Meet a Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

Meet A Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

Years Lived: 1770-1827

Period of Composing: Classical to Romantic

Country: Germany

Ludwig van Beethoven wrote music during the transition between the Classical and Romantic periods. He was a very accomplished pianist and composed many piano sonatas, nine symphonies, string quartets, vocal music, and numerous other pieces! Beethoven’s famous 9^th Symphony, composed while he was going deaf, includes the well known melody “Ode to Joy.” Some of Beethoven’s most familiar music is heard today in movies, television shows, and commercials.

To learn more about Beethoven and to listen to some of his music, click here.

Print out this worksheet and follow along with Beethoven’s 8^th Symphony! 

Orchestras around the country have celebrated Beethoven's 250th birthday, but check out the Google Doodle created for his 245^th birthday and see if you can arrange notes to his 5^th Symphony theme in the correct order.  The musical puzzle also includes themes from some of his other famous works: Für Elise, Moonlight Sonata, and Ode to Joy.

Try composing your own melody here! 

Listen to a short podcast about his symphonies and take a quiz here.

For more information, click here. 

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