Ludwig Van Beethoven Was Born

Ludwig Van Beethoven was born in 1740 in Bonn, Germany to father Johann van Beethoven and mother Magdalena Keverich Van Beethoven. His father was his first musical mentor but was an alcoholic who abused his son even as he tried to get the young Ludwig recognized as a child prodigy. In order to continue studying music, Ludwig van Beethoven moved tin 1792 to Vienna, where he would spend most of the remainder of his life. While in Vienna, Beethoven studied under the tutelage of Joseph Haydn, commonly referred to as the "father of the string quartet." It was Haydn who most probably taught Beethoven the art of composing string quartets and who may have especially inspired Beetoven's first six string quartets, including Opus 18/6. Beethoven was able to earn a living through his music, as a freelance public piano performer and through the direct sales of his works as well as official stipends. Unlike many other musicians of his time, Beethoven did not receive much money from Church-commissioned works or by court-commissioned works.

Beethoven began composing string quartets in his so-called "early period," the time of his musical career in which he was exploring different styles and primarily emulating his teacher Joseph Haydn. Moreover, Beethoven's "early period" is also the time before he began to go deaf, around age 30. When Beethoven began losing his hearing, his impending deafness led the musician into deep mental depression. His social life deteriorated and he became suicidal as well. Music written during Beethoven's "middle period" is characteristically grand, expressing "heroism and struggle," (searchspaniel.com). Beginning around 1816, the inception of his "late period," Beethoven's compositional style shifted to become more introspective and intense. Beethoven never married and chased after women who were "unattainable" for various reasons (searchspaniel.com). Beethoven's health deteriorated considerably and he died at age 56 in 1826. In general, Beethoven's music is considered to be on the cusp of the classical and romantic eras.

Because of his troubled personal life, "it is common for listeners to perceive an echo of Beethoven's life in his music, which often depicts struggle followed by triumph," (searchspaniel.com). This theme is definitely evident in Beethoven's first six string quartets, which were composed before he went deaf. The String Quartet Number 6, Opus 18/6 proceeds through four distinct movements, in accordance with many other pieces in that genre. The movements are titled as follows: 1. Allegro con brio; 2. Adagio ma non-troppo; 3. Scherzo: Allegro; and 4. La Malincona Adagio-Allegretto quasi-Allegro. The chamber music piece is written for two violins, a viola and a cello. It was published by T. Mollo et Comp in Vienna in 1801, and was probably written between 1788 and 1800.

Allegro con Brio, the first movement of String Quartet Number 6, is in sonata-allegro form. It has a lively and upbeat feeling and in its only six-minute duration, includes several distinct themes. As with most sonata-allegro forms, the movement proceeds from introduction to thematic development to a tight recapitulation. The root key is B-flat major, and the movement remains in that key signature. During the development phase of the movement, several themes are juxtaposed, creating tension and instability but later resolving nicely, leaving a satisfactory feel for the listener.

The second movement of String Quartet Number 6, Adagio ma non-troppo, is far slower in tempo than the earlier movement. However, the piece does not become melancholy, characteristic of early Beethoven work. This slower movement retains a unified theme throughout, unlike the sonata form before it. As a result, Adagio ma non-troppo feels calmer and more relaxing, and imparts a soft, almost tranquil aura on the listener with the occasional moment of tension around the six-minute mark of the seven and a half-minute movement, when long pauses in the music are introduced. In fact, the last minute and a half of the second movement of the String Quartet develops a different theme from the beginning of that movement. During the first few minutes of the second movement the cello is absent, and around the four-minute mark of the movement, the higher stringed instruments solo once more. The last minute an a half serve as an overall resolution to the piece, but do not significantly alter its general monothematic feeling. Some staccato strings indicate a definite ending to the movement.

The third movement of the String Quartet (Scherzo: Allegro), incorporates counterpoint and is the piece's most dramatic movement. Just like the first movement, this allegro piece undergoes several thematic changes. After the first two and a half minutes, the movement becomes frenetic, with the violin serving as the primary carrier of the melody. However, the contrapuntal energy of this third movement is remarkable and complex. This movement acts as the overall climax of the entire string quartet; some moments are melodically complex enough to almost seem orchestral. At the end of the movement, the counterpoint fades as all the instruments take turns playing the same melody line. This serves to unify all the themes of the segment.