12 Tremendous Composers 12 Composers    

Lesson 13: Symphony no. 9 in D minor, Op. 125

by Ludwig van Beethoven

Performer: European Archive

Directions

Study the musical selection for one week.

Over the week:

• Listen to the music daily.
• Read the synopsis.
• Review the vocabulary terms.
• Read about the composer.
• Complete the enrichment activities.
• Study the review questions.

Synopsis

The next tremendous composer for study is Ludwig van Beethoven, and the title of his story is 'The Story of a Little Boy Who Was Forced to Practice' by Thomas Tapper. 'Symphony no. 9 in D minor, Op. 125' was Beethoven's final completed composition, written between 1822 and 1824 and premiered in Vienna, Austria. According to [2], even in the modern world, it ranks as one of the most commonly performed symphonies. Beethoven's success as a composer is especially remarkable given he had lost most of his hearing at the time he composed this work. This work contains four movements: 1) Allegro Ma Non Troppo, un Poco Maestoso, 2) Scherzo: Molto Vivace - Presto, 3) Adagio Molto e Cantabile, 4) Presto - Allegro Assai. The fourth movement includes lyrics derived from Friedrich Schiller's poem, 'Ode to Joy.' As you listen to the four movements, do you feel they were aptly named?

Vocabulary

Allegro Ma Non Troppo, un Poco Maestoso: Play in a quick, lively tempo, but not too much so and with majesty.
Scherzo: Molto Vivace - Presto: Play playfully, very lively, and quickly.
Adagio Molto e Cantabile: Play slowly and gracefully with a smooth singing style.
Presto - Allegro Assai: Play at a very fast tempo.

Composer

1. Famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven was born on December 16, 1770 in the town of Bonn, Germany, along the River Rhine. See a picture of Castle Drachenburg on the Rhine River in the city of Königswinter near Bonn, Germany.

2. Do you sometimes wonder what the great composer Beethoven looked like? Here is a sculpture of Beethoven.

3. The house in which Beethoven spent his boyhood is still standing. We see in the picture what a pretty place the house must have been. It is now the Beethoven House, or Museum, filled with mementos of the great composer. There you may see music pages written by him, letters, medals, instruments; even his ear trumpet is there.

4. Beethoven's father was a singer at the Chapel of the Elector. He was not a good father, for he did not care to work even enough to make his family comfortable. But the mother loved her boy with all her heart, as we shall see. Here are Beethoven's parents.

5. Ludwig was only four years old when he began to study music. Like children of today he shed many a tear over the first lessons. In the beginning, his father taught him piano and violin and forced him to practice. At school he learned, just as we do today, reading, writing, arithmetic, and later on, Latin.

6. Never again after thirteen did Ludwig go to school, for he had to work and earn his living. Do you wonder what kind of a boy he was? We are told that he was shy and quiet. He talked little and took no interest in the games that his boy and girl companions played.
7. While Ludwig was in school, he played at a concert for the first time. He was then eight years old. Two years later he had composed quite a number of pieces. One of these was printed. It was called Variations on Dressler's March. On the title page of this piece, it said:—

8. Then little Ludwig studied with a teacher named Christian Gottlob Neefe, who took real interest in him. Neefe did not, as was said of Beethoven's father, punish the little boy severely to keep him at his practice, hour after hour. Often when Neefe had to travel Ludwig took his teacher's place as organist at the Court. Then with the organ lessons there were other lessons in Harmony.
9. So rapidly did Beethoven improve that his teacher said one day: 'If he goes on as he has begun, he will someday be a second Mozart.'
10. Our young hero Ludwig at thirteen was surely busy every hour of the day. He played in an orchestra, as accompanist. He gave lessons, played the organ in church, studied the violin, and kept up his work in composition. He always kept a notebook for musical ideas.
11. Most every child in these days has more and better opportunities than had the great Beethoven when he was a child. Here is a picture of the funny old organ in the Minorite Church of Bonn upon which Beethoven played when he was a little boy.

12. Look at the funny stops at the top and compare it with the elaborate pipes of the Gottfried Silbermann organ at Freiberg Cathedral. Beethoven's organ was little better than a toy beside our fine organs of today. Yet, it was the best that Beethoven had to practice upon.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Recite the Composition Information

• Recite the name of the composer and the composition.

Activity 2: Study the Music Timeline

Examine the music timeline to answer the following questions.

• What is the year of birth of the lesson composer?
• What is the year of death of the featured composer?
• How old was the composer upon death?
• Which composer (if any) directly precedes the studied composer by date of birth?
• Which composer (if any) directly succeeds the lesson composer by date of birth?
• Which other timeline composers were alive at the same time as the studied composer?

Activity 3: Map the Music

• Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany.
• Find Germany on the map of Europe.

• Find Bonn on the map of Germany.

Activity 4: Read Aloud the First Verse of Friedrich Schiller's Poem, 'Ode to Joy' [3]

• Joy, beautiful spark of Divinity,
• Daughter of Elysium,
• We enter, drunk with fire,
• Heavenly One, thy sanctuary!
• Thy magic binds again
• What custom strictly divided;
• All people become brothers,
• Where thy gentle wing abides.

Activity 5: Study Facts About Ludwig van Beethoven

Read these facts about Ludwig van Beethoven

• The composer's full name was Ludwig van Beethoven.
• He was born at Bonn on the River Rhine.
• His birthday is December 16, and his birth year was 1770.
• The Beethoven House is now a Museum.
• Beethoven's father was a singer.
• Ludwig began to study music at the age of four.
• He was shy and quiet in school, always thinking even then of music.
• Even as a little boy he composed music.
• When he was ten years old his first published composition appeared.
• A teacher who helped him very much was Christian Gottlob Neefe.
• Beethoven learned to play several instruments.
• He went to Vienna when he was sixteen, met Mozart and had lessons from him.
• Later, Beethoven met Haydn at Bonn.
• On Haydn's advice he returned to Vienna, making it his home for the rest of his life.
• Composer Carl Czerny once called on Beethoven and wrote a fine description of him.
• At about thirty Beethoven became deaf.
• Most of the great symphonies were composed after he lost his hearing.
• Beethoven died March 26, 1827, at the age of 57.

Review

Question 1

In which year was Ludwig van Beethoven born and in which year did he die?

1 / 10

Answer 1

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in 1770 and died in 1827.

1 / 10

Question 2

In which city and country was Ludwig van Beethoven born?

2 / 10

Answer 2

Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany.

2 / 10

Question 3

Who was Ludwig van Beethoven's first teacher?

3 / 10

Answer 3

In the beginning his father taught him piano and violin, and forced him to practice.

3 / 10

Question 4

What did Ludwig van Beethoven's father do?

4 / 10

Answer 4

Beethoven's father was a singer.

4 / 10

Question 5

How long did little Ludwig go to school?

5 / 10

Answer 5

Never again after thirteen, did Ludwig go to school, for he had to work and earn his living.

5 / 10

Question 6

What description of Ludwig van Beethoven as a boy has been given?

6 / 10

Answer 6

He was shy and quiet in school, always thinking even then of music. He talked little and took no interest in the games that his boy and girl companions played.

6 / 10

Question 7

How old was Ludwig van Beethoven when he first played in public?

7 / 10

Answer 7

Ludwig was eight years old when he played at a concert at school for the first time.

7 / 10

Question 8

Which composition of Ludwig van Beethoven's was first to be published?

8 / 10

Answer 8

Beethoven's first printed composition was called 'Variations on Dressler's March.'

8 / 10

Question 9

Which of Ludwig van Beethoven's teachers took great interest in him?

9 / 10

Answer 9

Christian Gottlob Neefe took a great interest in Beethoven.

9 / 10

Question 10

What did teacher Christian Gottlob Neefe say about little Beethoven's future?

10 / 10

Answer 10

Neefe said one day: 'If he goes on as he has begun, he will someday be a second Mozart.'

10 / 10

❮ ❯

1. In which year was Ludwig van Beethoven born and in which year did he die? Ludwig van Beethoven was born in 1770 and died in 1827.
2. In which city and country was Ludwig van Beethoven born? Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany.
3. Who was Ludwig van Beethoven's first teacher? In the beginning his father taught him piano and violin, and forced him to practice.
4. What did Ludwig van Beethoven's father do? Beethoven's father was a singer.
5. How long did little Ludwig go to school? Never again after thirteen, did Ludwig go to school, for he had to work and earn his living.
6. What description of Ludwig van Beethoven as a boy has been given? He was shy and quiet in school, always thinking even then of music. He talked little and took no interest in the games that his boy and girl companions played.
7. How old was Ludwig van Beethoven when he first played in public? Ludwig was eight years old when he played at a concert at school for the first time.
8. Which composition of Ludwig van Beethoven's was first to be published? Beethoven's first printed composition was called 'Variations on Dressler's March.'
9. Which of Ludwig van Beethoven's teachers took great interest in him? Christian Gottlob Neefe took a great interest in Beethoven.
10. What did teacher Christian Gottlob Neefe say about little Beethoven's future? Neefe said one day: 'If he goes on as he has begun, he will someday be a second Mozart.'

References

Tapper, Thomas. Beethoven - The Story of a Little Boy Who Was Forced to Practice. Philadelphia, PA. Theodore Presser Co., 1917.

'Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven).' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.

'Ode to Joy.' Wikipedia. Wikipedia.org. n.p.