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 96 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
Quartet for Violin, Viola, Violoncello and Piano, E flat major, WoO 36,1 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 36	—	Piano, Cello, violin, Viola	Classical	0
Quartet for Violin, Viola, Violoncello and Piano, D major, WoO 36,2 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 36	—	Piano, Cello, violin, Viola	Classical	0
Quartet for Violin, Viola, Violoncello and Piano, C major, WoO 36,3 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 36	—	Piano, Cello, violin, Viola	Classical	0
Beethoven: Fugue for 2 Violins, 2 Violas and Violoncello D major op. 137	—	op. 137	—	—	Classical	2
Beethoven: Quintet for 2 Violins, 2 Violas and Violoncello c minor op. 104	—	op. 104	—	—	Classical	2
Beethoven: Quintet for 2 Violins, 2 Violas and Violoncello C major op. 29	—	op. 29	—	—	Classical	2
Beethoven: Quintet for 2 Violins, 2 Violas and Violoncello E flat major op. 4	—	op. 4	—	—	Classical	2
Beethoven: Quintet Movement d minor Hess 40	—	—	—	—	Classical	2
Clarinet trio for Piano, Clarinet and Violoncello, E flat major, op. 38 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 38	—	Piano, Cello, violin, Clarinet	Classical	0
Clarinet trio for Piano, Clarinet and Violoncello, B flat major, op. 11 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 11	—	Piano, Cello, violin, Clarinet	Classical	0
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1, C major, op. 15 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 15	—	Piano	Classical	0
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2, B flat major, op. 19 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 19	—	Piano	Classical	0
12 Minuets, WoO 7 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 7	—	—	—	0
12 German dances, WoO 8 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 8	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	0
6 Minuets, WoO 10 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 10	—	—	—	0
7 Landlerische dances, WoO 11 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 11	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	0
12 German dances, WoO 13 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 13	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	0
6 Landlerische dances, WoO 15 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 15	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	0
Allemande, A major, WoO 81 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 81	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	0
6 Ecossaises, WoO 83 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 83	—	—	—	0
Waltz, E flat major, WoO 84 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 84	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	0
Waltz, D major, WoO 85 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 85	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	0
Ecossaise, E flat major, WoO 86 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 86	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	0
7 Country dances from WoO 14 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	WoO 14	—	Piano, harpsichord	Classical	0
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 4, G major, op. 58 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 58	—	Piano	Classical	0
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 5, E flat major, op. 73 Performed by Ludwig van Beethoven	—	op. 73	—	Piano	Classical	0
March C major op. 45,1	—	op. 45	—	Piano	Classical	0
March E flat major op. 45,2	—	op. 45	—	Piano	Classical	0
March D major op. 45,3	—	op. 45	—	Piano	Classical	0
8 Variations on a Theme by Waldstein C major WoO 67	—	WoO 67	—	Piano	Classical	0
6 Variations, Song with Variations D major WoO 74	—	WoO 74	—	Piano	Classical	0
Appendix: Grand Fugue transcribed by the composer op. 134	—	op. 134	—	Piano	Classical	0
Appendix: 6 Variations, Song with Variations, early version D major WoO 74	—	WoO 74	—	Piano	Classical	0
Symphonies	—	—	—	—	Classical	0
I. Adagio molto-Allegro con brio	—	—	—	—	Classical	1
II. Andante cantabile con moto	—	—	—	—	Classical	1
III. Menuetto-Trio, Allegro molto e vivace	—	—	—	—	Classical	1
IV. Adagio-Allegro moto e vivace	—	—	—	—	Classical	1
II. Larghetto	—	—	—	—	Classical	1
III. Scherzo, Allegro	—	—	—	—	Classical	1
IV. Allegro molto	—	—	—	—	Classical	1
I. Allegro con brio	—	—	—	—	Classical	1
II. Marcia Funebre, Adagio assai	—	—	—	—	Classical	1
III. Scherzo-Trio, Allegro vivace	—	—	—	—	Classical	1
I. Adagio-Allegro vivace	—	—	—	—	Classical	1
II. Adagio	—	—	—	—	Classical	0
III. Allegro vivace-Trio	—	—	—	—	Classical	1
IV. Allegro ma non troppo	—	—	—	—	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.