and referenced today. Some of the best genres and songs take the classical compositions of Beethoven (among others) and use them as a baseline for new modern music. For instance, Billy Joel's track, 'This Night,' from his fifth album, An Innocent Man, uses the melody and harmony of the second movement to Beethoven's Sonata 'Pathétique' (or, Piano Sonata No. 8) as the basis for the song's chorus. Next, came the best indie-folk sensation by Conor Oberst aka Bright Eyes, who channels (and makes an awful pun of) Beethoven's Ode to Joy with his 'Road to Joy.' Finally, the most recent example is in hip-hop and rap's famous Nas' song, 'I Can,' Beethoven's Für Elise is turned into the background melody for a 'rap smash.' Additionally, several movies also borrow works from Beethoven for their soundtracks because they know the power, perfection, and popularity of these songs. His story and many compositions have been timeless in their beauty and will remain a legacy for generations to come.