Torment and Triumph

Ludwig van Beethoven and Mozart’s Ghost

Dec 30, 2024

For our last Madmen of the Arts Monday for 2024, I’ve decided to indulge myself the comfort of my old friend: Around the holidays or when times get rough, Beethoven is both my ghost and my hero. As a student of classical flute for many years growing up, playing Beethoven is my guilty pleasure. The intensity of his determination and bravery to shatter barriers still lingers.

Even if you don’t know this kind of music, this story is for you.

“I could never think of writing music like Mozart. Music like that is not for the world, it is for the gods!”

—proclaimed Ludwig to his music teacher as a youth.

And yet, from the earliest stages of his career to his final compositions, Ludwig van Beethoven was haunted by the specter of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This ghost was not a literal apparition but a formidable presence in Beethoven’s creative psyche—a towering figure whose genius served as both inspiration and torment. We know these kinds of ghosts well; we carry them ourselves.

When we admire something so intensely, so very deeply, we are driven to learn everything we can about it. Yet it’s never enough, there is a continual hunger to know more. Obsession is a word for this state of being; so is Passion. And while obsession compels us with an impossible power to resist, passion is what feeds creation. The two work dynamically to fuel the furnace of alchemy.

Beethoven revered Mozart as a musical god, yet was determined to escape his shadow and chart his own revolutionary course in music. This haunting drove Beethoven’s ambitions, shaped his works and revealed the inner struggles of an artist wrestling with legacy, greatness and mortality.

The First Encounter

As a child prodigy in Bonn, Beethoven grew up idolizing Mozart, whose works were celebrated across Europe. Beethoven’s mentor, Joseph Haydn often remarked on Beethoven’s genius and acknowledged that Beethoven was developing in a direction beyond Mozart’s or his own.

By the age of 17, Beethoven embarked upon a fateful trip in 1787, hoping to meet the maestro himself. The most famous story involves Beethoven traveling to Vienna and managing to play the piano for Mozart. Supposedly, initially unimpressed by Beethoven’s prepared performance, Mozart changed his opinion after hearing the young musician improvise. “Mark that young man,” he reportedly said. “He will make a great name for himself in the world.”

Ludwig returned to Bonn shortly afterward due to his mother’s illness, but the brief encounter left him captivated by Mozart’s brilliance while haunted by the challenge of living up to such expectations. In private letters and conversations, Beethoven lamented he had not been able to study more deeply under Mozart’s guidance, something he had hoped for during his Vienna trip.

Although there are no other direct quotes from Mozart about Beethoven, scholars have noted evidence of how Beethoven studied Mozart’s works extensively. His influence can be heard in Beethoven’s early compositions, as the Piano Concertos No. 1 and 2 along with his stunning ‘Pathétique’ Piano Sonata in C Minor. These pay tribute to the classical form and style Mozart is recognized for.

The Haunting Begins

Beethoven’s early compositions reflect his deep study of Mozart’s style, using his works as models for his own early compositions. Works like the Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major and the Septet in E-flat Major exhibit the clarity and elegance of Classical form that Mozart epitomized.

Beethoven’s student Carl Czerny wrote of his master saying, “If Mozart were still alive, the world would see what I could do. I would challenge him to a contest!”

During this period, Vienna was a hub of musical activity, with composers vying for attention among the aristocracy and general public. Mozart had died four years earlier in 1791 and his influence still loomed large over the musical landscape. Beethoven, keenly aware of this legacy, sought to position himself as Mozart’s heir and eventual successor. The Piano Concerto No. 1 was one of the early steps in that direction, blending Mozartian clarity with ambition that would soon come to define Beethoven’s voice.

Yet even in these early pieces, Beethoven’s fiery temperament and dramatic contrasts hinted at his desire to push beyond Mozart’s refinement. The comparisons were immediate and relentless. Audiences and critics often measured Beethoven’s music against Mozart’s, setting an impossibly high standard. Even Beethoven himself confessed, “I shall never be able to think a symphony as great as his,” a statement that reflects both his admiration and the weight of the ghostly presence that loomed over him. Thus, while the concerto was warmly received, it also hinted at the storm of creativity that Beethoven was on the verge of unleashing, marking the start of his journey to transcend the Classical tradition.

Rebellion and Innovation

By the turn of the 19th century, Beethoven’s music began to show a defiance of Classical conventions, signaling his break from Mozart’s legacy.

Eroica: The Heroic Ideal

Famously known as the Eroica Symphony, Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 premiered privately in 1804 at the palace of Prince Lobkowitz and received its public debut in Vienna of 1805. This performance officially marked Beethoven’s break from Classical conventions with an embrace of a more dramatic, expansive and emotionally charged style. With its dramatic intensity and emotional scope, at an unprecedented length of almost fifty minutes it shattered all expectations of what a symphony could be.

Beethoven himself had a complex relationship with the Eroica. Originally he dedicated the symphony to Napoleon Bonaparte whom he admired as a symbol of democratic and revolutionary ideals. However, when Napoleon declared himself Emperor in 1804 Beethoven was absolutely furious. According to his pupil Ferdinand Ries, he witnessed Beethoven tearing up the symphony's title page, exclaiming—

“So he too is nothing more than an ordinary man! Now he will trample on all the rights of men to serve only his ambition. He shall be named no more, but only ‘Eroica.’”

Critics and audience members struggled to grasp the symphony’s innovations. A review in 1805, while acknowledging its boldness, described the work as very difficult to perform and even more difficult to understand. It challenged expectations of audiences accustomed to shorter, lighter works. A small number of contemporary listeners did admire the Eroica for its revolutionary qualities. The Viennese critic wrote of its premiere, “Beethoven’s Third Symphony was a step forward that some were not prepared for, but one that left an indelible mark on music.” Here was a seismic shift in the history of composition.

Beethoven later described the symphony as “a reflection of a heroic ideal.” This characterization aligns with its grand scale, emotional depth and the journey from struggle to triumph, most notably in its finale. Beethoven was staking his claim as innovator, determined to surpass Mozart by redefining the very nature of music, itself.

Fidelio: The Martyr’s Crown

Yet even in this rebellion, Mozart’s influence was evident. The process of creating and perfecting Fidelio spanned nearly a decade involving numerous revisions, setbacks and frustrations. As Beethoven’s only attempt at opera, he grappled with the very genre Mozart had mastered. It is widely recognized as one of his most labor-intensive and emotionally charged compositions. Beethoven’s inexperience with opera presented challenges. His tendency to push musical boundaries clashed with the traditional demands,

“This opera will win me a martyr’s crown. To write operas, one must be prepared for anything…one must submit to the stupidities of singers and even the public.”

Originally Fidelio premiered in 1805 a total failure, partly due to the audience consisting mainly of French officers during Napoleon's occupation. Beethoven withdrew the work after three performances. Next, it underwent substantial reworking before becoming the 1814 version known today. Historical accounts and Beethoven’s own writings reveal the tremendous effort he poured into it and the struggle to realize his artistic vision. Regarding the themes of Fidelio—

“I never thought of writing for reputation and honor. What I have in my heart must come out; that is why I composed it.”

Beethoven’s belief in the moral and artistic purpose of this work aligns the opera with his ideals of freedom and justice. Fidelio was written in response to Mozart’s success with The Magic Flute. While it never received nearly the acclaim, Beethoven had poured himself into every bit of it, laboring through revision after revision obsessively, as if to exorcise Mozart’s ghost onto the music sheet from his brain.

Private Confessions

For Beethoven, the ghost of Mozart was not merely a source of inspiration but a relentless critic, demanding ever greater heights. While Beethoven did not leave extensive written reflections on Mozart, the indirect evidence—his compositions, recorded statements and emotional reactions—illustrate a profound respect. Ludwig’s letters and conversations reveal his ongoing struggle with Mozart’s legacy. To a friend, Beethoven admitted,

“Mozart’s genius still speaks to me in every phrase of his music. It is as if he is always there, whispering, ‘You must do better.’”

Directly, he wrote a musical love letter to Mozart in “Variations on a Theme by Mozart, (WoO 40)” not only in title, but very recognizably of Mozart’s The Magic Flute both in form and composition. Beethoven’s contemporaries often noted his emotional connection to Mozart’s music. He reportedly wept at the performance of Don Giovanni, which he referred to as “the greatest opera ever written.” He was known to hum its melodies often.

Even those close to Beethoven noticed his obsession. Composer and friend Carl Czerny recalled Beethoven’s frequent references to Mozart, often in tones of praise mixed with frustration. Anton Schindler, Beethoven’s early biographer, noted that Beethoven believed he could never have reached his own artistic heights without standing on Mozart’s foundation. Ferdinand Ries, his pupil also serving as secretary to the maestro, recalled Beethoven’s frequent mention of Mozart’s name in discussions about music, always in tones of reverence.

Victory in Transcendence

In his later years, Beethoven’s music became increasingly complex and introspective, reaching heights Mozart never explored. The Ninth Symphony stands as towering achievement, a work many argue surpasses anything Mozart could ever have imagined. These compositions transcend the Classical Style entirely, paving the way for the Romantic Era and solidifying Beethoven’s place as a revolutionary force in music.

The Masterpiece

Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125) is widely regarded as a groundbreaking masterpiece, transforming the symphonic form and setting new artistic standards. Its form and character surpass Mozart’s achievements, not by diminishing his brilliance, but by expanding the boundaries of what a symphony could achieve both in scale and emotional scope. It is monumental: At over an hour long, the Ninth is one of the longest symphonies of its time. In sheer size it dwarfs all of Mozart’s symphonies, which were typically shorter and more contained within classical conventions.

The orchestra, augmented with a full choir and four vocal soloists by the final movement, introduces a level of grandeur and theatricality unprecedented in a single symphonic work. Once heard, it can never, never be forgotten. By incorporating voices into the symphonic framework of the fourth movement, Beethoven breaks with tradition by transforming the structure of a symphony into a hybrid of instrumental and vocal music. It was essentially the Rock Opera of its time. The idea of combining symphonic structure with vocal text was revolutionary, establishing a new model for later composers.

Imagine sitting down to listen to a concert. Expectations rise as the conductor enters. The symphony hall is silent enough to hear the baton tap the lectern. With the first full motion of the baton a barely audible pianissimo tremolo vibrates in the strings as if the symphony is emerging from an indistinct, primordial void. The sound feels weightless and undefined, like the stirrings of creation itself, with the tremolo acting as a canvas upon which Beethoven will begin to paint.

Gradually, fragmentary motives begin to take form: A rising fifth in the horns ascends with a sense of direction and serves as a focal point, giving the mysterious tremolo of the strings a sense of structure and direction like a beacon emerging from a mist. The lower strings respond with descending steps, tentatively searching for their ground. The music doesn’t immediately settle into a clear key or melody; instead, it lingers in a state of ambiguity as if the elements of the symphony are still being forged. Then, with a sudden surge of power the orchestra erupts into a massive fortissimo with thunderous authority. A bold and commanding statement breaks through the ethereal tension, announcing the arrival of something monumental! The contrast between the initial quiet, mysterious beginning and this explosive declaration heightens the drama and sets the stage for the remainder of the symphony's profound emotional journey.

Beethoven’s opening is both primal and visionary, conveying a sense of the infinite and the sublime. The listener is invited to step into a vast, uncharted musical cosmos where the boundaries of sound and feeling will be tested and expanded. The total of the Four Movement Structure which will follow transcends anything ever performed before. Each movement is unique in character, yet forms a cohesive narrative arc:

First Movement: A brooding and dramatic Allegro opens with the iconic, mysterious tremolo building up to reach an overarching sense of triumph and resolution.
Second Movement: A driving Scherzo with rhythmic complexity and contrapuntal texture. Here Beethoven transforms the scherzo into a substantial and dramatic movement, replacing the usual minuet with something more dynamic and robust.
Third Movement: A lyrical and expansive Adagio, offering emotional depth and tranquility. A moment of sublime reflection and transcendence, preparing the listener for the ultimate triumph.
Fourth Movement: A monumental finale synthesizes the previous themes and culminates in the choral setting of Ode to Joy. It is structured as a "symphony within a symphony" having its own introduction, variations, fugues and recapitulations until the final crescendo.

When the Ninth Symphony erupted upon civilization, Beethoven completely blew up the concept of a symphony’s scope. Mozart’s symphonies were masterworks of balance and clarity, epitomizing Classical Ideals. Instead here was a driving vehicle for philosophical and emotional exploration, one to influence generations of composers.

Critics had mixed reactions. Many admired its ambition; others found it overwhelming or difficult to understand. Some critics struggled with the unconventional choral finale defying traditional symphonic expectations. A reviewer in the Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung noted, “This is no longer merely human music—it is a message of the divine.” He was right: Its message of universal joy and brotherhood reached far beyond the concert hall, embedding itself into global culture.

By the time the Ninth Symphony premiered in 1824, Ludwig van Beethoven was completely deaf. He could not hear the applause. A famous anecdote recounts how one of the soloists turned him around so he could see the rapturous response. The applause was reportedly thunderous, with several ovations by an audience astounded by the work’s boldness and innovation.

The Final Victory

Yet even in these triumphs, traces of Mozart’s ghost lingered. Completed in 1823, the Missa Solemnis in D Major, Op. 123 is widely regarded as Beethoven’s greatest contribution to sacred music and one of the pinnacles of the choral repertoire. This monumental, final mass can be seen as an answer to Mozart’s Requiem. Both works grapple with themes of mortality and divine judgment, but where Mozart’s is shrouded in mystery, Beethoven’s is a thunderous cry of human struggle and salvation.

Mozart’s Requiem is an enigmatic farewell to life, imbued with a profound sense of mystery. Written as Mozart faced his own mortality at a young age, the piece is steeped in pathos and a sense of inevitability. Its soaring vocal lines, interwoven with haunting orchestral textures capture the fragility of the human spirit in the face of divine judgment. In contrast, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis is a grand, symphonic mass resounding with human striving and defiance. Written in Beethoven’s later years as his deafness isolated him from the world, the work reflects his unyielding quest to connect with the divine and the sublime. Unlike Mozart having an intimate dialogue with mortality, Beethoven publicly proclaims faith with some doubt, yet finds full redemption.

Here is Beethoven’s final answer to the legacy of Mozart, whom he admired but sought to surpass. While Mozart whispers of eternal rest, Beethoven roars with the struggle of humanity’s journey. In essence their question is whether to go out like a lion or a lamb. Beethoven chooses the former. His grandeur and complexity go far beyond Requiem’s introspective beauty; Beethoven challenges Mozart’s ghost, declaring faith and art must transcend mortal limits.

A Ghost Laid to Rest?

The story of ‘Mozart’s Ghost’ is not one of fear or defeat but of creative torment and triumph. For Beethoven, the haunting was both a burden and a blessing, driving him to achieve greatness while reminding him of the heights he sought to surpass. At the same time Mozart was a guiding star, he was a lifelong artistic rival. This tension between admiration and the desire to transcend Mozart’s legacy fueled Beethoven’s innovative spirit, forever shaping music history.

When Mozart died in 1791, Beethoven was only 21 years old. He had yet to establish himself as a major composer. Their relationship carried through his entire life, though one-sided, speaking to the power of legacy and the enduring dialogue between artists across generations. Mozart inspired Beethoven to imagine the impossible. In doing so, Beethoven ensured his own name would forever be spoken alongside the ghost who haunted him.

Did Beethoven ultimately escape Mozart’s shadow? The answer depends on perspective. In many ways, Beethoven succeeded in his lifelong mission: He revolutionized music, expanded its emotional and structural possibilities and left a legacy rivaling, indeed surpassing Mozart’s. Yet the haunting never truly ceased. As Beethoven lay on his deathbed in 1827 surrounded by the silence of his deafness, one wonders if Mozart’s melodies still echoed in his mind—a final comfort from the ghost who had shaped his life’s work.