Beethoven was an innovator of musical form. He widened the scope of the symphony, the sonata, the concerto, and the quartet and in so doing broke many patterns of Classical music. In Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, for example, Beethoven rearranged the formal structure of the Classical symphony and incorporated a choral finale. The finale was a first in the history of Classical music: Beethoven was the first composer to combine vocal and instrumental music in a symphony. In short, Beethoven’s work elevated instrumental music—hitherto considered inferior to vocal music—to the realm of high art.
Ludwig van Beethoven Article
How did Ludwig van Beethoven change music?
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