Ludwig van Beethoven

Life and music

Beethoven grew up in Bonn and went to Vienna in November 1792 to study with Haydn. Vienna became his permanent home. His hearing began to deteriorate before he was thirty, but this personal history should not be used to invent a literal story behind every piano piece.

For a learner, his catalog offers compact dances, familiar bagatelles and long sonata movements with striking contrasts. Listen for how a small musical gesture develops across a phrase. Our route starts with a short work, visits a familiar bagatelle and then offers a larger sonata finale as a listening goal rather than a required next lesson.

Sources

• internet.beethoven.de/Beethovens-Mondschein-Sonate
• beethoven.de/zeittafel-beethoven-in-bonn
• internet.beethoven.de/beethoven-on-postage-stamps
• beethoven.de/beethoven

Where to start

1. 1Minuet in E-flat major, WoO 82Level 4, estimatedWith Maestro
2. 2Für Elise (Bagatelle in A minor), WoO 59Level 5, estimatedOpen to everyone
3. 3Appassionata Sonata, Op. 57, III. Allegro, PrestoLevel 10, estimatedWith Maestro

More pieces in the Music Room

Sonata journeys

• Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 10 No. 1, I. Allegro molto e con brioLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 5, Op. 10 No. 1, III. PrestissimoLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 6, Op. 10 No. 2, I. AllegroLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 6, Op. 10 No. 2, II. AllegrettoLevel 6, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 6, Op. 10 No. 2, III. PrestoLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111, ILevel 10, estimatedWith Maestro
• Pathétique Sonata, Op. 13, I. Grave, AllegroLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Pathétique Sonata, Op. 13, III. RondoLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Pathétique Sonata, Op. 13, II. Adagio cantabileLevel 6, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 2 No. 1, I. AllegroLevel 7, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 2 No. 1: II. AdagioLevel 6, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 2 No. 1, III. AllegrettoLevel 6, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 2 No. 1, IV. PrestissimoLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Moonlight Sonata, Op. 27 No. 2, I. Adagio sostenutoLevel 6, estimatedWith Maestro
• Sonata No. 17 (1st Movement: Largo - Allegro)Level 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Sonata No. 17 (2nd Movement: Adagio)Level 7, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 17, Op. 31 No. 2 “Tempest”: III. AllegrettoLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 19, Op. 49 No. 1, I. AndanteLevel 5, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 19, Op. 49 No. 1, II. RondoLevel 5, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 20, Op. 49 No. 2, I. AllegroLevel 5, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 20, Op. 49 No. 2, II. Tempo di MenuettoLevel 4, estimatedWith Maestro
• Appassionata Sonata, Op. 57, II. Andante con motoLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 24 in F-sharp major, Op. 78, ILevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 24 in F-sharp major, Op. 78, IILevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 25 in G major, Op. 79, ILevel 7, estimatedWith Maestro
• Sonata No. 25 (2nd Movement: Andante)Level 5, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 25 in G major, Op. 79, IIILevel 7, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 26 Movement 1 (Beethoven)Level 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 27 in E minor, Op. 90, ILevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Piano Sonata No. 27 in E minor, Op. 90, IILevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Hammerklavier Sonata, Op. 106, I. AllegroLevel 10, estimatedWith Maestro

Themes transformed

• Six Variations in D major, Op. 76Level 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Seven Variations on “God Save the King”, WoO 78Level 7, estimatedWith Maestro

The prelude gallery

• Prelude WoO 55Level 4, estimatedWith Maestro

Small scenes, big imagination

• Lustig, Traurig, WoO 54Level 4, estimatedWith Maestro

More pieces

• Sonata Op. 109: Vivace ma non troppoLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Sonata Op. 109: PrestissimoLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Sonata Op. 109: Andante molto cantabile and six variationsLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Sonata Op. 110: Moderato cantabile molto espressivoLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Sonata Op. 110: Allegro moltoLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Sonata Op. 110: Adagio, Arioso and FugaLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Op. 111 II AriettaLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Bagatelle in D major, Op. 119 No. 3Level 5, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 9, Op. 125, movement 1, solo-piano arrangementLevel 10, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony No. 9, Scherzo, Liszt piano settingLevel 10, estimatedWith Maestro
• Alla ingharese quasi un capriccio in G major, Op. 129Level 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Sonata Op. 14 No. 1, AllegrettoLevel 7, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 1, Op. 21, movement 1, solo-piano arrangementLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 1, Op. 21, movement 2, solo-piano arrangementLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 1, Op. 21, movement 3, solo-piano arrangementLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 1, Op. 21, movement 4, solo-piano arrangementLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Op. 27 No. 2 III Presto agitatoLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Sonata Op. 31 No. 1: Allegro vivaceLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Sonata Op. 31 No. 1: Adagio graziosoLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Sonata Op. 31 No. 1: Rondo AllegrettoLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Sonata Op. 31 No. 3, ScherzoLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 2, Op. 36, movement 1, solo-piano arrangementLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 2, Op. 36, movement 4, solo-piano arrangementLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Op. 47 Kreutzer I, piano arrangementLevel 10, estimatedWith Maestro
• Waldstein Sonata Op. 53: Allegro con brioLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Waldstein Sonata Op. 53: Introduzione and RondoLevel 10, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 3, Op. 55, movement 1, solo-piano arrangementLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 3, Op. 55, movement 4, solo-piano arrangementLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Appassionata, Op. 57: I. Allegro assaiLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 4, Op. 60, movement 1, solo-piano arrangementLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 4, Op. 60, movement 2, solo-piano arrangementLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 4, Op. 60, movement 3, solo-piano arrangementLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony No. 5, Op. 67: I, piano adaptation after PauerLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 5, Op. 67, movement 2, solo-piano arrangementLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 5, Op. 67, movement 3, solo-piano arrangementLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 5, Op. 67, movement 4, solo-piano arrangementLevel 10, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 6, Op. 68, movement 1, solo-piano arrangementLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 6, Op. 68, movement 3, solo-piano arrangementLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 6, Op. 68, movement 4, solo-piano arrangementLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 6, Op. 68, movement 5, solo-piano arrangementLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Op. 72b Leonore OvertureNo3, piano arrangementLevel 10, estimatedWith Maestro
• Op. 77 Fantasia for pianoLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 7, Op. 92, movement 1, solo-piano arrangementLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony No. 7, Op. 92: II, piano arrangement by PauerLevel 8, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 7, Op. 92, movement 3, solo-piano arrangementLevel 9, estimatedWith Maestro
• Symphony 7, Op. 92, movement 4, solo-piano arrangementLevel 10, estimatedWith Maestro