Did Beethoven's Compositions Change as He Began to Lose His Hearing?

Undeniably, there is a marked progression in the compositions of Beethoven from his early period to his later works. Specifically, the transition from his first to ninth symphonies, his first to fifth piano concertos, and his earliest to final string quartets shows a significant transformation. Whether or not his progressive hearing loss was a primary factor in this change is debatable, but it is clear that it played a profound role in the intensity and emotional depth of his music during his middle period and eventually led to his groundbreaking late works.

Beethoven's Musical Periods

Beethoven's music is often segmented into three distinct periods, although this is somewhat of an oversimplification. His Early Period, which extends until around 1801, marks the beginning of his departure from the classical traditions of Mozart and Haydn and into more innovative territory. During this time, Beethoven was deeply influenced by his teacher and friend, Haydn, who was also the dedicatee of Beethoven's Op. 2 triptych of piano sonatas.

The Middle Period, which followed, coincides with the time when Beethoven began to experience hearing loss. This period is characterized by some of Beethoven's most dramatic and celebrated works, including symphonies 3 through 8, his last two piano concertos, and piano sonatas 21 through 27. These pieces, including the famous Appassionata, Waldstein, and what is known as the Das Lebewohl/Les Adieux, exhibit a sense of struggle and dramatic intensity that marks them as unique in their time. Many critics believe that the heightened intensity of the music in this period represents Beethoven's struggle against his encroaching deafness.

In one of the most notable features of his Middle Period, Beethoven introduced the concept of a "Sudden Finale". This technique involves a dramatic transition within the final movement of a multi-movement work, often seguing from a preceding movement into the finale with a sudden and violent intensity. This can be seen in the "Waldstein" sonata, the "Appassionata," and the "Das Lebewohl" sonata, known as the "Reunion" movement, which is a passionate cry for reunion. The most striking example, however, is the Fifth Symphony, where a quiet, pulsing ending leads into an intense and triumphant finale. You can experience this transition here.

Transition and Recovery

After around 1812, Beethoven entered a period of relative resilience. Despite personal struggles, illness, and ultimately complete deafness, he produced some of his most profound works. This marks the beginning of his Final Period, which includes the last five piano sonatas, the late string quartets, and the monumental Missa Solemnis. The symphony that concludes this period, the Ninth Symphony, stands as a monument of musical achievement, with no one before or since having composed similar works.

A notable feature of Beethoven's late works is a sense of serene lyricism and profound space. The Lento Vivace e Grazioso finale of the Sonata No. 30 in E major, for instance, features a beautiful chorale that serves as the theme for a set of six variations, leading back to the original theme. This piece exemplifies the serene and expansive quality that characterizes Beethoven's late compositions. Another example is the Cavatina from Op. 130, which opens the final movement of the Hammerklavier sonata, showcasing a lyrical and expansive quality that contrasts with the near-atonal savagery of the Grosse Fuge, the monumental fugal finale to the Hammerklavier sonata.

Deafness and Emotional Resilience

It is the struggle against his encroaching deafness that defines Beethoven's Middle Period and his reconciliation with his loss of hearing that characterizes his Late Period. Beethoven himself articulated this resilience in his Heiligenstadt Testament, where he wrote, "I will take fate by the throat never will it bend me completely to its will." He faced the worst disability a musical genius could encounter, met it head-on, and ultimately triumphed over it, perhaps because of it. This inner world of sound that Beethoven created in his mind, despite his complete loss of hearing, allowed him to compose music of unparalleled depth and emotional intensity. His legacy is a testament to the profound impact that one's personal struggles can have on artistic output.