Beethovens greatest influence

[v russo]

What composer (over all others) would you say was Beethovens biggest influence throughout his life's work?

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v russo

[Peter]

I would have said Mozart, then Haydn. It is a hard one to answer though when so many others made such an important contribution especially in Beethoven's first period - C.P.E.Bach, Clementi, Dussek, Emanuel Aloys Förster.

Even the 6th symphony has its own individual source of influence - Justin Knecht (1752-1817) had written a symphony titled 'The musical portrait of nature' which has a five movement plan with a first movement describing a beautiful sunlit countryside, a storm in the 3rd movement and the finale titled 'Nature raises her voice towards heaven offering to the creator sweet and agreable songs.' Now it is certain that B knew of this work, even if he never heard it performed - Sir George Grove discovered that this symphony by Knecht was actually advertised on the cover of Beethoven's early 'Electoral' sonatas WoO47.

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'Man know thyself'

[This message has been edited by Peter (edited February 01, 2004).]

[kenneth]

Christian Gottlob Neefe, his teacher had a greate influence on beethoven. Neefe like Bachs music. Beethoveb Said about Neefe: If i ever become a great man, you have some of the credit for that.

[Joy]

Neefe was also the man who introduced Beethoven to the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Beethoven was exposed to Bach's precision and richness of sound and Bach's Well Tempered Clavier was an early study of Beethoven's.

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Peter]

Originally posted by kenneth:
Christian Gottlob Neefe, his teacher had a greate influence on beethoven. Neefe like Bachs music. Beethoveb Said about Neefe: If i ever become a great man, you have some of the credit for that.

Yes you are quite right to mention Neefe - he had a tremendous impact on Beethoven, not just musically but as a person as well.

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'Man know thyself'