Other Classical Genres-Chapter 14

Other Classical Genres

    • Other main genres of music in Viennese Classical era: sonata, Classical concerto, string quarter, and opera buffa (comic opera)
    • Many features of symphony are in these genres as well
  • The Sonata
    • Sonata - a chamber-music piece in several movements, typically for 3 main instruments plus continuo in the Baroque period, and for only 1-2 instruments since then
    • Not designed for concerts (rare at this time), but for private performances
    • Symphony is a public genre, sonata a domestic one, and domestic clientele was primarily women
    • Professional females were rare, but playing music in home was increasing
    • Some sonatas are easy to play and limited in expressive range
    • Piano sonatas composed for solo piano (favorite instrument of time), and violin sonatas were composed for violin and piano
    • Piano is equal partner (not an accompaniment) in violin sonatas
    • Sonatas are 3-movement compared to 4-movement symphony, minus the minuet movement
    • Only about 2/3 of Mozart’s sonatas follow this plan
    • None are more than 3 movements, but are always shorter than symphony movements
    • Some only have 2 movements
  • The Classical Concerto
    • Virtuosity stayed a central feature in Classical concerto
    • Orchestra was growing and was more expressive
    • Coordinated string, woodwind, and brass groups allowed more variety
    • Balance between solo and orchestra became difficult, but was worked out by Mozart in a series of 17 piano concertos for concert use
    • Double-exposition form - a type of sonata form developed for use in concertos
      • Developed by Mozart to capitalize on contest
    • Sonata form has exposition presenting all basic material repeated
    • Concerto has competing forces presenting musical themes in its own different version
    • Orchestra exposition - In Classical concerto form, the first of two expositions played by the orchestra without the soloist
    • Solo exposition - In Classical concerto form, the second of two expositions, played by the soloist and the orchestra
    • Orchestra can’t modulate and soloist can
  • The String Quartet
    • String Quartet - an instrumental group consisting of 2 violins, viola, and cello; or a piece composed for this group; or the four players themselves
    • Plan for this is close to a symphony, having as many movements but less people/instruments and cannot match range of volume and tone
    • Quartets were never intended for concert listening in 18th century; meant for little to no audience
    • Lack of tone is made up my interplaying and interacting with others in the quartet
    • Chamber Music - Music played by small groups, such as a string quartet or piano trio
    • Anywhere from 2-9 players
  • Opera Buffa
    • Late 18th, comic opera grew in importance
    • Happy endings were from tricks and schemes rather than princes
    • Comic opera stars had to be funny and act
    • Opera Buffa - Italian comic opera
    • Ensemble - A musical number in an opera, cantata, or oratorio that is sung by two or more people
    • Sentiments were presented swiftly because we didn’t wait through arias for characters’ feelings
    • Changing sentiments are project by means of musical sections with different tempos, keys, and themes

Haydn Seek

Step 1

What are the instruments used in a string quartet?

2 violins, a viola, and a cello

Describe the tempo & form characteristics of a string quartet

The form of a string quartet is very similar to that of a symphony: an opening movement, slow movement, minuet (with trio), and a closing movement. It starts and ends with a very fast tempo, and in-between has a slow tempo in the slower movement, and a moderate tempo in the minuet.

Describe musical elements heard in this movement from Haydn's String Quartet Op. 20 no. 5

All of the different instruments enter one at a time, playing different melodies (with the cello primarily focusing on supporting harmony parts). It has a very minor sound (in terms of key), but does not actually sound that "sad" as most minor pieces do. The rhythms throughout the entire thing are relatively complex until the area in 1:40ish where they all come into unison then separate again. Since it is a string quartet, it has a very scratchy or intense sound/timbre to it. There are several different dynamic changes, both as a whole as well as individuals having microdynamics as they play their melodies.

Step 2

What is an Oratorio?

A musical piece for orchestra and voices that revolves around a narrative on religious themes, performed without costumes, scenery, or action.

What language is used for Haydn's Oratorio, The Creation?

German

Describe the shifts in tonality(major/minor) and dynamics heard in The Heaven's Are Telling from the Creation

The piece starts out very intensely with the choir and orchestra in a major key, then alternates between light string sections and the large choir sections. Around 0:40, after the choir decreases their volume, the strings start switching to a more minor tone (which is mimicked by the singers). Immediately the choir in major almost interrupts the quieter soloist singers that were in minor. The piece remains major, and there is a cute little call and response between singers and winds in 2:00 that I enjoy. For the rest of the piece is sounds like it remains major with some slight dissonances here and there.

 

Step 3

Provide the following trivia regarding this excerpt from Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

Translation of the title 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik'

"A Little Night Music" or "A Little Serenade"

Instrumentation Used

Strings (but not a quartet, a larger string orchestra probably)

Movement Format

This movement specifically is the Allegro movement. This does not mean the entire movement is very fast, but I'd say around 80-90% is. After conducting some research, I discovered that this follows the basic movement format of a symphony.

  

Step 4

Provide the following trivia regarding this excerpt from Mozart's opera Don Giovanni

Brief plot synopsis

The opera "Don Giovanni" is based on the fictional Spanish character Don Juan, an individual that liked to embark on escapades and conquests (a seducer, you might say). The opera is not exactly comic nor serious, as it ties in the ideas of both. He goes on these conquests, but does not follow the laws of the land and ends up even killing one of his "conquest"'s fathers. Despite this, people still receive some joy and sympathy for the individual through this opera due to Mozart's musical abilities.

Original language of the Opera

Italian

Musical elements used to enhance the plot in this scene

They start with a very intense orchestral chord as the random scary man enters, and the higher parts fade as the low instruments play one beat before fading as he starts to sing. The instrumental accompaniment is very sad and has very intense accents to indicate that this man means business. I appreciate the constant fading of the orchestra as the singers will sing certain words or pitches to amplify the intensity (silence means more!). There are very more sweet-sounding higher parts that are played when it turns over to who I assume is Giovanni, to help indicate sympathy towards him. He probably did something super bad but we still feel bad for him and don't take it to heart as much because of the musicality. I really enjoy the intensity of the voices and the soft but powerful support of the instruments.

The Mozart Effect

Step 2 

1. List 2 bits of trivia portrayed in the play/movie Amadeus that are factual.

1. Mozart didn't mix well with the Archbishop of Salzburg, who even mistreated Mozart and eventually dismissed him.

2. Mozart loved billiards, and was mentioned in the memoirs of his good friend tenor Michael Kelly that he enjoyed countless games of billiards with him, and never won.

2. List 2 bits of trivia portrayed in the play/movie Amadeus that are fictional.

1. Mozart had 6 children, but unfortunately, only 2 survived to adulthood: Karl Thomas and Franz Xaver Wolfgang.

2. The only people present during Mozart's last moments were his wife Constanze, her sister Sophie, and his doctor. Constanze did not attend Mozart's funeral, since she was too distraught.

3. What is a Requiem Mass?

A Requiem Mass, or Mass for the dead, is a Mass in the Catholic Church offered for the rest of a soul or souls of deceased person(s). It is usually celebrated in the context of a funeral.

4. Why did Count Walsegg commission Mozart to compose a Requiem?

Count Walsegg commissioned the Mass to commemorate the anniversary of his wife's death (February 14th).

5. What 4 details from the Requiem Timeline(Wikipedia Link)interest you most?

1. December 1790: Mozart completes his string quintet in D (K. 593) and the Adagio and Allegro in F minor for a mechanical organ (K. 594). These are his first works in a new burst of creativity after a very low production of works in 1790.

I enjoyed this one because it said "a very low production of works". What deems a low production of works? He still produced a crazy amount of work!

2. 5 December – 10 December: Kyrie from Requiem completed by unknown composer (once identified as Mozart's pupil Franz Jakob Freystädtler, although this attribution is not generally accepted now)

This one was interesting because of the "unknown composer" bit. I want to know who it was.

3. 10 December: Requiem (probably only Introitus and Kyrie) is performed in St. Michael's Church, Vienna, for a memorial for Mozart by the staff of the Theater auf der Wieden.

I appreciate that this was performed for his memorial. Also whenever I hear Kyrie all I can think of is the Mr. Mister song.

4. 1800 or later: Walsegg receives leaves 1 through 10 of the autograph (Introitus and Kyrie). AND After 1802: Abbé Stadler receives leaves 11 through 32 (Dies irae to Confutatis) of Mozart's Requiem autograph from Constanze. Later Eybler would receive leaves 33 to 46, the Lacrymosa through Hostias.

It's interesting that Mozart only wrote such a small portion of it(?). And the fact that the pages were all split up so much.

6. What posthumous diagnoses(Wikipedia Link) do you think is most believable?

After reviewing the 3 different theories or diagnoses, I think I believe the Georg Nikolaus von Nissen. This is because it seems to have the most credibility out of all of them. The only gap in his information is the events that took place after Mozart's return from Prague. Besides that, everything seems to make sense, especially since Georg was the 2nd husband to Constanze, so there are definite close ties to this info.

7. After listening to Dies Irae, how did Mozart musically capture the meaning of the text?

Dies Irae translates to day of wrath, and Mozart definitely captures this immediately with the intensity of the piece. The lyrics also state that the world will be consumed in ashes, and there will be much trembling as the judge(ment) comes. One thing I really enjoy about this piece is the vibrato adding a trembling intensity. You almost feel them shaking as their voices raise up more and more. Also the call-and-response with the intense male voices combined with the soft female, immediately followed by a largely intense portion is very beautiful and depicts the text very well.

8. How does Mozart change the musical feeling in Confutatis for “Voca me cum benedictus”?

There is a massive change in just about everything. The piece is much softer, at pp rather than the louder dynamic before. There is a soprano and alto voice in C singing very legato and soft. The violins perform a much lighter melody than what was played by them in the previous section. There are no tenor/bass singers in this like in the previous section, as well as no low brass or lower instruments (percussion, bassoon, etc.).

9. Translate the Latin for  'lacrimosa' and explain how Mozart conveys this musically.

Lacrimosa translates to tearful, and we can see this right from the beginning with the very slow tempo and sad, minor sound that comes from the piece. Simply listening to it made me feel very very sad. There is a lot of gentle, quiet parts that are throughout the piece; but there is also a decent amount of sad pieces. The clarinet solo around 2:00 sounds very cheerful though, sounding promising, before entering the sad choir part yet again.

10. In what ways does the Queen of the Night aria portray ‘magic flute’ like sounds?

It's interesting because right at the beginning, around 0:10, there is a part that sounds almost EXACTLY like Dies Irae. Once you get to 0:40, the higher pitched notes that repeat give a very similar sound to that of a flute. Not only are those notes very very impressive and high, but sound exactly like how flutes do. I don't know how it is supposed to sound like a "magic flute" like sounds, but it definitely sounds like a floating flute kind of sound, even at 2:00 with the up and down motions in the music.

11. After seeing the Papagena/Papageno duet, what do you think they are singing about?

...Falling in love with one another?

12. What might lead some to speculate that the Magic Flute Opera is full of hidden meanings and symbolism relating to Freemasonry/The Masonic Temple?

The Magic Flute Opera is said to have an exaggerated Masonic influence and elements. Most believe this since Schikaneder (writer of the libretto for Mozart) and Mozart were Freemasons, and even the printer (Ignaz Alberti) of the first libretto was one as well. There is also some influence from the Enlightenment philosophy. The Queen of the Night is said to represent a dangerous form of obscurantism (the practice of deliberately preventing the facts), or Roman Catholic Empress Maria Theresa, still seen by the Roman Catholic Church (who was anti-Masonic).

13. What is a Concerto?

A concerto is an instrumental piece featuring the balance between a soloist and an orchestra over the course of three movements.

14. How many movements do Concerto’s generally have?

Usually they have 3 movements.

15. Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto is cataloged as K.622.  The Magic Flute is K.620. The Requiem Mass is K. 626. What does the 'K' stand for and what does it indicate when cataloging the music of Mozart?

The K in Mozart's music stands for Köchel, which was the last name of Ludwig Ritter von Köchel. He was the man who published the first (almost) complete catalogue of Mozart’s works into chronological order. Although there were a very small amount of changes, the large majority of the organizations were accurate. I am assuming the numbers indicate the order in which they were released.

16. The clarinet was more or less invented during Mozart's time.  He composed the Clarinet Quintet and the Clarinet Concerto for which friend?

Anton Stadler (a clarinetist)

17. What were the results of the 1993 experiment that led to Mozart mania known as the ‘Mozart Effect’?

They were testing the effects of Mozart on spatial reasoning, which resulted in a momentary increase in IQ (roughly 15min). There was no long-term increase on IQ, but a misinterpretation of this information lead to the Mozart Effect, stating that all sorts of things can be fixed, cured, improved, etc. by listening to Mozart.

18.  Give a brief synopsis of the outcome of Mozart's visit to the Sistine Chapel after hearing Allegri's "Miserere".

I would assume his visit was very peaceful and relaxed, especially since the music is so laidback, piano, and relaxed. I don't see any part of the music where is has the signature intensity that can be featured in some of Mozart's pieces, and that makes this extra enjoyable.

19.  Explain Mozart's involvement with the Weber family throughout his life.

It started around 1777 when he fell in love with Aloysia Weber as he was becoming acquainted with the Mannheim orchestra. A couple years after that, Mozart ended up moving in with the famous musical Weber family, who were taking in lodgers to help maintain funds. Since Aloysia had rejected Mozart, his interest shifted to the 3rd daughter, Constanze. It is stated that their relationship was not the most stable in its start, but eventually the two were married and ended up having 6 children.

Beethoven-Chapter 15

Beethoven

    • Beethoven is such an iconic figure that summons a powerful positive image
    • His music has had uninterrupted popularity from release to modern day
    • Music may have “come of age” with Beethoven… it was never taken seriously until his symphonies and sonatas existed
    • Very impressive as well because of his deafness
  • Between Classicism and Romanticism
    • Beethoven was between 18th century Viennese Classical and 19th century Romanticism (roots firmly Classical)
    • He was a student of Haydn
    • Sense of urgency and striving in Beethoven’s music… violent, solemn, severe, or gentle
    • Romanticism was a literary movement
    • Not yet influential in Vienna, Beethoven did not have literary sensibility
    • Political upheaval made enormous impact on composers (French Revolution)
    • Beethoven was an impressionable 18 (grounded in liberal and humanistic ideals) during the Parisian crowd storming the Bastille in 1789
    • Had a great admiration of Napoleon Bonaparte, and wrote a symphony called Bonaparte for him in 1803 (retitled Eroica)
    • Before being sent off, Napoleon crowned himself emperor of France and Beethoven scratched out the dedication
    • Revolution stood for perfectibility, not human society
  • Beethoven and the Symphony
    • Beethoven’s difference from Haydn or Mozart is the sense of urgency and excitement
    • Maximizes all musical elements (high/low registers, sharper syncopations, stronger accents, harsher dissonances, profound resolutions)
    • Highly associated with the symphony
    • He wrote fewer symphonies than piano sonatas and string quartets (although they sound like symphonies)
    • First to make a career solely from composing
    • Beethoven’s father was a failure and alcoholic who beat him to make him practice
    • Around age 30 he became progressively deaf
    • Beethoven’s symphonic ideal is seen in his 5th Symphony (1808)
    • Rhythmic drive - Hammers meter, accents upon accents, calculating long time spans with special power
    • Motivic consistency - First movement of 5th symphony, single motive is heard constantly (in different forms). Not random, motive becomes more vivid, “organic” quality
    • Psychological progress - Fate is nullified, etc. etc. psychological progression in several stages
    • Replaced traditional minuet with what he called a scherzo
    • Scherzo - A form developed by Beethoven from the minuet to use for movements in larger compositions; later sometimes used alone, as by Chopin
    • Fast, rushing, triple meter inherited from minuet
    • Scherzo means “joke” in Italian; Beethoven’s humor is different from Haydn’s
  • Beethoven’s “Third Period”
    • Divided into 3 style periods
      • 1st period (until 1800) covers music building on Haydn and Mozart
      • 2nd contains “heroic” works like Eroica and 5th symphony
      • 3rd (1818 to 1827) loses heroism and is more intimate genres than symphony (piano sonata, string quartet, and piano miniature)
    • Music becomes more abstract, log fugues or variation forms range farther from their themes
    • Also comes from scales, quick-moving arpeggios, “broken” chords AND from his “almost miraculous” control of contrast and musical flow

Roll Over Beethoven

Step 1

Use the Bagatelle No. 25 Fur Elise to answer the following questions

What is a Bagatelle?

A light, mellow piece of music (typically for piano).

What is an Albumblatt?

"a short instrumental composition usually for piano" - Dictionary.com

Or, the title of numerous minor compositions by a wide variety of composers.

Describe some unique features of this composition

This piece has a very basic and repetitive melody in the beginning, and is very recognizable. Also, if you add more speed to it (regular tempo or faster), it can definitely be a very difficult piece, but at the beginning if you're learning how to play and at a slower speed, it can be a great beginner piece. Around 0:50 it starts to pick up in difficulty, until 1:00 which would probably kill a beginner. Then it repeats from the beginning again. Also, 1:35 is pretty difficult(ish) as well, especially the falling section that is shortly after, but then it proceeds to repeat that beginning melody again.

Provide background as to the identity of "Elise"

There is no real idea who Elise is, but there are a few ideas. Some say it was transcribed incorrectly and was originally called “Für Therese”, in honor of the woman who is thought to have been proposed to by Beethoven. It is also thought to be Elisabeth Röckel, a soprano singer who played the title role of Beethoven’s opera Fidelio. Lastly, the third woman in mind was Elise Barensfeld, who was considered a child prodigy and travelled with Beethoven on concert tours.

 

Step 2

Use Beethoven's 5th,  Beethoven's Wig & Plink Plank Plunk to respond to the following questions

Why do you think that the 4 Note Theme from Symphony No. 5 is so well known?

The repetition of the theme throughout the piece so much combined with how iconic and intense the notes/chords are what makes it so well-known (as well as just Beethoven's overall fame).

Why do you think this theme has been recycled in so many ways throughout history?

Life probably is following the motto of "it it ain't broke, don't fix it". Since the theme is so iconic and can be used in many different ways, I believe individuals have decided to try and play off of that fame rather than attempt to create something of their own that is of equal intensity.

 

Step 3

Provide background trivia regarding Ode To Joy

The text-origin & meaning

The original poem is a deep and thorough examination of the feeling of joy and aims to help create a feeling and appreciation of joy for the reader. It starts by the character Joy welcoming and embracing everyone that seeks it, and after that investing joy in the natural world. Then we get a very large passage about Joy drinking intense amounts of wine/liquor. We then close with a final statement, that everyone needs joy for life and motivation.

The context that Beethoven used it in

Many state and agree that Beethoven's 9th Symphony (Ode to Joy) is an act of intensive and bombastic violence; trying to hide his political aspirations through his music.

Ways in which this composition has been used throughout history

Ode to Joy has been used as a protest anthem and celebration of music. It has been used in Chile during the Pinochet dictatorship, Chinese students in Tiananmen Square, Leonard Bernstein's concert after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and Daiku (Number Nine) concerts in Japan every December and after the 2011 tsunami.

 

Step 4

Use THIS LINK or Julie Drive the access the Billy Joel/Beatles Influence interview

Provide a summary of Billy Joel's classical composer influences

Billy Joel's influence is originally classical music, showcased and synthesized through The Beatles. Beethoven is his favorite classical composer since he practically lived music for his entire life and every little single part. He also lists Debussy, Chopin, and Mozart; but Beethoven was the primary one (along with The Beatles).

Compare/Contrast Beethoven's Pathetique to Billy Joel's This Night

The very beginning of the Pathetique piece has the same exact notes that Billy Joel used in his piece, and the patterns are practically the very same. I am deeply in love with This Night, so listening to Pathetique is so weird because I can very distinctively hear Joel's piece in it. Around 1:00 as well as 2:20, Joel did not really take much from this portion of the piece. Beethoven seems to enter a minor key or incorporate some dissonance into this portion. Joel's interpretation of Pathetique is as if the piano part became a vocal, and then was supported by a very 30's-40's doo wop style of music. Beethoven's slight crescendos are intensified in Joel's piece as well. The layering changes in the piece are very similar though.

 

Step 5

Use the Piano Sonata No. 14 Moonlight Sonata to answer the following

What is a Sonata?

A sonata is a composition for an instrumental soloist with a piano accompaniment, usually in several movements and in sonata form.

Provide background trivia regarding this composition's dedication

Moonlight Sonata was completed in 1801 and dedicated to Countess Giulietta Guicciardi in 1802 (one thing I just found interesting is that it was dedicated a year after it was completed, whereas nowadays most people know pieces as being dedicated from almost the very beginning). Just simply from reading Beethoven's letters to her, you can tell that he was in love with her. Some even believe that he composed to her and she wished to accept, but one of her parents (probably her father) refused to allow it.

What are your specific feelings or thoughts in response to this composition?

I have always thought of this being one of the most beautiful pieces (maybe not in the world, but it definitely ranks up there for me overall and in Beethoven's pieces). It doesn't really spark love in my mind as much as sadness and depression, which maybe he is displaying due to the rejection of his marriage request to his love. But, there is definitely a hint of love that makes me feel very warm and happy inside whenever I listen to this piece, even though this piece sparks sadness.

HONORS TRACK

Can Ludwig come out and play?

Option 1

A. Highlight the contradictions that filled Beethoven's life to include

His Father, Grandfather & Nephew Karl

Beethoven's father was abusive and determined to make sure his son was to become the next Mozart. He would punch his son and even lock him in the basement if Ludwig did not perform to his liking. This lead Beethoven to be a much more reserved individual, but eventually opened himself up to performances. On top of that, at the age of 18 (after his mother's death), Ludwig became the head of the household to deal with his alcoholic father. The pressure of running a family ended up making him feel bitter and bad-tempered, but also made him much more confident and resourceful.

It is stated that Ludwig was very passionate about his grandfather, despite him passing only a week past his 3rd birthday. His grandfather was a court musician who eventually became the court Kapellmeister, in charge of all official musical activities in Bonn. This made the Beethovens a musical family, and probably inspired the young Ludwig a great ton (despite them barely being acquainted).

Beethoven was determined to make his nephew Karl the one to carry on his legacy. Beethoven fought a custody battle and won over his nephew, then proceeded to refuse to let him see his mother as well as placed him in several schools. Karl tried to run away to his mother several times, and was said to have no musical talent according to his teacher. He even bought a gun and attempted suicide, before finally going off to the military, breaking Beethoven's heart.

His romantic interests, i.e. Immortal Beloved

We have talked previously about other romantic interests in this unit, such as the woman who received the dedication of Moonlight Sonata, or the potential love interest receiving the dedication of Für Elise. Although, out of all of those, the most interesting is Beethoven's Immortal Beloved. One thing that always fascinates me is that despite all of Beethoven's reclusive and intense personality, he did have a decent amount of love interests. The "Immortal Beloved" is the addressee of a letter written on 10 small pages, with a very faint year and address on it (having 2 favored candidates, and 7 others listed). It has 3 parts, written in pencil, and showcases that he was hopelessly in love.

His emotional and physical health

He was known to have a legendary temper and tons of mood swings. This is probably influenced, as discussed previously, due to being the head of his household at a young age. The amount of emotional pressure put onto him throughout his childhood and teenage years lead to him being very damaged as he was older. It was also stated that he was not the most attractive individual, with skin discoloration from smallpox and very disgusting hair. He also had liver and kidney diseases, likely influenced by his father (not directly, but indirectly) and as a form of escapism.

His attitude toward nobility

Beethoven believed that his insanely impressive piano and composition abilities put him on the same level as the noblemen. It was very obvious physically that he was not a part of their crowd, but he made up for it with his talents. There is even the statement that since he is a creator, he is only second to God. He would repay his patrons occasionally by dedicating works to them. He made his background mysterious, leading individuals to believe that the "van" in his name may mean his is of noble birth. Beethoven even solidified his reputation as star pianist in the town by challenging other pianists to improvisation competitions. In his earlier years, he visited coffee houses and discussed the politics at the time with people there as well.

 

B. Describe how these contradictions influenced his compositions to include 

His musical accomplishments

Not only was he a great composer that helped transition into new periods of music, but he also was one of the best pianists around. We can see this from his piano duels in order to maintain his status, as well as his overall composition abilities. This piano talent comes from not only his dedication and practice, but is fueled by the amount of abuse he received from his father during his piano lessons. If Beethoven did not perform to his liking, his father would abuse him, leading him to (sadly) work harder and harder.

His influence on other composers

We often see the influence of Beethoven in 20th-century composers, as he pushed musical boundaries and opened gateways for others to adapt from his style. Schoenberg, Stravinsky, and Stockhausen are stated to have written their pieces like soap operas of scandals between composers and performers, a tradition started by Beethoven. But his influence was so grand that it still reaches us today, even if we don't directly notice it. One very obvious one is Billy Joel, written about earlier in this unit, who worked off of Beethoven's pieces and made it sound very very similar, but in a modern tone.

Compositional connections to Napoleon

Beethoven was progressively becoming deaf and in that process was becoming more depressed. He began writing his 3rd symphony, and (although unclear) it is stated that Beethoven dedicated the symphony to Napoleon Bonaparte. This is due to his enthusiasm for the man, titling it Bonaparte, up until an interesting event. Napoleon declared himself emperor of France, enraging Beethoven and leading him to immediately changing the title of the piece in a fit of rage. Beethoven's enthusiasm for Napoleon comes from his younger days. He had a very subtle relationship (and little to no ties to him) primarily focused around the fact that he enjoyed the views of the French Revolution, and took those with him when he moved to Vienna.

Rebellion from the Patronage System

Beethoven was clearly not a part of the nobleman crowd, and he was also very rebellious in terms of patrons as well. It was stated that he would only dedicate his works to his patrons on occasion, and even stormed off of one of his patron's properties (on which he was living on), stating that there were hundreds of others just like him, but only ONE Beethoven. This kind of attitude let himself separate himself greatly from the patrons for whom he worked and performed for.