Beethoven composed music in the transitional period between the Classical and the Romantic eras, and his work has been divided into (roughly) three periods. The first period, between 1794 and 1800, is characterized by traditional 18th-century technique and sounds. The second period, between 1801 and 1814, is marked by an increased use of improvisatory material. The third period, between 1814 and 1827, featured a wide range of musical harmonies and textures. Beethoven’s second period was his most prolific. He composed many of his most famous pieces—including the Eroica Symphony (1805), Symphony No. 5 in C Minor (1808), Symphony No. 6 in F Major (1808), and Symphony No. 7 in A Major (1813)—during that time.
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