Can you recognize Beethoven by ear?
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) was a German composer and pianist, known for his nine symphonies, 32 piano sonatas and the opera Fidelio. In Guess the Composer, you hear up to 30 seconds of music and name the composer.
How to recognize Beethoven
Listen for a short motif hammered home and developed at length, abrupt contrasts between soft and loud, and accents that drive against the beat. Long crescendos build tension before a forceful release.
Who can Beethoven be mistaken for?
Listeners may confuse this music with that of Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Schubert or Johannes Brahms.
How hard is Beethoven in the game?
The game has up to 410 excerpts by Beethoven, depending on your country, and most are at the Medium level.
Pieces you may hear
- Bagatelle for Piano in A minor, WoO 59 “Für Elise”: Poco moto
- Egmont, op. 84
- Sonata for Piano no. 8 in C minor, op. 13 “Pathétique”
- Symphony no. 9 in D minor, op. 125 “Choral”
- Symphony no. 7 in A major, op. 92
- Sonata for Piano no. 14 in C-sharp minor, op. 27 no. 2 “Moonlight”
- Symphony no. 5 in C minor, op. 67
- Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 55 'Eroica'
Portrait: Joseph Karl Stieler, Public domain; background removed.
