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Ludwig van Beethoven – Famous Works

An 18th-century sketch depicts Beethoven working on a composition.
An 18th-century sketch depicts Beethoven at work on a composition. He was already celebrated as a virtuoso pianist before gaining lasting fame as a composer.

Ludwig van Beethoven stands among the most transformative figures in Western music. His works not only expanded Classical form but redefined its expressive scope, shaping the transition toward Romanticism.

Below is a curated selection of some of his most influential and widely performed works, grouped by genre.

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Symphonies:

  • Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 55 – Eroica
  • Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60
  • Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
  • Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 – Pastoral
  • Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92
  • Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93
  • Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 – Choral

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Piano Concertos:

  • Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37
  • Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58
  • Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 – Emperor

Other Concertos:

  • Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61
  • Triple Concerto in C major, Op. 56 (for piano, violin, cello, and orchestra)
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Piano Sonatas:

  • Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 – Pathétique
  • Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2 – Moonlight
  • Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 – Appassionata
  • Piano Sonata No. 26 in E-flat major, Op. 81a – Les Adieux

Piano Works:

  • Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor, WoO 59 – Für Elise
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Chamber Music:

  • Violin Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24 – Spring
  • Violin Sonata No. 9 in A major, Op. 47 – Kreutzer
  • Piano Trio in B-flat major, Op. 97 – Archduke
  • String Quartets Op. 59 – Razumovsky
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Choral Works:

  • Choral Fantasy, Op. 80
  • Mass in D major, Op. 123 – Missa solemnis
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Opera:

  • Fidelio
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Orchestral Works:

  • Egmont Overture, Op. 84
  • Coriolan Overture, Op. 62
  • Leonore Overtures Nos. 1–3
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