Music has always been regarded as an international language that comes from art and creativity. nullaBeethoven was a German National and a well-known pianist. He invented the famous Piano Concerto No. 5 or the “Emperor,” which is considered the last concerto in the classical style of music. The correlation of Piano Concerto No. 5 with the name “Emperor” has been attributed to the historical period he existed with many correlating it Napoleon. The latter had arrived in Germany to conquer the French empire.
The Piano Concerto No. 5 has played a significant role in the history of classical and romantic concertos that became popular in the 19th century. According to Beethoven, the Piano Concerto No. 5 in E ♭ major, Op. 73 “was written between 1809 and 1811 in Vienna, and was dedicated to Archduke Rudolf, Beethoven’s patron and pupil.”[1] Therefore, Piano Concerto No. 5 goes back centuries but is still regarded as one of the last great classical music concertos. Beethoven wrote something that continues to be viewed as magical, and this is why he is referred to as the most advanced classical musician in Western music history.
Away from music, the development of Piano Concerto No. 5 was influenced by the political atmosphere that influenced Beethoven. The war that Napoleon had unleashed in Beethoven’s country was intense, affecting his work significantly. Although Beethoven is considered a classical musician genius, war played a significant part in his journey to create Piano Concerto No. 5, which remains the most outstanding works he has ever done. There is evidence that his Piano Concerto No. 5 was nicknamed “Emperor “because of the Napoleon war successes nut it was not Beethoven but his student who coined the name. Amid a political war, Beethoven did not hinge in his commitment to his love for music, and instead of fleeing his residence, he remained to complete his work. According to Tobias, Beethoven belonged to the outer world or his real life or existence was part of our world but the true reality was his love for writing music and this is illustrated when he said “Nulla dies sine linea,” he stated (“No day without a line of music”).[2] He did exactly that, faithful to his art and his commitment.” Beethoven is considered a genius in his talents and gift in developing or pioneering Western Classical music and his resilience and bravery. The war had a significant impact on developing his last and the most famous Concerto No. 5 piano. The nicknaming of Concerto No. 5 as “Emperor” remains a contentious issue today, with scholars trying to find the real meaning of the world and its correlation to what Beethoven had written.
There has been a contentious issue on the real meaning of the word “Emperor,” which continues to be used to refer to The Piano Concerto No. 5. Beethoven is said to have never authorized the word to refer to his masterpiece. According to Shen, many musicologists agree that the name “Emperor” did not originate from the emperors that existed at the time “But it is certain that the work is identifiable as being in the “heroic style” due to its military topicality and its symbolism in celebrating the heroic spirit” (2).[3] Therefore, using a nickname to refer to the Concerto No. 5 piano can be correlated with the political and social times that Beethoven used to live. The definition of his music as iconic or as a bridge that separates classics with romantic music genre profoundly influences the politics of his time.
The real meaning of the “Emperor” is demonstrated in the unique is filled with instrumentation and movements, which all seek to bring out complex thematic transformations through the use of simple chords. Therefore, Beethoven’s uniqueness is embedded in his ability to incorporate his opening cadenzas and three-theme sonata, which illuminate the uniqueness of Concerto No. 5 piano. According to Tobias, “Throughout, the music never loses its impetuous, headlong nature, surging to a massive closure, marked by soaring piano scale passages and orchestral flourishes.”[4] Therefore, it is clear that the popularity and uniqueness of Beethoven’s Concerto No. 5 will forever remain a masterpiece, especially for classical music lovers
The unique thing about “Emperor” was the historic part in the evolution of classical music to romanticism. The influence of Beethoven’s “Emperor” was enormous even after he had exited the music scene because his great music influenced many generations that came before him, thus being a pioneer of another different music genre. According to Yale University Library, “Most historians and critics classify Beethoven as the culmination of the Classical era. But if he was not fully Romantic in his own right, Beethoven exercised an overwhelming influence on the composers who came after him.”[5] Therefore, Beethoven as a musical figure had a significant and continues to be a powerful player in the development of other music genres that became popular because of his Concerto No. 5. Although Beethoven is considered a classical musician, he had a significant role to play when it came to the pioneering and growth of romanticism music. The reference of Beethoven as a genius considers his input in the Western music scene.
Music remains the biggest inclusive tool globally as it is often referred to as the “universal language.” Musicians such as Beethoven and his writing of Concerto No. 5 illustrates that despite the political environment present, a true artist will always find the most distant things or situations as motivation. Classical music remains a “souvenir” of early Western music that cannot be read without acknowledging the immense contribution of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5. Classical music will always hold a high Beethoven name, but romanticism will always pay homage to his invention. Beethoven will remain a musician who made classic music even at a time of political turmoil in his country and the biggest influencer of romanticism genre uprising in Western. Historical figures such as Beethoven remain to be a genius when it comes to Western classical and romanticism and he still remains a leader today.
Bibliography
Beethoven, Ludwig V. “Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor”.” The Imaginative Conservative. Last modified December 10, 2020. https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2020/11/piano-concerto-no-5-emperor-ludwig-beethoven-250.html
Shen, Yan. “Narrative Analysis of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5.” PhD diss., 2015.
Tobias, Marianne W. “Concerto No. 5.” Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Last modified January 31, 2021. https://www.indianapolissymphony.org/backstage/program-notes/beethoven-concerto-no-5/.
Yale University Library. “The Dawn of Romanticism · Yale University Library Online Exhibitions.” Accessed December 10, 2021. https://onlineexhibits.library.yale.edu/s/boundaries-of-romanticism/page/dawnofromanticism
[1] Beethoven, Ludwig V. “Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor”.” The Imaginative Conservative. Last modified December 10, 2020. https://theimaginativeconservative.org/2020/11/piano-concerto-no-5-emperor-ludwig-beethoven-250.html.
[2] Tobias, Marianne W. “Concerto No. 5.” Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Last modified January 31, 2021. https://www.indianapolissymphony.org/backstage/program-notes/beethoven-concerto-no-5/.
[3] Shen, Yan. “Narrative Analysis of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5.” PhD diss., 2015.
[4] Tobias, Marianne W. “Concerto No. 5.” Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Last modified January 31, 2021. https://www.indianapolissymphony.org/backstage/program-notes/beethoven-concerto-no-5/.
[5] Yale University Library. “The Dawn of Romanticism · Yale University Library Online Exhibitions.” Accessed December 10, 2021. https://onlineexhibits.library.yale.edu/s/boundaries-of-romanticism/page/dawnofromanticism.
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