Analysis Of Ludwig Van Beethoven's Heiligenstadt Testament

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The “Heiligenstadt Testament” was a document written by Beethoven in 1802, while he was resting in Heiligenstadt (Ludwig van Beethoven 's Biography: Heiligenstadt Testament, n.d.). It was in part his will, the first of three that he wrote during his lifetime (Ludwig van Beethoven 's Biography: Heiligenstadt Testament, n.d.). The document was also a letter to his brothers, in it Beethoven revealed to them that he was deaf and told of the despair he felt because of this (Ludwig van Beethoven 's Biography: Heiligenstadt Testament, n.d.). Beethoven also disclosed that he was suicidal and that his music was the only thing keeping him from taking his own life (Ludwig van Beethoven 's Biography: Heiligenstadt Testament, n.d.).

Beethoven’s music fit into three separate periods: 1) a formative period that extends to 1802, 2) a middle period from 1803 to 1812,
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The compositions he wrote during his adolescence in Bonn also drew from the works of his teacher, Christian Gottlob Neefe (Beethoven 's musical style, n.d.). He moved to Vienna and began studying under Joseph Haydn (Beethoven 's musical style, n.d.). This is when several of his “more substantial and original works” were written (Beethoven 's musical style, n.d.).
Beethoven’s Middle Period is where “his own style and character” were developed (Beethoven 's musical style, n.d.). His music begins to break away from the current style; it becomes “big, brawny,” “loud, pounding music” (Beethoven 's three periods, 2010). He strains “the very limits of the musical instruments of his time” (Beethoven 's three periods, 2010).
Beethoven 's Late Period “music becomes more inward and searching” (Beethoven 's three periods, 2010). His music is no longer bound by “the formal constraints of the time” and he begins to try out new ways to express himself through music (Beethoven 's three periods,

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