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 41 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
4. Sonatina in F, K. 280/189e: Polonaise	—	K. 280/189	—	Piano	Classical	1
8. Variations on Salieri's "Mio Caro Adone", K. 180/173c: Menuetto	—	K. 180/173	—	Piano	Classical	0
Russian Folksong, Air de la petite Russie, Op. 107, No. 3	—	Op. 107, No. 3	—	Piano	Classical	1
Beethoven: 32 Variations c minor WoO 80	—	WoO 80	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	3
Beethoven: Appendix: 9 Variations on a March by Dressler (second version) WoO 63	—	WoO 63	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	2
Beethoven: 6 Variations F major op. 34	—	op. 34	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	2
32 Variationen fur Klavier c-Moll WoO 80 (1806)	—	WoO 80	—	Piano	Classical	0
6 Variationen fur Klavier D-Dur op. 76 (1809)	—	op. 76	—	Piano	Classical	0
6 Variationen fur Klavier F-Dur op. 34 (1802)	—	op. 34	—	Piano	Classical	0
Variations on a Swiss Song, WoO 64	—	WoO 64	—	Piano	Classical	4
Sonata in A,Op.101	—	Op.101	—	Piano, violin	Classical	1
Emperor Concerto First Movement	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
Contra Dance No 2	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
Prelude	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
Sonata C major Op. 53	—	Op. 53	—	Piano	Classical	2
Joy	—	—	—	Piano, Organ, Accordion	Classical	2
Allemande, Wo0 81	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
Waltz, Wo0 84	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	1
Contredances	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	0
Rondo, Wo0 49	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	1
Fantasie, Opus 77	—	Opus 77	—	Piano	Classical	1
Adagio from Piano Sonata No. 5	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
Trio from Sonata No. 1	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	1
Sonata F major Op. 10, No. 2	—	Op. 10, No. 2	—	Piano	Classical	1
Pianoforte Sonatas Nos. 12-22	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	1
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 17 d-Moll op. 31; 2 (1801/02)	—	op. 31	—	Piano	Classical	1
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 18 Es-Dur op. 31; 3 (1801/02)	—	op. 31	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 19 g-Moll op. 49; 1 (1795/98)	—	op. 49	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 24 Fis-Dur op. 78 (1809)	—	op. 78	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 25 G-Dur op. 79 (1809) -Sonatine-	—	op. 79	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 30 E-Dur op. 109 (1820)	—	op. 109	—	Piano	Classical	1
Piano Trio No. 8 in E-flat major, WoO38	—	WoO38	E-flat major	Piano, Cello, violin	Classical	2
Sonate fur Klavier g-Moll op. 49 Nr. 1	—	op. 49 Nr. 1	—	Piano	Classical	2
Pno Sonata Op2 #3	—	Op2	—	Piano	Classical	1
Pianoforte Sonatas Nos. 1-11	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	1
Over the Waves (Rosas)	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	3
Veritables Preludes Flasques	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	0
Lustig und Traurig, WoO 54	—	WoO 54	—	Piano	Classical	2
An Elise a-Moll WoO 59 (1810) -fur Klavier-	—	WoO 59	—	Piano	Classical	1
Fuge D-Dur op. 137 (1817) -Bearbeitung fur Klavier- (Original fur Streichquintett)	—	op. 137	—	Piano	Classical	2
Phantasie g-Moll op. 77 (1809) -fur Klavier-	—	op. 77	—	Piano	Classical	0
Presto c-Moll WoO 52 (um 1797) -fur Klavier-	—	WoO 52	—	Piano	Classical	2
Walzer D-Dur WoO 84 (1824) -fur Klavier-	—	WoO 84	—	Piano	Classical	2
Walzer Es-Dur WoO 85 (1825) -fur Klavier-	—	WoO 85	—	Piano	Classical	1
Symphonies 6 - 9	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	0
Trio fur Klavier, Violine und Violoncello D-Dur -nach der Sinfonie Nr. 2 op. 36-	—	op. 36	—	Piano, Cello, violin, Clarinet	Classical	0
Scherzando	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
Sonata, C major, op. 2,3 (Piano solo)	—	op. 2	—	Piano	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.