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 89 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
Opferlied "Die Flamme lodert" - Es-Dur/Eb major	—	—	—	Choir	Classical	0
Rote Wolken am Himmel - F-Dur/F major	—	—	—	Choir	Classical	0
Deutscher Tanz Nr. 1	—	—	—	Recorder	Classical	0
Romance In G	—	—	—	violin	Classical	1
Variations, D Major	—	—	—	harpsichord, Mandolin	Classical	1
2 Sonatinas, c minor & C Major	—	—	—	harpsichord, Mandolin	Classical	1
Trio fur Klavier, Klarinette und Violoncello Es-Dur op. 38 -nach dem Septett op. 20- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 38; op. 20	—	Piano, Cello, violin, Clarinet	Classical	0
An die ferne Geliebte Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	—	—	Piano, Voice	Classical	0
L'amante impaziente Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	—	—	Piano, Voice	Classical	0
Rondo A-Dur WoO 49 -fur Klavier- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 49	—	Piano	Classical	0
Allegretto c-Moll WoO 53 -fur Klavier- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 53	—	Piano	Classical	0
Allegretto h-Moll WoO 61 -fur Klavier- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 61	—	Piano	Classical	0
Allemande A-Dur WoO 81 -fur Klavier- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 81	—	Piano	Classical	0
An Elise a-Moll WoO 59 -fur Klavier- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 59	—	Piano	Classical	0
Fuge D-Dur op. 137 -Bearbeitung fur Klavier- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 137	—	Piano	Classical	0
Klavierstuck B-Dur WoO 60 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 60	—	Piano	Classical	0
Lustig und traurig C-Dur / c-Moll WoO 54 -fur Klavier- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 54	—	Piano	Classical	0
Menuett Es-Dur WoO 82 -fur Klavier- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 82	—	Piano	Classical	0
Polonaise C-Dur op. 89 -fur Klavier- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 89	—	Piano	Classical	0
Praludium durch alle Dur-Tonarten - Nr. 1 -fur Klavier oder Orgel- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	0
Praludium durch alle Dur-Tonarten - Nr. 2 -fur Klavier oder Orgel- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	0
Praludium f-Moll WoO 55 -fur Klavier oder Orgel- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 55	—	Piano	Classical	0
Walzer D-Dur WoO 84 -fur Klavier- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 84	—	Piano	Classical	0
Walzer Es-Dur WoO 85 -fur Klavier- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 85	—	Piano	Classical	0
12 Variationen fur Klavier A-Dur WoO 71 -uber den russischen Tanz aus dem Ballett "Das Waldmadchen" von Paul Wranitzky- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 71	—	Piano	Classical	0
15 Variationen fur Klavier Es-Dur op. 35 -uber das "Eroica"-Thema - mit Finale alla Fuga- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 35	—	Piano	Classical	0
24 Variationen fur Klavier D-Dur WoO 65 -uber die Ariette "Venni amore" von Vincenzo Righini- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 65	—	Piano	Classical	0
32 Variationen fur Klavier c-Moll WoO 80 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 80	—	Piano	Classical	0
6 Variationen fur Klavier D-Dur op. 76 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 76	—	Piano	Classical	0
6 Variationen fur Klavier F-Dur op. 34 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 34	—	Piano	Classical	0
Ah! Perfido, spergiuro	—	—	—	—	—	0
In dieses Grabes Dunkel	—	—	—	Piano, Voice	Classical	1
6 leichte Variationen G-Dur WoO 77 -uber ein eigenes Thema - fur Klavier- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 77	—	Piano	Classical	0
Fur Elise - Albumblatt a-Moll WoO 59 -fur Klavier- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 59	—	—	—	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 20 G-Dur op. 49; 2 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 49	—	Piano	Classical	0
Andante aus: Sinfonie Nr. 1 op. 21	—	op. 21	—	Piano	Classical	1
Variationen uber "Nel cor pi	—	—	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 9 E-Dur op. 14; 1 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 14	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 7 D-Dur op. 10; 3 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 10	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 5 c-Moll op. 10; 1 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 10	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 4 Es-Dur op. 7 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 7	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 2 A-Dur op. 2; 2 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 2	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 14 cis-Moll op. 27; 2 "Waldstein-Sonate" -Sonata quasi una Fantasia- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 27	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 13 Es-Dur op. 27; 1 -Sonata quasi una Fantasia- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 27	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 11 B-Dur op. 22 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 22	—	Piano	Classical	0
Sonate fur Klavier Nr. 1 f-Moll op. 2; 1 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 2	—	Piano	Classical	0
Duo F-Dur -Bearbeitung fur Violine und Violoncello- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	—	—	Cello, violin	Classical	0
Duo C-Dur -Bearbeitung fur Violine und Violoncello- Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	—	—	Cello, violin	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.