A listing of any composer’s major works runs the risk of deleting the favorites of any given segment of the music-loving public. Nevertheless, it can be said that Beethoven’s work fills three periods, the first of which ended about 1800. By then he had composed his first six string quartets, his first 10 piano sonatas, his first four piano trios, his septet, and his first symphony.

The second period began roughly in 1802, at a time when the composer realized he was losig his hearing. He himself, though in anguish, said that he was making a fresh start.. He then produced one of the subjects of this paper, the Second symphony; the Eroica, Fourth, Fifth, Pastoral, and Seventh symphonies; the Moonlight, Waldstein, and Appassionata piano sonatas; the Fourth and Fifth piano concertos; his one and only opera, Fidelio; his …