The "Classicism" is an artistic and cultural movement rooted in the cultural and artistic traditions of ancient Greece and Rome. Classicism emphasizes balance, order, harmony, and rationality, highlighting a pursuit of ancient values and aesthetic principles.
The origins of the Classicism movement can be traced back to ancient Greece, drawing inspiration from Greek culture, philosophy, and art. The movement emphasizes a pursuit of proportion and harmony, valuing reason and order. Characteristics of Classicism include simple design, balanced structures, and a presentation of realism.
In visual arts, Classical works often feature symmetrical designs, realistic human proportions, and intricate details. Classical sculptures and architectural works showcase reverence for ancient aesthetics, such as Greek columnar structures and Roman arches.
In literature and music, Classicism underscores clear structure and precise expression. Classical literary works often focus on moral lessons, ethical concepts, and universal human values. Classical music is known for its straightforward melodies and harmonies, with notable classical composers including Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.
The influence of the Classicism movement extended into the European art and culture of the 18th and 19th centuries, leaving a profound impact on subsequent artistic styles and thought. However, in the late 19th century, the Romanticism movement emerged, placing greater emphasis on individual emotions and imagination, gradually relegating Classicism to a secondary role.
Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer, the predominant musical figure during the transition between the Classical to Romantic eras. He occupies an unprecedented dominance in the history of Western music history, and has been widely regarded as the greatest, most influential and most popular musician who ever lived.
Beethoven's music inherited the artistic atmosphere of Haydn and Mozart, penetrated the desire for dignity, vented the anger tortured by fate, and demonstrated his determination to fight with fate.
Compared to other musicians, Beethoven is effectively to interact the philosophy of life with audience through music. Although he was not a romantic, he had become the object followed by other romantics.
As a musician, Beethoven suffered from ear diseases. However, he was unwilling to succumb to fate, vowing to take fate by the throat, and continue to complete his career. In the last ten years of his life, without hearing any sound, his compositions influenced the development of music for nearly two hundred years.