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 122 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
Sonata in G Major [Hob. XVI:40]	—	Hob. XVI:40	G major	Piano	Classical	1
8 Songs, Op. 52 - Mailied	—	Op. 52	—	Voice	—	1
8 Songs, Op. 52 - Lied	—	Op. 52	—	Voice	—	1
Ah! Perfido, Op. 65	—	Op. 65	—	Voice	—	2
Abendlied unter'm gestirnten Himmel, WoO 150	—	WoO 150	—	Voice	—	2
Abschiedsgesang an Wiens Burger, WoO 121	—	WoO 121	—	Voice	—	2
Als die Geliebte sich trennen wollte, WoO 132	—	WoO 132	—	Voice	—	2
An einen Saugling, WoO 108	—	WoO 108	—	Voice	—	2
Das Geheimness, WoO 145	—	WoO 145	—	Voice	—	2
Der freie Mann, WoO 117	—	WoO 117	—	Voice	—	2
Der Jungling in der Fremde, WoO 138	—	WoO 138	—	Voice	—	2
Der Kuss, WoO 128	—	WoO 128	—	Voice	—	1
Der Liebende, WoO 139	—	WoO 139	—	Voice	—	2
Der Wachtelschlag, WoO 129	—	WoO 129	—	Voice	—	2
Die laute Klage, WoO 135	—	WoO 135	—	Voice	—	2
Ich liebe dich , WoO 123	—	WoO 123	—	Voice	—	2
Kriegslied der osterreicher, WoO 122	—	WoO 122	—	Voice	—	2
La Partenza, WoO 124	—	WoO 124	—	Voice	—	2
Lied aus der Ferne, WoO 137	—	WoO 137	—	Voice	—	2
Opferlied, WoO 126	—	WoO 126	—	Voice	—	2
Resignation, WoO 149	—	WoO 149	—	Voice	—	2
Ruf vom Bergen, WoO 147	—	WoO 147	—	Voice	—	2
Schilderung eines Madchens, WoO 107	—	WoO 107	—	Voice	—	2
Sehnsucht, WoO 134	1807Wikidata	WoO 134	—	Voice	—	2
Seufzer eines Ungeliebten/Gegenliebe, WoO 118	—	WoO 118	—	Voice	—	2
So oder so, WoO 148	—	WoO 148	—	Voice	—	2
Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 12, No. 2	—	Op. 12, No. 2	A major	violin	—	1
Für Elise [Woo 59]	—	Woo 59	—	Piano	Classical	2
Beethoven: Trio E flat major op. 3	—	op. 3	—	—	—	2
Beethoven: Trio G major op. 9,1	—	op. 9	—	—	—	2
Beethoven: Trio D major op. 9,2	—	op. 9	—	—	—	2
Beethoven: Trio c minor op. 9,3	—	op. 9	—	—	—	2
Beethoven Symphony No.6 , 2nd mvt., for string quartet, CB006	—	—	—	Cello, violin, String Quartet, Viola	—	1
Third Movement Theme	—	—	—	violin	Classical	2
Fur Elise - in a Jazz Style - for Jazz Combo	—	—	—	—	Jazz	2
Grosse Fuge, Op.133	—	Op.133	—	Viola	—	1
Meine Seele ist erschutert from Christus Am olberge , Op. 85	—	Op. 85	—	Voice	—	1
Beethoven Symphony No.6 , 1st mvt., for string quartet, CB002	—	—	—	Cello, violin, String Quartet, Viola	—	1
Beethoven Egmont Overture, for string quartet, CB004	—	—	—	Cello, violin, String Quartet, Viola	—	1
Die Liebe des NŠchsten	—	—	—	Piano, Voice, Low Voice	—	3
Das BlŸmchen Wunderhold	—	—	—	Piano, Voice, Low Voice	—	3
Die Trommel gerŸhret	—	—	—	Piano, Voice, Low Voice	—	3
Sonata Op. 23 in a	—	Op. 23	—	Piano, violin	—	1
Sonata, Opus 31, No.1	—	Opus 31, No.1	—	Piano	—	1
Sonata, Opus 31, No.3	—	Opus 31, No.3	—	Piano	—	1
Sonata, Opus 79	—	Opus 79	—	Piano	—	1
ZŠrtliche Liebe	—	—	—	Piano, Voice	—	2
Bagatelle in A Minor, Op.119, No. 9	—	Op.119, No. 9	A minor	Piano	—	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.