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There’s much written on Mozart’s influence on Beethoven. Many have pointed out how the slow movement of Beethoven’s “Pathétique” Sonata in C minor sounds exactly like the beginning of a melody that occurs in the slow movement of Mozart’s Sonata in C minor, K. 457. Others have pointed out that Beethoven’s ‘Ode to Joy’ theme in his 9th Symphony is very similar to some of the melodic material in Mozart’s K. 222. But I think I’ve made a new discovery.
Listen to the opening of Mozart’s ‘Dissonance’ String Quartet in C Major, K. 465: https://youtu.be/kcfDxgfHs64
Now listen to the opening of Beethoven’s ‘Waldstein’ Sonata: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbblMw6k1cU
Even though the tempo and meter and melodic material are totally transformed with the Beethoven, the harmonic outline is the same: A "I" chord in a C major piece with the root repeated in the bass, shifting into a V2 of V (G Major) and then to a V6, followed by a sequential restatement of the opening down in the subtonic B-flat, making a descending chromatic bassline from C. That's not all! The introduction of the Mozart ends on an open cadence awaiting C Major, just as does theme 1 of the Beethoven.
Is it far-fetched that Beethoven was at the piano playing Mozart’s string quartet, started toying with it in a fast 4/4, and then thought it would suit the opening of a new piece? I think not.
Just to stir your curiosity, I’d like to point out the opening of Mozart’s C minor Fantasy K. 475 is also very similar in its harmonic outline: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui9pyxdVX6Y
I don't know the answer, but Mozart's Dissonance string quartet kinda reminds me of the opening of Beethoven's string quartet no. 14. Mozart had his Romantic moments before the Romantic era even started.
Some think that Beethoven was that genius who single handedly created a new type of music. But many of his ideas go back to Mozart, Haydn and even Handel.
If you listen to the first bar of Mozart's oboe quartet, you will find that it is exactly the same as the first bar of the first theme of the Emperor Concerto, except in a different key.
That is not to say that Beethoven would plagiarize Mozart. Composing is more than writing themes; it also matters what you do with them. The dissonance in Mozart's quartet is merely an introduction, while Beethoven used the chromatic bassline to make new motifs and themes, and develop them over the course of the movement. In addition, I think we can all agree that the Emperor Concerto is better than Mozart's oboe quartet, even though they have their similarities. That's what makes Beethoven so special; he used his themes in ways that no composer had done before. Just look at the Diabelli Variations: he didn't write the theme, but he transformed it in 33 magnificent ways.
There are many similarities between the materials used by Beethoven and Mozart. But Ludwig took it beyond horizons.
@AndieT06 there's no plagiarism here. If there is clear similarity, then that mean Beethoven is only taking Mozart's music into a new level, beyond the commonplace horizon.