Beethoven And Piano

Introduction

Piano is an musical instrument classified as a keyboard or string instruments. Piano produces sound by striking steel strings with the fabric hammers that continues to vibrate frequently. These vibrations are transmitted through the bridges to the soundboard which amplifies them. Piano is often used in western music as solo performances and it is the most familiar of musical instruments. The word Piano is derived from the Italian name pianoforte.

Beethoven

Johann van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany during the year 1770. At his young age Beethoven took interest in music, and his father taught him day and night. His father was a musician at the court of Bonn where he was having the tavern. At the age of 7 on 26th March, Beethoven gave his first public performance at Cologne. As the musical and teaching talents were limited Beethoven started learning music very seriously form Gottlob Neefe. Then at the age of 12, Beethoven published his first work 9 variations, in c Minor for piano on March 1782. And the following year Neefe wrote in the "Magazine of Music" about his Beethoven that if he continues like this he will be no doubtly the new Mozart. At the age of 14 he was appointed as the organist of the court of Maximilian Franz, elector of cologne on the recommendation of Neefe. Prince Franz was aware of Beethoven's musical gift, so he sent Beethoven to Vienna to meet Mozart in order to get his further musical education. There at Vienna Beethoven began taking lessons form Haydn and Salieri. He captured the attention of the people of Vienna with his virtuosity and his improvisations on piano. Beethoven made numerous acquaintances at Vienna, everybody in the musical world admired the young composer. In 1800 he organized a new concert at Vienna including the presentation of his first symphony. His symphony work was classical and was close to the works of Mozart and Haydn.

Beethovens Achievements

Beethoven had written one opera named Leonore, the only opera he wrote and re-wrote in four different overtures. The name of the opera was changed to Fidelio against his wishes. He also composed many other symphonies, amongst which were the Pastrol, the Coriolan Overture and the famous Letter for Elise.