“O espírito de Mozart pelas mãos de Haydn”: 250 anos de Ludwig van Beethoven

Abstract

In celebrating the 250th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), his works have retained, unchanged, the power to fascinate its listeners. Beethoven’s unique competence coincided extraordinarily with a historic moment in which profound aesthetic changes took place, allowing him to reach a pivotal position in the development of Western music. Count Waldstein, one of his protectors, declared in 1792, “You will receive the spirit of Mozart from the hands of Haydn” (apud Rosen, 1997, p.19). Thus, Beethoven used processes he inherited from his masters, incorporating new and creative procedures that allowed his music to express a much wider range of emotions. This article points out some musical aspects that help us to understand the rare dimension he attained by examining his production within the context of instrumental music of the late 18th century.