Beethoven's deafness, which became evident as early as 1798, dramatically altered his life by making public performance impossible and driving him into solitude.
Composer Biography
Ludwig van Beethoven's father, Johann van Beethoven, was a singer in the chapel but failed to provide him with a sound general education.
Composition History
Mozart later revised the scoring of the 'Haffner' Symphony in 1785, adding flute and clarinet parts, before it was published in Vienna.
Composition History
Mozart's Symphony No. 35, the 'Haffner' Symphony, was originally composed as a Serenade for the Haffner family in Salzburg to celebrate Sigmund Haffner's accession to the nobility.
Compositional Technique
The second movement of Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony features woodwind instruments imitating the calls of a nightingale, quail, and cuckoo.
Composer Biography
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's father, Leopold Mozart, was a composer and deputy Kapellmeister to the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg, and published an important book on violin-playing.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Beethoven's Symphony No. 6, the Pastoral, is program music that he preferred to describe as 'reflections on a visit to the country' rather than a detailed narrative.
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Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 "Pastoral" – Mozart: Symphony No. 33 in B-Flat Major, K. 319
