# Beethovens Third Period



## Frederick Kurth M.D. (Mar 14, 2010)

Dear Beethoven lovers,
One of the perennial mysteries of Beethoven's creativity is the provenance of his Third Period. We all know that his Second Period is linked to his deafness and his heroic efforts to continue his creative career. The Heroic Period began around 1802 and is first fully realized in his third symphony, the EROICA. If you listen to the Second Symphony, which is lovely high classical, and then listen to the Third Symphony one enters a new world. The Heroic Period ended around 1812; he then fell into a fallow period for three years before entering his greatest creative time. 
What triggered his transformation? I have written a play, The Beethovens, that dramatizes what I think fueled the transformation. The play was staged in Hollywood and ran for 4 weeks to critical acclaim. I also have written a movie version of the script. Both the stage and movie versions are available on Amazon for 10 bucks. The story begins with the death of his brother, Karl, November 15, 1815. His death left a widow, Johanna Beethoven and her son, Little Karl, who henceforth played a momentous part in Beethoven's emotional life. The play dramatizes this story.
More Details will follow.


----------



## Edward Elgar (Mar 22, 2006)

Wow! That's an achievement and a half!

In my personal opinion, I think in the third period he abandoned the ego and looked at music as an independent observer. I think this reflective period implies he went some way in making peace with his deafness. Also, the radical elements I think came from a desire to push boundaries to their limits so that no composer could be a true classical after Beethoven as everything that could be said, was said.


----------



## Frederick Kurth M.D. (Mar 14, 2010)

Dear Elgar,

I appreciate your quick reply and your kind words. But I think your theory does not account for the universal appeal of third period music. If Beethoven abandoned the ego and took it in an objective stance entirely he would not have written such beautiful music that all of us can relate to. Rather than abandoning the ego he made deep contact with it.


----------



## starry (Jun 2, 2009)

I think he tried to go beyond the ego somewhat, as with the 9th symphony. In the end though you can't escape yourself and even a piece like op132 refers to himself recovering from an illness. There is still some of that heroic posturing (I don't mean that in a bad way) at times that reflects the Beethoven shaking his fist at fate image but it is also softened by a lyrical simplicity at other times.


----------



## Edward Elgar (Mar 22, 2006)

Frederick Kurth said:


> Dear Elgar,
> 
> I appreciate your quick reply and your kind words. But I think your theory does not account for the universal appeal of third period music. If Beethoven abandoned the ego and took it in an objective stance entirely he would not have written such beautiful music that all of us can relate to. Rather than abandoning the ego he made deep contact with it.


Mmm, I think it's only the 9th that has total universal appeal. Perhaps he wanted to find the perfect melody. Most of the 3rd period works are difficult for an uneducated person to hear.

The reason I say he approached his work with an objective stance is because his 3rd period contains both influences from the past and very forward-looking material. The 2nd period sounds immediate and intense, the 3rd period is one of reflection in my opinion.


----------



## starry (Jun 2, 2009)

I wonder if some of this going beyond himself is partly religious as well, such as the Missa Solemnis.


----------

