Pick up Beethoven’s famous and representative works!
Ludwig van Beethoven created innovative music that served as a bridge from the Classical to the Romantic era, leaving a profound influence on later generations.
His music is passionate yet rich in beautiful melodies, and it conveys a sense of essential depth, as if pursuing things to their very core.
There are many masterpieces that everyone has heard at least once, such as “Fate” (Symphony No.
5) and “Für Elise.”
In this article, we’ve picked out some of Beethoven’s famous and representative works.
Why not immerse yourself in the music of Beethoven, one of the great composers?
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[Beethoven] Pick Up Masterpieces and Signature Works! (181–190)
Symphony No. 9 “Choral,” Fourth MovementLudwig van Beethoven
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is considered a year-end classic in Japan.
The piece consists of four movements, with the most famous being the fourth movement, which leads into the “Ode to Joy.” It begins with powerful orchestral tones and later features the familiar “Ode to Joy” chorus.
Many people in Japan even practice singing this section as the year draws to a close.
How about enjoying this classic, filled with the hope of spending joyful days through Christmas and from year’s end into the New Year?
I love you.Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven’s piece Ich liebe dich, also known as Tender Love, is a well-known solo song with piano accompaniment, commonly referred to as a German Lied, and is occasionally performed at piano recitals.
In terms of difficulty, it is very easy among Beethoven’s works, so even young children can complete it comfortably with practice.
The section where it modulates from G major to C major features the most beautiful melody, so when performing, pay attention to a gentle touch and clear contrasts.
String Quartet No. 13 in B-flat major, Op. 130: V. “Cavatina”Ludwig van Beethoven
A string quartet captivates with the elegant resonance of string instruments.
One of its masterpieces is a late work by Ludwig van Beethoven.
Composed between 1825 and 1826, it is characterized by delicate, beautiful melodies.
It’s hard to believe it was written when he had completely lost his hearing, such is the richness of Beethoven’s musical imagination.
The leisurely lines that unfold in stillness seem to express the composer’s inner struggles and deep emotions.
It is a piece I would love even beginners to classical music to hear at least once.
Wrapped in the sonority of strings, why not listen for Beethoven’s inner voice?
Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 2 No. 1Ludwig van Beethoven
Composed by Beethoven, Piano Sonata No.
1 in F minor, Op.
2 No.
1.
Its depth and intensity ride on speed, pressing in endlessly.
It gives me the strange feeling of being driven by the sound.
That’s Beethoven for you.
It feels as if he’s expressing a life burdened with many struggles through music.
It’s a piece that gives you courage, so please give it a listen.
String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132, III. “A Convalescent’s Holy Song of Thanksgiving to the Deity, in the Lydian mode.”Ludwig van Beethoven
This is an exceptionally accomplished string quartet composed two years before Beethoven’s death.
The third movement of this five-movement work serves as the overall climax, a piece filled with gentle joy.
It evokes his Symphony No.
9—conjuring even a beautiful scene like a sudden sunshower followed by a rainbow—truly a quintessential example of his artistry.
Written after Beethoven recovered from a grave illness he had feared, the piece adopts a bright, jubilant tone.
Happy New Year WoO 165Ludwig van Beethoven
A short canon by Mr.
Beethoven, notable for its heartwarming melody celebrating the New Year.
Though it lasts only about 30 seconds, its structure—in which four voices successively chase one another while singing the words “Happy New Year”—beautifully conveys the joy and hope of the season.
Completed in 1815, this piece is said to have been presented by Beethoven as a New Year’s greeting to a friend.
It is included on albums such as Cantus Novus Wien’s “Canons and Musical Jokes,” offering a glimpse of a lesser-known side of Beethoven.
Recommended as background music when welcoming the New Year or sending greetings to someone special.
A piece that lets you feel Beethoven’s profoundly human charm.
Moonlight, First MovementLudwig van Beethoven
Among piano sonatas, Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata, First Movement” is often considered unconventional.
Haven’t we all been captivated by its heavy yet beautiful melody at some point? The key feature of this first movement is, above all, its unhurried tempo.
Even if your fingers aren’t very agile, you can still play it, and the tempo allows the left-hand accompaniment to prepare properly for what comes next, making it very approachable for beginners.
The fact that you keep the damper pedal depressed for long stretches is also a beginner-friendly aspect.