Beethoven’s dynamics seen in terms of his “Piano and Violin Sonatas”

Abstract

Of the three great Viennese classics, Beethoven is by far the composer who opens the door to a new world for the stylistics of instrumental music. By virtue of authentic and bold musical language, he manages to make his own way through the orderly trend at the turn of the 19th century. In his own style, music acquires a sonorous strength that electrifies the audience permanently, creating at the same time a powerful magnetism that keeps the listeners’ attention alive almost hypnotically. What makes the pulse rise, the heart beats irregularly, the senses sharpen, and the mix of contradictory feelings pour down on the listener is the magical manner in which Beethoven employs and combines the different specific elements of the musical language. Among the most innovative features, Beethoven’s dynamics shape the composer’s language through the color and weight that he gives to his musical discourse as well as the manner of interpretation. This article aims to present a brief analysis of this significant musical element in the texture of Beethoven’s piano and violin sonatas.