Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was German composer whose life and works effectively straddled the Classical and Romantic eras, setting the stage for much what was to follow in the latter. He was born in Bonn, where his domineering father forced the young Ludwig to practice at all hours. Beethoven moved to Vienna, then the musical capital of Europe, at age 21, where he began studies with Franz Joseph Haydn and eventually built a career as a virtuoso pianist before finding success as a composer. He famously went deaf later in his life, though he continued to compose until his last years, writing some of his greatest masterworks with near-complete hearing loss. He is known today for his nine symphonies, dozens of piano works, several string quartets, and much else. This only scratches the surface of his richly interesting life and career. To fill in the details, see Wikipedia, Biography.com, and Encyclopedia Brittanica.
While the wind band was not a major focus of Beethoven’s output, he did contribute meaningfully to the medium in his early years. This came primarily through his Octet, op. 103, which he composed in 1792 and 1793, while still in the service of the court at Bonn. Like much of the Harmoniemusik of the day, it was considered light entertainment to be played at dinner parties, and was written for a fairly typical harmonie ensemble: pairs of oboes, clarinets, bassoons, and horns. Its four movements move in a typical pattern of sonata allegro, andante, minuet (although it really wants to be a scherzo), and a presto finale. His handling of the instruments demonstrates remarkable maturity for a 21 year old (although the horns in the fourth movement, with their furious arpeggios, might dispute that claim). Despite its early provenance, the Octet was not published until 1834 (seven years after the composer’s death), earning it the very high opus number. Beethoven re-worked much of it into his String Quintet, op. 4 (note the low opus number) in 1795.
A performance of the Octet from the Round Top Festival:
The String Quintet op. 4, for comparison’s sake:
See more about the Octet at Wikipedia, IMSLP (where you can download the parts and score for free), the University of Maryland Wind Orchestra, Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, Naxos, and the Wind Repertory Project.