Ludwig van Beethoven Trivia

1. One of the hardest of Beethoven's sonatas is Piano Sonata No. 29 in B Flat Major, Op. 106. But what is the name of this extremely difficult sonata?

From Quiz The Names of Sonatas and Symphonies (Beethoven)

Answer: Hammerklavier

The "Hammerklavier" Sonata takes about 40 to 50 minutes to play. During Beethoven's time, the pianos had wooden frames. The "Hammerklavier" Sonata was so long and strenuous that the pianos had to be tuned after every performance of this sonata. (This does not happen nowadays as modern pianos can endure much more playing.) The "Hammerklavier" was written in 1818. It was probably named that because of its length and ferocity.

From Quiz Beethoven - nine famous symphonies

Answer: He did not start the symphony in the key it was written in

Beethoven's first symphony was first performed on April 2, 1800 in Vienna. At this time, composition theory and practice was determined by a host of conventions and traditions that determined how each movement of a symphony had to be structured, what it was allowed or forbidden to contain and how to use melody and harmony. One of these rules was that a piece's first chord had to be that of its key, establishing the tonal structure. Beethoven caused a small outrage among traditionalists by breaking with this pattern - the entire 12-bar adagio introduction avoids the C major key entirely, teasing around it. The key is finally reached on the 13th bar when the main allegro part of the movement begins.

From Quiz Beethoven

Answer: Bonn, Germany

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn (part of modern-day Germany) on December 16, 1770. His father was singer Johann van Beethoven and his mother was named Maria Magdalena Keverich.

From Quiz Beethoven 101

Answer: Ludwig

According to behindthename.com, Ludwig is based on an older Germanic name, Hludwig, meaning "famous warrior." Beethoven shares his name with three Merovingian kings (usually referred to in their Latin form, "Clovis"), and three Bavarian kings.

From Quiz Great Composers: Beethoven

Answer: Bonn

Born December 17, 1770, Beethoven began his career in the town of Bonn. He followed the family footsteps of his father and grandfather, who were also musicians.

From Quiz The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven

Answer: Bonn, 1770

His father, Johann, held a minor singing post at court and his mother, Maria, was the daughter of a court cook.

From Quiz Beethoven's Only Opera

Answer: 'Fidelio'

Richard Strauss composed 'Ariadne', Bizet wrote 'Pearl Fishers' and Debussy wrote 'Pelleas' (like Beethoven's, it was Debussy's sole opera).

From Quiz Beethoven's Life, Times and Works

Answer: 1770

December 16, 1770, in Bonn, in what is now Germany.

From Quiz The Names of Sonatas and Symphonies (Beethoven)

Answer: Moonlight

The "Moonlight" Sonata is one of Beethoven's most famous compositions. It was written at the time when Beethoven was starting to compose different music and was starting to create the Romantic era of music.

From Quiz Ludwig van, Piano Man

Answer: Vienna

In 1792 Beethoven traveled to Vienna from Bonn, his hometown. The trip was subsidized by his patron, the Elector of Bonn. Sadly, soon after arriving in Vienna, Beethoven learned that his alcoholic father had died back in Bonn. This unfortunate turn of events nevertheless had a benefit: it freed Beethoven to remain in Vienna in order to take advantage of the opportunities the city provided for him to advance his career. By 1795 Beethoven had come under the tutelage of Antonio Salieri, who is famed today for his connection to Mozart; and it is believed that Salieri was instrumental in organizing the concert at which Beethoven debuted his "Second Piano Concerto." The concerto was largely composed from 1787-1789, with the third movement being written in 1795.

From Quiz Beethoven

Answer: "One day he will give the world something to talk about."

In 1787, Beethoven visited Vienna and met Mozart. Mozart was quite impressed with the 16-year-old pianist. Unfortunately, Beethoven had to return to Bonn after a few weeks because his mother was dying.

From Quiz The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven

Answer: 7

Beethoven did not make an impression on his audience.

From Quiz Beethoven's Only Opera

Answer: a prison in Seville, Spain

It is a story of political oppression, about a rebel's imprisonment.

From Quiz The Names of Sonatas and Symphonies (Beethoven)

Answer: Piano Sonata No.12 (opus 26)

The sonata takes about 20 to 25 minutes to play. It has four movements which was unusual for that time. However, Beethoven had already written six sonatas with four movements. Piano Sonata No. 12 was composed in 1801.

From Quiz Ludwig van, Piano Man

Answer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart (1756-1791) had become famous for his compositions by the time Beethoven was a teenager; and Beethoven became an ardent Mozart fan. There are some accounts that they may have met in 1787 when Beethoven made a trip to Vienna, but these accounts are not supported by any contemporary documentation. It is certain, however, that Beethoven had studied Mozart, wrote cadenzas and variations on several of Mozart's works, and showed more indirect influence from Mozart in several of his other works, including "Piano Concerto Number One." This concerto was written in 1796-1797, nearly ten years AFTER his second piano concerto; but it was published first - in 1801, ahead "Piano Concerto Number Two" - thus meriting the "Number One" designation.

From Quiz Beethoven - nine famous symphonies

Answer: The ballet "The Creatures of Prometheus"

Written with Napoleon Bonaparte in mind, Beethoven's third symphony was to celebrate a heroic life. However, before the symphony premiered, Napoleon declared himself Emperor and Beethoven became disillusioned with him, famously tearing up the title page of his manuscript bearing the dedication. The "Prometheus" theme originally composed for the ballet and reused as the basis for the finale was one of Beethoven's most recurring themes: It was used at least twice more, in one of the 12 Contradanses and as the basis of a set of variations for piano.

From Quiz Beethoven

Answer: 1798-1801

Beethoven was about 28 years old when his hearing began to fail. By 1800, several doctors were called upon but failed to help. Beethoven suffered great pain in his ear and his increasing hearing loss caused him much depression.

From Quiz Beethoven 101

Answer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Kudos to Mozart for being able to see beyond convention and recognize Beethoven's own genius. Many musicians and music critics--including Beethoven's one-time teacher, Joseph Haydn--actually feared Beethoven's work because it relied so much upon passion rather than the mathematically precise nature consistent with the Classical style of the age.

From Quiz Great Composers: Beethoven

Answer: violin and organ

Beethoven became so proficient at his instruments that at 11 years of age he began substituting for his teacher in public performances. It was thought Beethoven would become another Mozart, yet while his talent and genius was evident, he did not rise to fame in his youth as had Mozart.

From Quiz The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven

Answer: Bonaparte

Beethoven changed it to "Eroica" after Napoleon Bonaparte proclaimed himself emperor.

From Quiz Beethoven's Only Opera

Answer: Florestan

Florestan is the freedom fighter now facing death from starvation in the dungeon.

From Quiz The Names of Sonatas and Symphonies (Beethoven)

Answer: Cuckoo

Piano Sonata No. 25 (opus 79) is the shortest sonata ever composed by Beethoven. It only takes eleven minutes to play all three movements. Compared to his longest sonata, the "Hammerklavier", it is about four times shorter.

From Quiz Beethoven - nine famous symphonies

Answer: No. 4 was a paid work commissioned by a noble who loved No. 2

Dedicated to "the Silesian nobleman Count Franz von Oppersdorf", the fourth symphony was the only commissioned work among the nine Beethoven symphonies. The Count had originally heard Beethoven's second symphony played at a concert and liked it so much that he offered Beethoven a substantial sum of money to have a symphony written for him.

From Quiz Beethoven

Answer: He never married

Although Countess Giulietta Guicciardi was the love of Beethoven's life, they never married. She married someone else and Beethoven remained alone. Beethoven wrote the Sonata Op. 27 no. 2 for her.

From Quiz Beethoven 101

Answer: Napoleon Bonaparte

Initially, Beethoven thought that Napoleon would bring democracy and the Enlightenment to all of Europe. However, he soon discovered that Napoleon's imperial ambitions made him little different than any other tyrant conqueror. In 1804, he so forcefully scratched Bonaparte's name from the title that it left a gaping hole in the paper. To a friend, Beethoven said of Napoleon, "Now he will crush the rights of man. He will become a tyrant."

From Quiz Great Composers: Beethoven

Answer: 13

At 13 he began improvising his own work on the piano, and was encouraged to publish these sonatas. Beethoven achieved his fame and fortune more through composing than through playing, this might be due in part to him losing his hearing when he was in his twenties. While he could not hear himself play on the piano, he could still hear the instruments in his head, and was able to continue composing.

From Quiz The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven

Answer: music

This was written as a letter to his brothers which he never mailed but kept with him the rest of his life. He calls it his "art" (i.e., his music).

From Quiz Beethoven's Only Opera

Answer: Leonore

Desperate to spring her husband, the loyal Leonore disguises herself as a boy named Fidelio (the opera's name) and works as assistant to the jailer.

From Quiz Beethoven's Life, Times and Works

Answer: It is unclear whether they ever met

One story goes that Beethoven made a trip to Vienna in 1787 where Mozart heard Beethoven play the piano. Mozart is reported to have said, 'Watch this young man; he will yet make a noise in the world.' There are other indications from various biographers that they possibly met. However, there is nothing that could be considered proof that they ever met at all - no substantiated contemporary evidence. Chances are fairly good, though, that Beethoven saw Mozart play on his 1787 trip to Vienna - he was a great admirer of Mozart, and Mozart was definitely in the city and playing at that time. even that, though is no more than a guess.

From Quiz The Names of Sonatas and Symphonies (Beethoven)

Answer: The Grand Sonata

The "Grand Sonata" lasts between 25-30 minutes, making it one of the longest sonatas composed by Beethoven. Beethoven actually named it "Great Sonata". He did not do this to gain popularity, but because it was published on its own, which was strange for that time period.

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