Contredanse beethoven biography

CD Review

Even when Beethoven was writing trifling little dances for Vienna's Redoutensaal, he still sounded like Beethoven. In late 1792, he came to Vienna to study with Haydn, who soon demonstrated to his pupil the art of writing public dance music.

Within three years, Beethoven had composed at least three sets of dance music: the 12 Contredanses (WoO 14), 12 German Dances (WoO 6), and 6 Minuets (WoO 9). These were used in the Redoutensaal in November 1795.

Contredanse beethoven biography

Beethoven's name was mentioned in the Wiener Zeitung, and he soon was asked to make a piano arrangement of the German dances and minuets. He was climbing the ladder of fame.

Beethoven's best mentors in these genres were Mozart and Haydn, of course, who also composed music for the Redoutensaal.

While these masters wrote public dance music relatively late in their careers, Beethoven was just at the beginning of his. He had everything ahead of him, and one can hear that in many of these dances, even if some of