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 32 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
German Dances	—	—	—	Piano, Bassoon	Classical	2
Waltz in Eb Major, WoO 84	—	WoO 84	E-flat major	Piano	Classical	2
Concerto No. 4 In G Major, Op. 58	—	Op. 58	G major	Piano, Orchestra	Classical	1
Sonata #9 - Op. 14, #1	—	Op. 14	—	Piano	Classical	5
Sonata #6 - Op. 10, #2	—	Op. 10	—	Piano	Classical	4
Sonata #13 - Op. 27, #1	—	Op. 27	—	Piano	Classical	3
Sonata #20 - Op. 49, #2	—	Op. 49	—	Piano	Classical	4
Sonatina in F Major, First Movement	—	—	F major	Piano	Classical	2
Sonata #9	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	3
Sonata #10	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
Sonata #14	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3, C minor, op. 37 (Orchestral works)	—	op. 37	—	Piano	Classical	0
Trio [variations about a song Ich bin der Schneider Kakadu], G major, op. 121a (Piano trios)	—	op. 121a	—	Piano, Cello, violin	Classical	0
Beethoven: Trio for Piano, Violin and Violoncello E flat major WoO 38	—	WoO 38	—	Piano, Cello, violin	Classical	3
33 Variations on a waltz by Diabelli [Diabelli variations], op. 120 (Piano solo)	—	op. 120	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	0
Sonata #19	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
Beethoven: Piano Piece [For Piringer] b minor WoO 61	—	WoO 61	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	1
Beethoven: Piano Piece 'Lustig und Traurig' WoO 54	—	WoO 54	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	2
Beethoven: Piano Piece g minor WoO 61a	—	WoO 61a	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	2
Beethoven: Rondo C major WoO 48	—	WoO 48	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	3
Beethoven: 2 Sonatina movements WoO 50	—	WoO 50	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	4
Beethoven: Fantasy op. 77	—	op. 77	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	2
Beethoven: Easy Sonata C major WoO 51	—	WoO 51	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	2
Beethoven: Rondo B flat major Anh. 6	—	—	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	3
Beethoven: Rondo A major WoO 49	—	WoO 49	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	2
Beethoven: 6 Variations on a Swiss Song WoO 64	—	WoO 64	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	4
Beethoven: 24 Variations on 'Venni Amore' by Righini WoO 65	—	WoO 65	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	3
Beethoven: 6 Variations on 'Nel cor piO non mi sento' by Paisiello WoO 70	—	WoO 70	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	3
Sonata Appasionata	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	4
Beethoven: Sonata E major op. 14,1	—	op. 14	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	5
Alla Ingharese quasi un Capriccio [Rage over the last penny], G major, op. 129 (Piano solo)	—	op. 129	—	Piano	Classical	1
Landler in D Major, WoO 11, No.4	—	WoO 11, No.4	D major	Piano	Classical	3
Landler in D Major, WoO 11, No.7	—	WoO 11, No.7	D major	Piano	Classical	4
Contredance in C Major, WoO 14, No.1	—	WoO 14, No.1	C major	Piano	Classical	2
Clarinet trio for Piano, Clarinet (or Violin) and Violoncello, E flat major, op. 38 (Chamber music with winds)	—	op. 38	—	Piano	Classical	1
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2 First Mvmt.	—	Op. 27, No. 2	C-sharp minor	Piano	Classical	2
Rndo a capriccio, Op. 129	—	Op. 129	—	Piano	Classical	4
Beethoven: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 B flat major op. 19	—	op. 19	—	Piano	Classical	0
Beethoven: Concerto for Piano, Violin and Violoncello with Orchestra [Triple concerto] C major op. 5	—	op. 5	—	Piano	Classical	2
Over the River and Through the Woods	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	1
Beethoven: Piano Sonata G major op. 31,1	—	op. 31	—	Piano	Classical	2
Symphonies 6,7,8,9 (Mozart)	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
Symphony No. III in Eb Major ("Eroica")	—	—	E-flat major	Piano	Classical	3
Piano Sonata Op.27 #2	—	Op.27	—	Piano, Organ	Classical	2
Sonata No. 15 in G major, Op 14, No. 2	—	Op 14, No. 2	G major	Piano	Classical	3
Scale of B-flat Major	—	—	—	Piano	—	2
Adagio molto espressivo	—	—	—	Piano, violin	Classical	0
Consecration of the House (Die Weihe des Hauses), Op. 124	—	Op. 124	—	Piano, Harp, Organ, Cello, Flute, Oboe, violin, Bassoon, Double Bass, Horn, Clarinet, Trombone, Timpani, Trumpet	Classical	0

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.