For many, the music of Ludwig van Beethoven represents some of the finest and most sublime music in the western tradition. What is it about Beethoven's music that is "great" and sets it apart from his contemporaries? This lecture series will cover several of the composer's most important works, as well as ones that helped redefine musical genres. We will begin with an examination of the intimate, solo piano works ("Moonlight Sonata") and the quartets (Quartet in C#‐ minor). We will conclude our discussion with the monumental Symphony No. 9. Our focus will be how Beethoven challenged musical conventions and consequently forged a new path in music not only amongst his 18th and 19th century contemporaries but also into the 20th century.