Composer

Ludwig van Beethoven

German composer (1770-1827)

1770–1827

6,206 works in the index

Born: 1770
Died: 1827
Birthplace: Bonn
Place of death: Vienna
Citizenship / historical state: Electorate of Cologne; Austrian Empire
Period (estimated from birth year): Classical

Biography

Beethoven sits on the hinge between the Classical style he inherited and the Romantic one he made possible, and the catalogue spans both: thirty-two piano sonatas, sixteen string quartets, nine symphonies, five piano concerti and a large body of songs and chamber music.

The piano sonatas are the most-bought and the most misjudged. The famous ones — the Moonlight, the Pathétique, the Waldstein — are advanced works, and the first movement of the Moonlight being playable early does not make the rest of it so. The genuine starting points are the two sonatas of Op. 49 and the bagatelles, including the one everyone knows as Für Elise.

He revised heavily and his manuscripts are difficult, so editions disagree about specific notes and markings more than you might expect from a composer this recent. If you are working with a teacher, use theirs.

Life and musical career

Occupations: composer
Teachers: Christian Gottlob Neefe; Joseph Haydn; Antonio Salieri; Johann Baptist Schenk; Johann Georg Albrechtsberger; Gilles van der Eeden; Muzio Clementi; Andrea Luchesi
Recorded memberships: Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
Instruments played: piano; violin
Genres: classical music; art music; opera; symphony; sonata
Movements: Classical period; Romantic music
Notable works: Für Elise; Symphony No. 9; Piano Sonata No. 14; Missa Solemnis; Piano Sonata No. 8; Symphony No. 5; Symphony No. 6; Piano Sonata No. 21; Piano Sonata No. 23; Violin Sonata No. 9; Symphony No. 3; Fidelio
Awards: Bröckemännche Award
Official website: https://beethoven.de
Native languages: German
Languages used: German
VIAF ID: 32182557
ISNI: 0000000121268987
GND ID: 118508288
Library of Congress ID: n79107741
MusicBrainz ID: 1f9df192-a621-4f54-8850-2c5373b7eac9

Recorded in Wikidata. Affiliations may refer to earlier stages of the composer's career.

In this catalogue

Common listed instruments: Piano, violin, Cello, Orchestra, Voice
Genres represented: Classical, pop, Jazz, Pop, Christmas
Works with composition dates: 358 of 6,206

These details describe the indexed sheet music, including arrangements.

Catalogue

Works page 100 of 130

Years are composition dates where known. Instruments describe editions in our catalogue and may include arrangements. A dash means the detail is not recorded.

Works and available sheet music details
Work	Year composed	Catalogue / opus	Key in title	Listed instruments	Genre	Editions
Piano Sonata No. 8 "Pathetique"	—	—	—	—	Classical	0
Turkish March from The Ruins of Athens, Op. 113, No. 4	—	Op. 113, No. 4	—	—	—	1
Sonata Quasi una Fantasia , 1st Movement, Op. 27, No. 2	—	Op. 27, No. 2	—	Piano, Organ	Classical	0
Sonata Pathtique, 2nd Movement, Op. 13	—	Op. 13	—	Piano, Organ	Classical	1
Russian Folksong, Op. 107, No. 3	—	Op. 107, No. 3	—	Piano	Classical	1
Sonata No. 8 in C Minor , Op. 13 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	Op. 13	C minor	Piano	Classical	0
Sonata No. 15 in D Major , Op. 28 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	Op. 28	D major	Piano	Classical	0
Sonata No. 17 in D Minor , Op. 31, No. 2 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	Op. 31, No. 2	D minor	Piano	Classical	0
Sonata No. 23 in F Minor , Op. 57 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	Op. 57	F minor	Piano	Classical	0
Sonata No. 29 in Bb Major , Op. 106 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	Op. 106	B-flat major	Piano	Classical	0
Sonatina in G Major, Op. 49, No. 2 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	Op. 49, No. 2	G major	Piano	Classical	0
Grosse Fuge, Op. 133/134	—	Op. 133/134	—	—	—	1
March in Eb Major, Op. 45, No. 2	—	Op. 45, No. 2	E-flat major	Piano	Classical	1
Variations in C Major, on a theme of Count von Waldstein, WoO 67	—	WoO 67	C major	Piano	Classical	1
In des Lebens Fruehlingstagen	—	—	—	Voice	Classical	1
Hat man nicht auch Gold daneben	—	—	—	—	Classical	1
Six Songs, Op. 48 - 2. Die Liebe des Nachsten	—	Op. 48	—	—	Classical	1
Six Songs, Op. 48 - 4. Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur	—	Op. 48	—	—	—	1
Six Songs, Op. 48 - 6. Busslied	—	Op. 48	—	—	Classical	1
Eight Songs, Op. 52 - 1. Urians Reise um die Welt	—	Op. 52	—	—	Classical	1
Eight Songs, Op. 52 - 3. Das Liedchen von der Ruhe	—	Op. 52	—	—	Classical	1
Eight Songs, Op. 52 - 5. Mollys Abschied	—	Op. 52	—	—	Classical	1
Eight Songs, Op. 52 - 6. Lied Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	Op. 52	—	—	Classical	0
Eight Songs, Op. 52 - 8. Das Blumchen Wunderhold	—	Op. 52	—	—	Classical	1
Six Songs, Op. 75 - 2. Neue Liebe, neues Leben	—	Op. 75	—	—	Classical	1
Six Songs, Op. 75 - 3. Aus Goethe's Faust	—	Op. 75	—	—	Classical	1
Six Songs, Op. 75 - 5. An den fernen Geliebten	—	Op. 75	—	—	Classical	1
Four Ariettas and a Duet, Op. 82 - 1. Hoffnung	—	Op. 82	—	—	Classical	1
Four Ariettas and a Duet, Op. 82 - 2. Liebes-Klage	—	Op. 82	—	—	Classical	1
Four Ariettas and a Duet, Op. 82 - 4. L'amante impaziente	—	Op. 82	—	—	Classical	1
Three Songs, Op. 83 - 2. Sehnsucht	—	Op. 83	—	—	Classical	1
Two Songs from Egmont, Op. 84	—	Op. 84	—	—	—	1
An die ferne Geliebte, Op. 98 - 1. Auf dem Hugel sitz' ich	—	Op. 98	—	—	—	1
An die ferne Geliebte, Op. 98 - 2. Wo die Berge so blau	—	Op. 98	—	—	—	1
An die ferne Geliebte, Op. 98 - 3. Leichte Segler in den Hohen	—	Op. 98	—	—	—	1
An die ferne Geliebte, Op. 98 - 4. Diese Wolken in den Hohen	—	Op. 98	—	—	—	1
An die ferne Geliebte, Op. 98 - 5. Es kehret der Maien	—	Op. 98	—	—	—	1
An die ferne Geliebte, Op. 98 - 6. Nimm sie hin denn diese Lieder	—	Op. 98	—	—	—	1
6 Songs, Op. 48 - Bitten	—	Op. 48	—	Low Voice	Classical	1
6 Songs, Op. 48 - Vom Tode	—	Op. 48	—	Low Voice	Classical	1
6 Songs, Op. 48 - Die Ehre Gottes aus der Natur	—	Op. 48	—	—	—	1
6 Songs, Op. 48 - Busslied	—	Op. 48	—	Low Voice	Classical	1
8 Songs, Op. 52 - Feurfarb'	—	Op. 52	—	Low Voice	Classical	1
8 Songs, Op. 52 - Das Liedchen von der Ruhe	—	Op. 52	—	Low Voice	Classical	1
8 Songs, Op. 52 - Mollys Abschied	—	Op. 52	—	Low Voice	Classical	1
8 Songs, Op. 52 - Marmotte	—	Op. 52	—	Low Voice	Classical	1
8 Songs, Op. 52 - Das Blumchen Wunderhold	—	Op. 52	—	Low Voice	Classical	1
6 Songs, Op. 75 - Neue Liebe, neues Leben	—	Op. 75	—	Low Voice	Classical	1

Biographical record: Wikidata, matched on name and checked against dates held in the catalogue. The period label is an estimate from birth year. The biography above is our own. Authority record: VIAF 32182557. Portrait: Joseph Karl Stieler, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.