Ludwig van Beethoven

This week, I had a chance to read two books about Ludwig van Beethoven; he is my favorite musician and composer. The titles of two books were “The Life and Works of Beethoven” and “The Letters of Beethoven.” The reason I read these books is because I am learning how to play Beethoven’s Sonatas. When I have piano lesson with my music teacher, he often said to me, “You must think the composer’s purpose of a piece of music and try to explain it with your own style.” Currently, I am learning Beethoven’s Sonata number 8, the first movement. This music was titled as “Pathetique” and it was French word that denoted a feeling of passion and sorrow in Ancient Greek. All three of this sonata’s movements are well-known since he published it in 1790. I also have heard lot through the media. But it is hard to play and make it as my own style. So I decided to look up several sources and understand the composer’s purpose. First I found that Beethoven wrote this music in 1789 and published one year later. What dragged him to write such spiritual music? The answer was in those two books I’ve read. When Beethoven was 27, his mother passed away because of illness and poverty. His father, Johann van Beethoven, was alcoholic and the drinking problem went out of control. So young Beethoven begins to work at the church as organist, where his father and grandfather worked, and earned half of his father’s salary to survive with his brothers. If I were in his shoes, I would probably become a hopeless person. But the genius musician wrote this sonata and expressed his moment of life through the music. His name and works are still valuable. As I was reading and searching about him, I felt that his skills and talents were not granted. To became a Beethoven he sacrificed himself.