Beethoven was a German pianist composer and the predominant musical figure who bridged the classical and romantic eras. Born into a musical family, he received music education from his father and grandfather at an early age. Beethoven’s career and works were categorized into three periods. Works from his early period (1781 to 1802) showed heavy influences of the classical forms and techniques from the predecessors, Haydn and Mozart. However, he invented some new approaches to his composition such as expanded form, thick texture, extended harmonic relationship, wider range of the pitch and dynamic and imitation the sound of the orchestral instruments. His music strongly reflected his manly and vigorous personality.
Sonata in D major was dedicated
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As the used of Wagnerism attained its peak, he decided to abandon the Wagnerism after he discovered the Javanese gamelan music at the Paris International Exposition in 1889. Maurice Emmanuel once stated, “Debussy was claiming in 1889-90 that ‘music is neither major nor minor’.” He challenged the traditional rules of equal temperament and invented unconventional harmonic relationship as an expressive tool. His invention resulted a profound influence on the impressionist composers of his time.
Pour le piano is a suite for solo piano written in 1901. It was premiered a year later at the Société Nationale de Musique by Ricardo Viñes. It consists of three movements and the final movement is a virtuoso showpiece toccata. The toccata derived from Italian word “toccare” which means “to touch”. It is virtuosic and free form. Debussy dedicated this toccata to his student, Nicolas Coronio. It was a significant example of neo-classicism as it carried the unrestricted momentum of Scarlatti or Couperin. However, Debussy furnished it with his own harmonic