Composer

Ludwig van Beethoven

German composer (1770-1827)

1770–1827

6,206 catalog entries

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
Entries with composition dates: 358 of 6,206

These details describe the indexed sheet music, including arrangements.

Grouped works and collections

Find collection editions and individual pieces together on one page.

Browse 71 grouped works and collections

"Sonata in F minor, Op. 2 No. 1" (1 listed pieces)
(Simplified) (1 listed pieces)
Adagio Cantabile (6 listed pieces)
Bagatelle (4 listed pieces)
Bagatelles, Op. 119 (10 listed pieces)
Bagatelles, Op. 126 (6 listed pieces)
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra no. 4 in G major, op. 58 (2 listed pieces)
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major, op. 61 (2 listed pieces)
Dances, WOO 11 (2 listed pieces)
Dances, WOO 13 (4 listed pieces)
Dances, WOO 14 (3 listed pieces)
Dances, WOO 42 (4 listed pieces)
Dances, WOO 8 (5 listed pieces)
Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus Op.43 (1 listed pieces)
Die Ruinen von Athen Op.113 (2 listed pieces)
Ecossaise in G (1 listed pieces)
Egmont, Op.84 (3 listed pieces)
Etudes, Op. 49 (2 listed pieces)
Fidelio, Op.72 (1 listed pieces)
Minuet in G (8 listed pieces)
Moonlight Sonata Op.27 No.2 (1 listed pieces)
Op.49, No.2 (1 listed pieces)
Overture (1 listed pieces)
Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15 (5 listed pieces)
Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 19 (6 listed pieces)
Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37 (4 listed pieces)
Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58 (7 listed pieces)
Piano Concerto No.5 (1 listed pieces)
Piano Sonata No.5 (1 listed pieces)
Prometheus (1 listed pieces)
Quartet No.13, Op.130 (1 listed pieces)
Rondo (2 listed pieces)
Rondo a Capriccio Op.129 (1 listed pieces)
Rondo in A Major, WoO 49 (1 listed pieces)
Septet (1 listed pieces)
Serenade in D Major, Op. 8 (1 listed pieces)
Seven Bagatelles, Op. 33 (7 listed pieces)
Sextet in E-Flat major, Op. 71 (1 listed pieces)
Sonata In D Op.12 No.1 (1 listed pieces)
Sonata No. 19 (1 listed pieces)
Sonata No. 8 (1 listed pieces)
Sonata Op 10 No 3 (6 listed pieces)
Sonata Op 14 No 1 (1 listed pieces)
Sonata Op 26 (1 listed pieces)
Sonata Op 49, No 2 (1 listed pieces)
Sonata Pathetique (1 listed pieces)
Sonata, Op. 13 ("Pathetique") (2 listed pieces)
Sonate Pathetique Op 13 (1 listed pieces)
Sonatina In D (1 listed pieces)
Sonatine (1 listed pieces)
Songs, Op. 48 (6 listed pieces)
Songs, Op. 52 (8 listed pieces)
Songs, Op. 75 (6 listed pieces)
Songs, Op. 83 (3 listed pieces)
Symphony No 7, 2nd Movement (9 listed pieces)
Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major (1 listed pieces)
Symphony No. 3 In E-Flat Major ('Eroica') (1 listed pieces)
Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major, Op. 60 (4 listed pieces)
Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67 (4 listed pieces)
Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92 (3 listed pieces)
Symphony No. 9, Fourth Movement (27 listed pieces)
Symphony No. 9, Op. 125 (1 listed pieces)
Symphony No.1 - Score and Parts (1 listed pieces)
Symphony No.1 - Tuba 1 (1 listed pieces)
Symphony No.1 - Tuba 2 (1 listed pieces)
Symphony No.1 - Tuba 3 (1 listed pieces)
Symphony No.1 - Tuba 4 (1 listed pieces)
Symphony No.6 (7 listed pieces)
Symphony No.8 (3 listed pieces)
Symphony No.9 (20 listed pieces)
Violin Concerto (1 listed pieces)

Catalogue

Works page 52 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 #16	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	1
Beethoven: Prelude f minor WoO 55	—	WoO 55	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	2
Seven Bagatelles, Op. 337 listed pieces	—	Op. 33	See contents	See editions	—	Compare editions
Beethoven: Appendix: String Quartet after the Piano Sonata F major op. 14,1	—	op. 14	—	Piano, Cello, violin, Viola	Classical	2
Beethoven: 13 Variations on 'Es war einmal ein alter Mann' by Ditters von Dittersdorf WoO 66	—	WoO 66	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	2
Beethoven: 12 Variations WoO 68	—	WoO 68	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	2
Beethoven: 10 Variations on 'La stessa, la stessissima' by Salieri WoO 73	—	WoO 73	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	2
Contra-Dance #2	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
A Kind Thought	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
Beethoven: Sonata B flat major op. 22	—	op. 22	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	3
Landler in D Minor, WoO 15, No. 4	—	WoO 15, No. 4	D minor	Piano	Classical	2
Vivace	—	—	—	Piano	—	1
Piano Concerto No. 3 -First Mvmt. Theme	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	1
Symphony No. 3 Fourth Mvmt Theme	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	1
Symphony No. 5 First Mvmt Theme	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	1
Quartet for Violin, Viola, Violoncello and Piano, C major, WoO 36,3 (Piano quartets)	—	WoO 36	—	Piano	Classical	1
Beethoven: Quartet for Violin, Viola, Violoncello and Piano E flat major WoO 36,1	—	WoO 36	—	Piano	Classical	0
Symphony No. I in C Major	—	—	C major	Piano	Classical	2
12 Variations on a theme by Handel (Judas Maccabaeus) - WoO45	—	WoO45	—	Piano, Cello	Classical	1
Romance for Violin and Orchestra in G Major, Op. 40	—	Op. 40	G major	Piano, Harp, Organ, Cello, Flute, Oboe, violin, Bassoon, Double Bass, Horn, Clarinet, Trombone, Timpani, Trumpet	Classical	1
Beethoven: Variations on folk songs for Piano und flute (Violin) ad lib. op. 107	—	op. 107	—	Piano	Classical	1
Dances, WOO 85 listed pieces	—	WOO 8	See contents	See editions	—	Compare editions
Dances, WOO 143 listed pieces	—	WOO 14	See contents	See editions	—	Compare editions
An den fernen Geliebten	—	—	—	Piano, Voice	Classical	1
Hoffnung	—	—	—	Piano, Voice	Classical	2
Abschiedgesang	—	—	—	Piano, Voice	Classical	1
Des Kriegers Abschied	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	0
Ruf vom Berge	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	0
Das Geheimnis	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	2
Six Variations on "Nel cor pi	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 7 D-Dur op. 10; 3 (1796/98)	—	op. 10	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 6 F-Dur op. 10; 2 (1796/98)	—	op. 10	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 2 A-Dur op. 2; 2 (1795)	—	op. 2	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 15 D-Dur op. 28 "Pastorale" (1801)	—	op. 28	—	Piano	Classical	1
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 14 cis-Moll op. 27; 2 "Waldstein-Sonate" (1801) -Sonata quasi una Fantasia-	—	op. 27	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 13 Es-Dur op. 27; 1 (1800/01) -Sonata quasi una Fantasia-	—	op. 27	—	Piano	Classical	0
1. Sonatina in C, K. 279/189d: Adagio	—	K. 279/189	—	Piano	Classical	0
10. Sieben Landler, WoO 11	—	WoO 11	—	Piano	Classical	0
11. Sonatina in F, WoO 50: Rondo	—	WoO 50	—	Piano	Classical	1
16. Sonatina in C, WoO 51: Adagio	—	WoO 51	—	Piano	Classical	2
Waltz in A Flat	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	1
Bourree	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	1
Beethoven: Appendix: 8 Variations on 'Ich hab' ein kleines H!ttchen nur' Anh. 10	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonata in E flat,Op.81a	—	Op.81a	—	Piano	Classical	1
Bagatelle In D Op.33 No.6	—	Op.33 No.6	—	Piano	—	3
Andante From Symphony No.5	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	1
Sweet Molly Malone	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	1
Ecossaise, Wo0 86	—	—	—	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.