beethoven biography

Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer whose Symphony 5 is a beloved classic. Some of his greatest works were composed while Beethoven was going deaf.

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(1770-1827)

Who Was Ludwig van Beethoven?

Controversial birthday, childhood abuse, beethoven and mozart, early career as a composer, beethoven and haydn, debut performance, personal life, was beethoven deaf, heiligenstadt testament, moonlight sonata, beethoven’s music, quick facts.

Ludwig van Beethoven was a German pianist and composer widely considered to be one of the greatest musical geniuses of all time. His innovative compositions combined vocals and instruments, widening the scope of sonata, symphony, concerto and quartet. He is the crucial transitional figure connecting the Classical and Romantic ages of Western music.

Beethoven’s personal life was marked by a struggle against deafness, and some of his most important works were composed during the last 10 years of his life, when he was quite unable to hear. He died at the age of 56.

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Beethoven was born on or about December 16, 1770, in the city of Bonn in the Electorate of Cologne, a principality of the Holy Roman Empire. Although his exact date of birth is uncertain, Beethoven was baptized on December 17, 1770.

As a matter of law and custom, babies at the time were baptized within 24 hours of birth, so December 16 is his most likely birthdate.

However, Beethoven himself mistakenly believed that he was born two years later, in 1772, and he stubbornly insisted on the incorrect date even when presented with official papers that proved beyond any reasonable doubt that 1770 was his true birth year.

Beethoven had two younger brothers who survived into adulthood: Caspar, born in 1774, and Johann, born in 1776. Beethoven's mother, Maria Magdalena van Beethoven, was a slender, genteel, and deeply moralistic woman.

His father, Johann van Beethoven, was a mediocre court singer better known for his alcoholism than any musical ability. However, Beethoven's grandfather, godfather and namesake, Kapellmeister Ludwig van Beethoven, was Bonn's most prosperous and eminent musician, a source of endless pride for young Beethoven.

Sometime between the births of his two younger brothers, Beethoven's father began teaching him music with an extraordinary rigor and brutality that affected him for the rest of his life.

Neighbors provided accounts of the small boy weeping while he played the clavier, standing atop a footstool to reach the keys, his father beating him for each hesitation or mistake.

On a near daily basis, Beethoven was flogged, locked in the cellar and deprived of sleep for extra hours of practice. He studied the violin and clavier with his father as well as taking additional lessons from organists around town. Whether in spite of or because of his father's draconian methods, Beethoven was a prodigiously talented musician from his earliest days.

Hoping that his young son would be recognized as a musical prodigy à la Wolfgang Mozart , Beethoven's father arranged his first public recital for March 26, 1778. Billed as a "little son of 6 years," (Mozart's age when he debuted for Empress Maria Theresia ) although he was in fact 7, Beethoven played impressively, but his recital received no press whatsoever.

Meanwhile, the musical prodigy attended a Latin grade school named Tirocinium, where a classmate said, "Not a sign was to be discovered of that spark of genius which glowed so brilliantly in him afterwards."

Beethoven, who struggled with sums and spelling his entire life, was at best an average student, and some biographers have hypothesized that he may have had mild dyslexia. As he put it himself, "Music comes to me more readily than words."

In 1781, at the age of 10, Beethoven withdrew from school to study music full time with Christian Gottlob Neefe, the newly appointed Court Organist, and at the age of 12, Beethoven published his first composition, a set of piano variations on a theme by an obscure classical composer named Dressler.

By 1784, his alcoholism worsening and his voice decaying, Beethoven's father was no longer able to support his family, and Beethoven formally requested an official appointment as Assistant Court Organist. Despite his youth, his request was accepted, and Beethoven was put on the court payroll with a modest annual salary of 150 florins.

There is only speculation and inconclusive evidence that Beethoven ever met with Mozart, let alone studied with him. In an effort to facilitate his musical development, in 1787 the court sent Beethoven to Vienna, Europe’s capital of culture and music, where he hoped to study with Mozart.

Tradition has it that, upon hearing Beethoven, Mozart said, "Keep your eyes on him; someday he will give the world something to talk about.”

After only a few weeks in Vienna, Beethoven learned that his mother had fallen ill and he returned home to Bonn. Remaining there, Beethoven continued to carve out his reputation as the city's most promising young court musician.

When the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II died in 1790, a 19-year-old Beethoven received the immense honor of composing a musical memorial in his honor. For reasons that remain unclear, Beethoven's composition was never performed, and most assumed the young musician had proven unequal to the task.

However, more than a century later, Johannes Brahms discovered that Beethoven had in fact composed a "beautiful and noble" piece of music entitled Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph II . It is now considered his earliest masterpiece.

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In 1792, with French revolutionary forces sweeping across the Rhineland into the Electorate of Cologne, Beethoven decided to leave his hometown for Vienna once again. Mozart had passed away a year earlier, leaving Joseph Haydn as the unquestioned greatest composer alive.

Haydn was living in Vienna at the time, and it was with Haydn that the young Beethoven now intended to study. As his friend and patron Count Waldstein wrote in a farewell letter, "Mozart's genius mourns and weeps over the death of his disciple. It found refuge, but no release with the inexhaustible Haydn; through him, now, it seeks to unite with another. By means of assiduous labor you will receive the spirit of Mozart from the hands of Haydn."

In Vienna, Beethoven dedicated himself wholeheartedly to musical study with the most eminent musicians of the age. He studied piano with Haydn, vocal composition with Antonio Salieri and counterpoint with Johann Albrechtsberger. Not yet known as a composer, Beethoven quickly established a reputation as a virtuoso pianist who was especially adept at improvisation.

Beethoven won many patrons among the leading citizens of the Viennese aristocracy, who provided him with lodging and funds, allowing Beethoven, in 1794, to sever ties with the Electorate of Cologne. Beethoven made his long-awaited public debut in Vienna on March 29, 1795.

Although there is considerable debate over which of his early piano concerti he performed that night, most scholars believe he played what is known as his "first" piano concerto in C Major. Shortly thereafter, Beethoven decided to publish a series of three piano trios as his Opus 1, which were an enormous critical and financial success.

In the first spring of the new century, on April 2, 1800, Beethoven debuted his Symphony No. 1 in C major at the Royal Imperial Theater in Vienna. Although Beethoven would grow to detest the piece — "In those days I did not know how to compose," he later remarked — the graceful and melodious symphony nevertheless established him as one of Europe's most celebrated composers.

As the new century progressed, Beethoven composed piece after piece that marked him as a masterful composer reaching his musical maturity. His Six String Quartets, published in 1801, demonstrate complete mastery of that most difficult and cherished of Viennese forms developed by Mozart and Haydn.

Beethoven also composed The Creatures of Prometheus in 1801, a wildly popular ballet that received 27 performances at the Imperial Court Theater. It was around the same time that Beethoven discovered he was losing his hearing.

For a variety of reasons that included his crippling shyness and unfortunate physical appearance, Beethoven never married or had children. He was, however, desperately in love with a married woman named Antonie Brentano.

Over the course of two days in July of 1812, Beethoven wrote her a long and beautiful love letter that he never sent. Addressed "to you, my Immortal Beloved," the letter said in part, "My heart is full of so many things to say to you — ah — there are moments when I feel that speech amounts to nothing at all — Cheer up — remain my true, my only love, my all as I am yours."

The death of Beethoven's brother Caspar in 1815 sparked one of the great trials of his life, a painful legal battle with his sister-in-law, Johanna, over the custody of Karl van Beethoven, his nephew and her son.

The struggle stretched on for seven years, during which both sides spewed ugly defamations at the other. In the end, Beethoven won the boy's custody, though hardly his affection.

Despite his extraordinary output of beautiful music, Beethoven was lonely and frequently miserable throughout his adult life. Short-tempered, absent-minded, greedy and suspicious to the point of paranoia, Beethoven feuded with his brothers, his publishers, his housekeepers, his pupils and his patrons.

In one illustrative incident, Beethoven attempted to break a chair over the head of Prince Lichnowsky, one of his closest friends and most loyal patrons. Another time he stood in the doorway of Prince Lobkowitz's palace shouting for all to hear, "Lobkowitz is a donkey!"

For years, rumors have swirled that Beethoven had some African ancestry. These unfounded tales may be based on Beethoven's dark complexion or the fact that his ancestors came from a region of Europe that had once been invaded by the Spanish, and Moors from northern Africa were part of Spanish culture.

A few scholars have noted that Beethoven seemed to have an innate understanding of the polyrhythmic structures typical to some African music. However, no one during Beethoven's lifetime referred to the composer as Moorish or African, and the rumors that he was Black are largely dismissed by historians.

At the same time as Beethoven was composing some of his most immortal works, he was struggling to come to terms with a shocking and terrible fact, one that he tried desperately to conceal: He was going deaf.

By the turn of the 19th century, Beethoven struggled to make out the words spoken to him in conversation.

Beethoven revealed in a heart-wrenching 1801 letter to his friend Franz Wegeler, "I must confess that I lead a miserable life. For almost two years I have ceased to attend any social functions, just because I find it impossible to say to people: I am deaf. If I had any other profession, I might be able to cope with my infirmity; but in my profession it is a terrible handicap."

At times driven to extremes of melancholy by his affliction, Beethoven described his despair in a long and poignant note that he concealed his entire life.

Dated October 6, 1802, and referred to as "The Heiligenstadt Testament," it reads in part: "O you men who think or say that I am malevolent, stubborn or misanthropic, how greatly do you wrong me. You do not know the secret cause which makes me seem that way to you and I would have ended my life — it was only my art that held me back. Ah, it seemed impossible to leave the world until I had brought forth all that I felt was within me."

Almost miraculously, despite his rapidly progressing deafness, Beethoven continued to compose at a furious pace.

From 1803 to 1812, what is known as his "middle" or "heroic" period, he composed an opera, six symphonies, four solo concerti, five string quartets, six-string sonatas, seven piano sonatas, five sets of piano variations, four overtures, four trios, two sextets and 72 songs.

The most famous among these were the haunting Moonlight Sonata, symphonies No. 3-8, the Kreutzer violin sonata and Fidelio , his only opera.

In terms of the astonishing output of superlatively complex, original and beautiful music, this period in Beethoven's life is unrivaled by any other composer in history.

Some of Beethoven’s best-known compositions include:

Eroica: Symphony No. 3

In 1804, only weeks after Napoleon Bonaparte proclaimed himself Emperor of France, Beethoven debuted his Symphony No. 3 in Napoleon's honor. Beethoven, like all of Europe, watched with a mixture of awe and terror; he admired, abhorred and, to an extent, identified with Napoleon, a man of seemingly superhuman capabilities, only one year older than himself and also of obscure birth.

Later renamed the Eroica Symphony because Beethoven grew disillusioned with Napoleon, it was his grandest and most original work to date.

Because it was so unlike anything heard before it, the musicians could not figure out how to play it through weeks of rehearsal. A prominent reviewer proclaimed "Eroica" as "one of the most original, most sublime, and most profound products that the entire genre of music has ever exhibited."

Symphony No. 5

One of Beethoven’s best-known works among modern audiences, Symphony No. 5 is known for its ominous first four notes.

Beethoven began composing the piece in 1804, but its completion was delayed a few times for other projects. It premiered at the same time as Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, in 1808 in Vienna.

In 1810, Beethoven completed Fur Elise (meaning “For Elise”), although it was not published until 40 years after his death. In 1867, it was discovered by a German music scholar, however Beethoven’s original manuscript has since been lost.

Some scholars have suggested it was dedicated to his friend, student and fellow musician, Therese Malfatti, to whom he allegedly proposed around the time of the song’s composition. Others said it was for the German soprano Elisabeth Rockel, another friend of Beethoven’s.

Symphony No. 7

Premiering in Vienna in 1813 to benefit soldiers wounded in the battle of Hanau, Beethoven began composing this, one of his most energetic and optimistic works, in 1811.

The composer called the piece “his most excellent symphony." The second movement is often performed separately from the rest of the symphony and may have been one of Beethoven’s most popular works.

Missa Solemnis

Debuting in 1824, this Catholic mass is considered among Beethoven’s finest achievements. Just under 90 minutes in length, the rarely-performed piece features a chorus, orchestra and four soloists.

Ode to Joy: Symphony No. 9

Beethoven’s ninth and final symphony, completed in 1824, remains the illustrious composer's most towering achievement. The symphony's famous choral finale, with four vocal soloists and a chorus singing the words of Friedrich Schiller's poem "Ode to Joy," is perhaps the most famous piece of music in history.

While connoisseurs delighted in the symphony's contrapuntal and formal complexity, the masses found inspiration in the anthem-like vigor of the choral finale and the concluding invocation of "all humanity."

String Quartet No. 14

Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 14 debuted in 1826. About 40 minutes in length, it contains seven linked movements played without a break.

The work was reportedly one of Beethoven’s favorite later quartets and has been described as one of the composer’s most elusive compositions musically.

Beethoven died on March 26, 1827, at the age of 56, of post-hepatitic cirrhosis of the liver.

The autopsy also provided clues to the origins of his deafness: While his quick temper, chronic diarrhea and deafness are consistent with arterial disease, a competing theory traces Beethoven's deafness to contracting typhus in the summer of 1796.

Scientists analyzing a remaining fragment of Beethoven's skull noticed high levels of lead and hypothesized lead poisoning as a potential cause of death, but that theory has been largely discredited.

Beethoven is widely considered one of the greatest, if not the single greatest, composer of all time. Beethoven's body of musical compositions stands with William Shakespeare 's plays at the outer limits of human brilliance.

And the fact Beethoven composed his most beautiful and extraordinary music while deaf is an almost superhuman feat of creative genius, perhaps only paralleled in the history of artistic achievement by John Milton writing Paradise Lost while blind.

Summing up his life and imminent death during his last days, Beethoven, who was never as eloquent with words as he was with music, borrowed a tagline that concluded many Latin plays at the time. Plaudite, amici, comoedia finita est , he said. "Applaud friends, the comedy is over."

FULL NAME: Ludwig van Beethoven BORN: December 1770 BIRTHPLACE: Bonn, Germany DIED: March 26, 1827 DEATHPLACE: Vienna, Austria ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Sagittarius

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• Never shall I forget the time I spent with you. Please continue to be my friend, as you will always find me yours.
• Anyone who tells a lie has not a pure heart and cannot make good soup.
• Love demands all and has a right to all.
• Recommend to your children virtues that alone can make them happy. Not gold.
• I shall seize fate by the throat.
• Music is the mediator between the spiritual and sensual life.
• To play without passion is inexcusable!
• Ever thine, ever mine, ever ours.
• Don't only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets, for it and knowledge can raise men to the divine.
• Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.

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Biography Online

Beethoven Biography

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) is one of the most widely respected composers of classical music. He played a crucial role in the transition from classical to romantic music and is considered one of the greatest composers of all time.

“Music is … A higher revelation than all Wisdom and Philosophy”

– Beethoven

Beethoven was born 16 December 1770 in Bonn (now part of Germany) From an early age, Beethoven was introduced to music. His first teacher was his father who was also very strict. Beethoven was frequently beaten for his failure to practise correctly. Once his mother protested at his father’s violent beatings, but she was beaten too. It is said, Beethoven resolved to become a great pianist so his mother would never be beaten.

Beethoven’s talent as a piano virtuoso was recognised by Count Ferdinand Ernst Gabriel von Waldstein. He sponsored the young Beethoven and this enabled him to travel to Vienna, where Mozart resided. It was hoped Beethoven would be able to learn under the great Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , but it is not clear whether the two ever met. Mozart was to die shortly, but Beethoven was able to spend time with the great composer Joseph Haydn, who taught him many things.

Rather than working for the church, Beethoven relied on private donations from various benefactors. However, while many loved his music, they were often not forthcoming with donations and Beethoven sometimes struggled to raise enough finance. He complained about the way artists like him were treated.

“One clashes with stupidity of all kinds. And then how much money must be spent in advance! The way in which artists are treated is really scandalous… Believe me, there is nothing to be done for artists in times like these.” – Beethoven

His situation was made more difficult by his mother’s early death and his father’s descent into alcoholism; this led to Beethoven being responsible for his two brothers.

Beethoven by August Klober, 1818

Beethoven was widely regarded as a great musician, though his habits were unconventional for the social circles which he moved in. He was untidy, clumsy and (by all accounts) ugly. All attempts to make Beethoven behave failed. On one occasion, Beethoven pushed his way up to the Archduke saying it was impossible for him to follow the many rules of social behaviour. The Archduke smiled and said – ‘we will have to accept Beethoven as he is.’ Beethoven himself had great faith in his own capacities, referring to the princes at court.

“There are and always will be thousands of princes, but there is only one Beethoven!”

Beethoven’s music was also unconventional, he explored new ideas and left behind the old conventions on style and form. His freer and explorative musical ideas caused estrangement with his more classical teachers like Haydn and Salieri.

From his early 20s, Beethoven experienced a slow deterioration in his hearing, which eventually left him completely deaf.

Beethoven once said:

“Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life.”

Beethoven by Mahler, 1815

Yet, despite his deafness and the frustration this caused him, Beethoven was still able to compose music of the highest quality. He was still able to inwardly hear the most sublime music. However, his deafness meant he struggled to perform with an orchestral backing, as he often fell out of time. This caused the great pianist to be ridiculed by the public, causing much distress. As a result, he retreated more into his private world of composition. Despite these later difficulties, his most widely admired works were composed in this difficult last 15 years. This included the great works Missa Solemnis and the Ninth Symphony – both finished shortly before his death. The Ninth Symphony was groundbreaking in creating a choral symphony from different voices singing separate lines to create a common symphony. The final part of the symphony (often referred to as “Ode to Joy”) is a symbolic musical representation of universal brotherhood. It was a fitting climax to Beethoven’s unique musical creativity and life. Beethoven considered music as one of the greatest contributors to a higher philosophy.

Beethoven was also a supporter of the Enlightenment movement sweeping Europe. He was going to dedicate a great symphony to Napoléon , whom Beethoven believed was going to defend the ideals of the French Republic. However, when Napoléon’s imperial ambitions were made known, Beethoven scratched out his name so powerfully, he tore a hole in the paper.

Religious views of Beethoven

Beethoven was born and raised a Catholic. His mother was a devout Catholic and sought to share her religious views with her children. Beethoven was considered a fairly moral person, he recommended the virtues of religion to those around him and encouraged his nephew to attend mass.

“Recommend to your children virtues, that alone can make them happy, not gold.”

In his mid-life, his deafness and stomach pains created something of a spiritual crisis in Beethoven. He stopped attending Mass regularly and looked to a wider source of spiritual inspiration. One of his favourite works was Reflections on the Works of God and His Providence Throughout All Nature by a Lutheran Pastor which praised the ‘romantic’ view of the value of nature. Beethoven also became interested in Hindu religious texts and expressed belief in a Supreme Being in a language which was not overtly Catholic. Beethoven wrote

” O God! – you have no threefold being and are independent of everything, you are the true, eternal, blessed, unchangeable light of all time and space.” – Beethoven’s Letters with explanatory notes by Dr. A.C. Kalischer (trans. J.S. Shedlock ), 1926.

Beethoven never formally left the Catholic Church, but some identify him more the tradition of Theists – those who believe in God but don’t follow a particular religion. Others suggest that Beethoven remained a Catholic, but he just redefined Catholicism in a more liberal understanding to accommodate the current enlightenment thinking and his own spiritual exploration of music. In terms of music, he did compose specific religious music such as Missa Solemnis – the great choral symphony. When asked whether he thought this work was intended for church or the concert hall, Beethoven replied that such a distinction was not so important.

“My chief aim was to awaken and permanently instill religious feelings not only into the singers but also into the listeners.” ( link )

• For piano: Sonata in C sharp minor, op. 27, nr. 2 “The Moonlight Sonata”
• For piano: Sonata in C minor, op. 13, “Pathetique”
• Symphony No. 3 “Eroica”; in E flat major (Op. 55)
• Symphony No. 5 in C minor
• Symphony No. 9 in D minor, including well known “Ode to Joy”.
• Missa Solemnis D Major, Op. 123
• Piano Concerto no. 5 “Emperor” in E flat major op. 73

Beethoven’s Death

For the last few months of his life, Beethoven was confined to his bed with illness. Amongst his last view visitors was the younger composer Franz Schubert , who had been deeply inspired by Beethoven. Beethoven, in return, expressed great admiration for the works of Schubert and said of him “Schubert has my soul.” Beethoven’s last words were reported to be:

“Plaudite, amici, comedia finita est. (Applaud, my friends, the comedy is over.) and Ich werde im Himmel hören! (I will hear in heaven!)”

He died on 26 March 1827, aged 56. The precise cause of death is uncertain, but, he had significant liver damage – due to either the accumulation of lead poisoning or excess alcohol consumption. Over 20,000 people are said to have lined the streets of Vienna for his funeral. Though Beethoven had a difficult temperament, and although his music was sometimes too visionary for the general public, Beethoven was deeply appreciated for his unique contribution to music.

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “Biography of Beethoven”, Oxford, UK.  www.biographyonline.net , 28th May 2008. Last updated 1 February 2020.

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Ludwig van Beethoven

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Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was a German composer of Classical and Romantic music ; he is widely regarded as one of the greatest musicians to have ever lived. Most famous for his nine symphonies, piano concertos, piano sonatas, and string quartets, Beethoven was a great innovator and very probably the most influential composer in the history of music.

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany, on 16 December 1770. His grandfather was the director of music ( Kapellmeister ) to the Archbishop-Elector of Cologne at Bonn and his father, Johann van Beethoven (c. 1740-1792), worked at the same court as both an instrumentalist and tenor singer. Ludwig's mother was a head cook in the palace . Ludwig had only two other surviving siblings, his younger brothers Caspar Anton Carl (b. 1774) and Nikolaus Johann (b. 1776). Ludwig's father was keen for Ludwig to develop his obvious musical skills but went rather overboard so that his eldest son spent so much time practising on the piano he did not have a lot of time left for all the other things children need to learn to become rounded adults. Johann was violent and an alcoholic, so there was not much that could be done against his wishes.

Ludwig's musical education continued at the Cologne court from 1779 under the tutorship of the organist and composer Christian Neefe (1748-1798). Ludwig impressed, and he was made the assistant court organist in 1781, and the next year, he was appointed the court orchestra's harpsichordist. Already composing his own pieces, Ludwig's work was catalogued by his teacher and a set of keyboard variations was published in 1782. Three of Ludwig's piano sonatas were published in 1783. In a smart move, Ludwig dedicated his sonatas to the Elector, and although he died that year, the next Elector saw fit to keep him on in the court orchestra.

In 1787, Ludwig was all set to go to Vienna where it was arranged he would take lessons from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791). Although he made it to Vienna, when Ludwig's mother became ill, he was obliged to return home after only two weeks. Unfortunately, Ludwig did not manage to return to Bonn before his mother died, likely of tuberculosis. In 1789, Johann van Beethoven had descended deeper into alcoholism and grief so that Ludwig was obliged to take over responsibility for his family's affairs, which included controlling half of his father's salary. A second opportunity to learn from a master came in 1792 when Ludwig was given leave to study under Joseph Haydn (1732-1809), who was also in Vienna. The music of both Mozart and Haydn influenced Beethoven in the first stage of his career as a composer, as did the guidance of another teacher, Johann Georg Albrechtsberger (1736-1809), particularly regarding counterpoint.

Character & Family

Beethoven was "stocky, swarthy, with an ugly, red, pock-marked face – and [with] rather a boorish manner" (Wade-Matthews, 333). The music historian C. Schonberg paints an even grimmer picture of the composer:

Never a beauty, he was called Der Spagnol in his youth because of his swarthiness. He was short, about 5 feet, 4 inches, thickset and broad, with a massive head, a wildly luxuriant crop of hair, protruding teeth, a small rounded nose, and a habit of spitting wherever the notion took him. He was clumsy, and anything he touched was liable to be upset or broken…He was sullen and suspicious, touchy as a misanthropic cobra, believed that everybody was out to cheat him, had none of the social graces , was forgetful, was prone to insensate rages, engaged in some unethical dealings with his publishers. A bachelor, he lived in indescribably messy surroundings, largely because no servant could put up with his tantrums. (109)

Like his father, Beethoven found alcohol difficult to resist. His great passion besides music was nature. As Countess Therese von Brunsvik once wrote in a letter: "He loved to be alone with nature, to make her his only confidante" (Osborne). Beethoven himself once said, "I love a tree more than a man" ( ibid ); he once even refused to rent a house when he found it had no trees in the vicinity.

Beethoven's love interests remain obscure. To name but a few, the composer may have proposed to the singer Magdalena Willmann in the 1790s, to Countess Josephine Deym in 1805, and to Therese Malfatti in 1810, but nothing came of such reckless and socially impossible declarations of love if indeed they were ever made. Beethoven fell in love with a woman he described in a July 1812 letter as Unsterbliche Geliebte ("Immortal Beloved"), although the letter was never sent (after the composer's death , it was found in a secret drawer of his cashbox). The intended recipient may have been the already-married Antonie Brentano, his friend Bettina Brentano's sister-in- law ; another candidate is the pianist Dorothea von Ertmann. The common feature of Beethoven's objects of desire is that they were all utterly unattainable unless the ladies were prepared to ruin themselves, perhaps that was the subconscious and real desire of an impossibly eccentric man who seemed unable to live with anyone, man or woman.

In 1815, Beethoven, after his brother Caspar's untimely death, took on the role of the legal guardian of his nephew Karl, although the pair had a troubled relationship. Beethoven sought to exclude Karl's mother from being Karl's protector – he disapproved of her low education and poor reputation – but he had to engage in a lengthy legal battle to win his case. Karl could not cope with the mood swings of his uncle, and he attempted suicide in August 1826. Managing only to graze his scalp with one of the two shots he fired, Karl survived and left his uncle for good by joining the army.

Move to Vienna

Beethoven arrived in Vienna in 1792, and he would live there for the rest of his life. His father's death in December 1792 may have convinced the composer he had insufficient reasons to ever go back to Bonn. Beethoven quickly established a reputation in what was then the musical capital of Europe for being a superb improviser, frequently performing on piano in the homes of the wealthy. One newspaper reported on Beethoven's piano style in the following terms: "He is greatly admired for the velocity of his playing, and astounds everybody by the way he can master the greatest difficulties with ease" (Wade-Matthews, 333). Beethoven's career was boosted by the patronage of Prince Lichnowsky who even gave the composer use of rooms in his palace. Various other music-loving nobles helped the composer financially throughout his career.

Beethoven's method of writing new music was "strikingly different from that of his predecessors, in that he made a vast amount of rough drafting and sketching for each work. Although many of these sketches were discarded or lost, a large number survive – probably about 10,000 pages altogether, with nearly all his works represented" (Sadie, 164-5). Beethoven may have been slovenly in his personal habits, but he was meticulous when it came to writing his music; he checked all his published works and frequently sent corrections to the publishers, exhorting them to ensure the printers put all the dots in the right places.

On 29 March 1795 in Vienna's Burgtheater, Beethoven gave his first public performance, choosing to highlight a new piano concerto he had composed. More piano works were published over the next few years as Beethoven established himself as a piano virtuoso of distinction. He published works of chamber music for piano, violin, cello, and wind instruments, and embarked on several concert tours that took in major cities like Prague, Dresden, Leipzig, Berlin, and Pressburg (modern Bratislava). From 1799 to 1801, he wrote the Pathétique piano sonata, the Moonlight piano sonata (a name coined after a critic wrote that the music reminded him of moonlight over Lake Lucerne). The Moonlight sonata was dedicated to Countess Giulietta Guicciardi. The 1801 string quartets are considered by many to be Beethoven's finest works of chamber music. It was also in this period that Beethoven turned to a new format for him, the symphony. Music would never be quite the same again.

The Symphonies

Beethoven's First Symphony was completed in 1800, and the Second Symphony was completed in 1802. They displayed the composer's innovative use of musical motifs rather than the more traditional emphasis on lyrical themes, and wind instruments were given a greater role than was traditional. Another innovation, first seen in the Second Symphony, was to replace the third movement "minuet and trio" with a lively scherzo on either side of a slower mid-section. The Second Symphony, which premiered in April 1803, was an altogether grander affair than the First and is surprisingly joyous considering the composer's health problems at the time (see below), but it was ultimately outshone by the Third Symphony, Eroica , which was completed in 1803. Eroica is double the length of a normal symphony. The composer dedicated it to Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), although he later withdrew the dedication when Napoleon took on the title of Emperor of the French in 1804. Regarded by Beethoven himself as his finest symphony besides the Ninth and often cited by music critics as one of the greatest of any symphony by any composer, a highlight is the dramatic Funeral March.

The Fourth Symphony was completed in 1806 and contains what music critic Richard Osborne describes as "the loveliest of the Beethoven symphonic adagios." The Fifth and Sixth Symphonies both received their premieres in December 1808. The Fifth featured the trombone, a first in Beethoven's work, and shows the composer's increasing interest in repeating motifs and blending the different movements into a single narrative whole while also minimising the breaks between the movements. The author E. M. Forster (1879-1970) described in words the music of the Fifth Symphony as "Gusts of splendour, gods and demi-gods contending with vast swords, colour and fragrance broadcast in the field of battle, magnificent victory, magnificent death" (Osborne). The Sixth Symphony is also titled the Pastoral since it contains musical interpretations of birds singing, thunderstorm, and a rural festival. There are unusual instruments to enhance these effects, for example, the alphorn.

The Seventh and Eighth Symphonies were composed in 1811 and 1812, respectively. The second movement of the Seventh Symphony was especially popular with audiences. Fellow composer Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) was enraptured by the Eighth Symphony: "one of those creations for which there is no model and no parallel, something that falls just as it is from heaven into the artist's head…and we are transfixed as we listen to it" (Kunze). Audiences preferred the Seventh Symphony, which slightly annoyed Beethoven since he felt the Eighth was better.

The Ninth Symphony, titled Choral , was completed in 1824 and premiered on 7 May that year at Vienna's Kärntnertor Theatre . Despite being almost totally deaf by then, Beethoven conducted the premiere himself. The symphony's title derives from Beethoven's innovative use of vocals in the finale. The work was inspired by the ode An die Freude ('To Joy') by Friedrich Schiller (1759-1805).

Health Problems

Beethoven was at the peak of his powers and fame when he suffered a cruel blow to his health. The composer realised around 1798 that he was losing his power of hearing. Doctors confirmed Beethoven's fears in 1800, but the cause remains unknown. The composer first lost the ability to hear higher notes, and his hearing deteriorated from there over the following years, although there were brief periods of improvement.

Beethoven expressed the trauma of this discovery in a letter which has become known as the Heiligenstadt Testament , named after the country retreat outside Vienna where the composer often spent time. The letter, written in 1802, was addressed to Beethoven's brothers (but never actually sent) and included such dark thoughts as: "For me there can be no pleasure in human society, no intelligent conversation, no mutual confidences. I must live like an outcast." He contemplated suicide but was driven on by his music: "It seemed impossible to leave the world before I had accomplished all I was destined to do" (Wade-Matthews, 334). Beethoven began to use an ear trumpet, but he could not hear at all by 1818. Fortunately, like many musicians, Beethoven could 'hear' notes pitch perfectly in his head, and so he could continue to compose.

Other Works

Beethoven wrote a successful ballet in 1801, Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus ( The Creatures of Prometheus ) – the main theme was reused in the composer's Third Symphony. Beethoven wrote his only opera, Fidelio (initially known as Leonore ), in 1805 and then revised it in 1814. Some of the score of Fidelio was recycled by the composer from his 1790 cantata intended to mark the death of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor (r. 1765-1790). The composer lived in turbulent times. The decade-long French Revolution (1789-1799) rocked Europe, and Austria and France were at war . The story of Fidelio is set in Spain during the 18th century, but the plot, where an innocent man is imprisoned but rescued by his wife, was inspired by a story set during the French Revolution. Unfortunately for Beethoven, his original three-act opera had just two performances at the Theater an der Wien before it was closed down because Napoleon's army took possession of Vienna.

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Beethoven returned to instrumental music with his 1806 Violin Concerto and, in the same year, his "Razumovsky" quartets, named after the Russian Count Andrey Razumovsky, ambassador in Vienna, to whom he dedicated the work. In 1809, Beethoven completed his Fifth Piano Concerto, titled Emperor since it was dedicated to his patron Archduke Rudolph of Austria.

Although financially secure from the middle of his career, Beethoven's descended into odder and odder behaviour as he grew older. By 1820, he was "considered a great composer, but as a man completely eccentric, even mad. Careless of his dress, drinking a bottle of wine at each meal…communicating with his friends by means of conversation books, he seemed almost at the end of his career" (Arnold, 195).

In 1822, Beethoven composed an overture, The Consecration of the House, to mark the grand opening of the Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna. The same year he composed his Missa solemnis, which ended up being premiered at a concert with the Ninth Symphony. Beethoven described the Missa solemnis as his finest work.

Just as Beethoven was obliged to retract from society because of his deafness so his final work became more detached from its audience. His last piano sonatas and string quartets "are introspective works, not intended to be 'understood' or applauded in the conventional sense. They are the work of a man who had withdrawn into an inner life, which could only be expressed through the medium of pure, abstract music" (Wade-Matthews, 337). He continued to innovate; his quartets expand on the usual four movements, for example, and his piano sonatas from this period "upset traditional formal patterns, altering the standard number and order of movements; the thematic material is fragmentary; and fugal writing is given an increasing prominence" (Arnold, 195). And there was still to come the Ninth Symphony in 1824, the work which inspired almost all of the Romantic composers yet to come.

Beethoven's Most Famous Works

Nine Symphonies (1800-1824) Six string quartets Around 90 songs Pathétique piano sonata (1798) Moonlight piano sonata (1801) Kreutzer Sonata for violin and piano (1803) Apassionata piano sonata (1804-5) Fidelio opera (1805 & 1814) Violin Concerto (1806) Razumovsky Quartets (1806) Coriolan overture (1807) Emperor piano concerto (1809) Egmont overture (1809-10) Archduke trio (1811) Diabelli Variations on a Waltz (1823) Missa solemnis (1823)

Death & Legacy

In later years, Beethoven suffered from liver disease, likely a consequence of his heavy drinking, and his health in general suffered from the hit-and-miss medical treatments he was subjected to by his doctors. Ludwig van Beethoven died in Vienna on 26 March 1827. The composer was given a public funeral, and the procession was said to have been watched by a crowd of 10,000 people, some said there was double that figure. For many critics and music lovers, Beethoven's music reflects his life: "What his music does convey is an immense ability to overcome misfortune and suffering and a sense of repose and calm when the struggle is over" (Arnold, 196). The celebrated music historian D. Arnold goes on to summarise the composer's influence on all who followed:

Never has a composer had such an influence on his successors…Many composers followed his example by introducing a chorus into a symphony, basing a symphony on a programme, linking movements thematically, opening a concerto without an orchestral ritornello , expanding the possibilities of key structure within a movement or a work, introducing new instruments into the symphony orchestra, and so on…he lifted music from its role as sheer entertainment and made music not the servant of religious observance, but its object. (196).

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Bibliography

• Arnold, Denis. The New Oxford Companion to Music . Oxford University Press, 1983.
• Kunze, Stefan. "Liner Notes - Beethoven Symphonie No 8." Deutsche Grammophon , 1996.
• Osborne, Richard. "Liner notes - Beethoven 9 Symphonies." Deutsche Grammophon , 1988.
• Sadie, S. et al. Classical Music Encyclopedia& Expanded Edition . Flame Tree Music, 2014.
• Schonberg, Harold. The Lives of the Great Composers. Abacus, 1998.
• Steen, Michael. The Lives and Times of the Great Composers. Oxford University Press, 2004.
• Wade-Matthews, M. et al. The Encyclopedia of Music. Lorenz Books, 2020.

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Ludwig van Beethoven - Biography

Ludwig van Beethoven Biography

Ludwig van Beethoven (baptized December 17, 1770 – March 26, 1827) was a German composer of Classical music , the predominant musical figure in the transitional period between the Classical and Romantic eras. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest of composers, and his reputation inspired – and in some cases intimidated – composers, musicians, and audiences who were to come after him.

Life and work

Beethoven was born in Bonn , Germany , to Johann van Beethoven (1740-1792), of Flemish origins, and Magdalena Keverich van Beethoven (1744-1787). Until relatively recently 16 December was shown in many reference works as Beethoven's 'date of birth', since we know he was baptised on 17 December and children at that time were generally baptised the day after their birth. However modern scholarship declines to rely on such assumptions.

Beethoven's first music teacher was his father, who worked as a musician in the Electoral court at Bonn, but was also an alcoholic who beat him and unsuccessfully attempted to exhibit him as a child prodigy . However, Beethoven's talent was soon noticed by others. He was given instruction and employment by Christian Gottlob Neefe , as well as financial sponsorship by the Prince-Elector. Beethoven's mother died when he was 17, and for several years he was responsible for raising his two younger brothers.

Beethoven moved to Vienna in 1792, where he studied with Joseph Haydn and other teachers. He quickly established a reputation as a piano virtuoso , and more slowly as a composer. He settled into the career pattern he would follow for the remainder of his life: rather than working for the church or a noble court (as most composers before him had done), he was a freelancer , supporting himself with public performances, sales of his works, and stipends from noblemen who recognized his ability.

Beethoven's career as a composer is usually divided into Early, Middle, and Late periods.

In the Early period, he is seen as emulating his great predecessors Haydn and Mozart , at the same time exploring new directions and gradually expanding the scope and ambition of his work. Some important pieces from the Early period are the first and second symphonies, the first six string quartets , the first two piano concertos , and about a dozen piano sonatas , including the famous 'Path�tique' .

The Middle period began shortly after Beethoven's personal crisis centering around deafness , and is noted for large-scale works expressing heroism and struggle; these include many of the most famous works of classical music. The Middle period works include six symphonies (Nos. 3 – 8), the last three piano concertos and his only violin concerto , six string quartets (Nos. 7 – 11), many piano sonatas (including the 'Moonlight' , 'Waldstein' , and 'Appassionata' ), and Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio .

Beethoven's Late period began around 1816 and lasted until Beethoven ceased to compose in 1826. The late works are greatly admired for their intellectual depth and their intense, highly personal expression. They include the Ninth Symphony (the 'Choral'), the Missa Solemnis , the last six string quartets and the last five piano sonatas.

Beethoven's personal life was troubled. Around age 28 he started to become deaf, a calamity which led him for some time to contemplate suicide . He was attracted to unattainable (married or aristocratic) women, whom he idealized; he never married. A period of low productivity from about 1812 to 1816 is thought by some scholars to have been the result of depression , resulting from Beethoven's realization that he would never marry. Beethoven quarreled, often bitterly, with his relatives and others, and frequently behaved badly to other people. He moved often from dwelling to dwelling, and had strange personal habits such as wearing filthy clothing while washing compulsively. He often had financial troubles.

It is common for listeners to perceive an echo of Beethoven's life in his music, which often depicts struggle followed by triumph. This description is often applied to Beethoven's creation of masterpieces in the face of his severe personal difficulties.

Beethoven was often in poor health, and in 1826 his health took a drastic turn for the worse. His death in the following year is usually attributed to liver disease.

(See also History of sonata form , Romantic music )

Musical style and innovations

Beethoven is viewed as a transitional figure between the Classical and Romantic eras of musical history. As far as musical form is concerned, he built on the principles of sonata form and motivic development that he had inherited from Haydn and Mozart, but greatly extended them, writing longer and more ambitious movements. The work of Beethoven's Middle period is celebrated for its frequently heroic expression, and the works of his Late period for their intellectual depth.

Personal beliefs and their musical influence

Beethoven was much taken by the ideals of the Enlightenment and by the growing Romanticism in Europe. He initially dedicated his third symphony, the Eroica (Italian for 'heroic'), to Napoleon in the belief that the general would sustain the democratic and republican ideals of the French Revolution , but in 1804 crossed out the dedication as Napoleon's imperial ambitions became clear, replacing it with 'to the memory of a great man'. The fourth movement of his Ninth Symphony features an elaborate choral setting of Schiller 's ode An die Freude ('To Joy'), an optimistic hymn championing the brotherhood of humanity.

Scholars disagree on Beethoven's religious beliefs and the role they played in his work. For discussion, see Beethoven's religious beliefs .

Beethoven the Romantic?

A continuing controversy surrounding Beethoven is whether he was a Romantic composer. As documented elsewhere, since the meanings of the word 'Romantic' and the definition of the period 'Romanticism' both vary by discipline, Beethoven's inclusion as a member of that movement or period must be looked at in context.

If we consider the Romantic movement as an aesthetic epoch in literature and the arts generally, Beethoven sits squarely in the first half, along with literary Romantics such as the German poets Goethe and Schiller (whose texts both he and the much more straightforwardly Romantic Franz Schubert drew on for songs), and the English poet Percy Shelley . He was also called a Romantic by contemporaries such as Spohr and E.T.A. Hoffman . He is often considered the composer of the first Song Cycle , and was influenced by Romantic folk idioms, for example in his use of the work of Robert Burns . He set dozens of such poems (and arranged folk melodies) for voice, piano, and violin.

If on the other hand we consider the context of musicology , where ' Romanticism ' is dated later, the matter is one of considerably greater debate. For some experts Beethoven is not a Romantic, and his being one is 'a myth'; for others he stands as a transitional figure, or an immediate precursor to Romanticism; for others he is the prototypical, or even archetypical, Romantic composer, complete with myth of heroic genius and individuality. The marker buoy of Romanticism has been pushed back and forth several times by scholarship, and remains a subject of intense debate, in no small part because Beethoven is seen as a seminal figure. To those for whom the Enlightenment represents the basis of Modernity , he must therefore be unequivocally a Classicist, while for those who see the Romantic sensibility as a key to later aesthetics (including the aesthetics of our own time), he must be a Romantic. Between these two extremes there are, of course, innumerable gradations.

• Category:Beethoven compositions
• List of works by Beethoven is a listing of most of Beethoven's works, including links to all of the works discussed in their own Wikipedia article.
• Three-key exposition

External links

• Ludwig van Beethoven: A Musical Titan  ( http://www.carolinaclassical.com/articles/beethoven.html )
• Wikiquote - Quotes by and about Ludwig van Beethoven  ( http://wikiquote.org/wiki/Ludwig_van_Beethoven )
• Works of Beethoven (including some sheet music)  ( http://www.gutenberg.net/author/Beethoven,+Ludwig+van ) from Project Gutenberg
• Beethoven's Heiligenstadt Testament  ( http://w3.rz-berlin.mpg.de/cmp/beethoven_heiligenstadt.html )
• Ludwig van Beethoven  ( http://klasyka.host.sk/en/kompozytor.php?k=beethoven ) from Encyclopedia of Composers  ( http://klasyka.host.sk/en/ )
• Piano Society.com - Beethoven  ( http://www.pianosociety.com/index.php?id=12 ) (A small biography and various free recordings)
• Beethoven's Sheet Music  ( http://www.mutopiaproject.org/cgibin/make-table.cgi?Composer=BeethovenLv&preview=1 ) by Mutopia Project
• Beethoven Haus Bonn  ( http://www.beethoven-haus-bonn.de ) , contains a large archive of historic and modern documents related to Beethoven
• Article about Beethoven’s study of Bach, as it relates to his music  ( http://www.schillerinstitute.org/fid_97-01/002-3bach_beethoven.html ) (and to this work)
• Beethoven Website  ( http://www.beethoven.ws ) , features Beethoven's biography, timeline and pictures.

• World Biography

Ludwig van Beethoven Biography

Born: December 16, 1770 Bonn, Germany Died: March 26, 1827 Vienna, Austria German composer

German composer Ludwig van Beethoven is considered one of the most important figures in the history of music. He continued to compose even while losing his hearing and created some of his greatest works after becoming totally deaf.

Early years in Bonn

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany, on December 16, 1770. He was the eldest of three children of Johann and Maria Magdalena van Beethoven. His father, a musician who liked to drink, taught him to play piano and violin. Young Ludwig was often pulled out of bed in the middle of the night and ordered to perform for his father's drinking companions, suffering beatings if he protested. As Beethoven developed, it became clear that to reach artistic maturity he would have to leave Bonn for a major musical center.

At the age of twelve Beethoven was a promising keyboard player and a talented pupil in composition of the court organist Christian Gottlob Neefe (1748–1798). He even filled in as church organist when Neefe was out of town. In 1783 Beethoven's first published work, a set of keyboard pieces, appeared, and in the 1780s he produced portions of a number of later works. In 1787 he traveled to Vienna, Austria, apparently to seek out Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) as a teacher. He was forced to return to Bonn to care for his ailing mother, who died several months later. His father died in 1792.

Years in Vienna

In 1792 Beethoven went back to Vienna to study with the famous composer Joseph Haydn (1732–1809). Beethoven was not totally satisfied with Haydn's teaching, though, and he turned to musicians of lesser talent for extra instruction. Beethoven rapidly proceeded to make his mark as a brilliant keyboard performer and as a gifted young composer with a number of works to his credit. In 1795 his first mature published works appeared, and his career was officially launched.

Beethoven lived in Vienna from 1792 to his death in 1827, unmarried, among a circle of friends, independent of any kind of official position or private service. He rarely traveled, apart from summers in the countryside. In 1796 he made a trip to northern Germany, where his schedule included a visit to the court of King Frederick William of Prussia, an amateur cellist. Later Beethoven made several trips to Budapest, Hungary. In 1808 Beethoven received an invitation to become music director at Kassel, Germany. This alarmed several of his wealthy Viennese friends, who formed a group of backers and agreed to guarantee Beethoven an annual salary of 1,400 florins to keep him in Vienna. He thus became one of the first musicians in history to be able to live independently on his music salary.

Personal and professional problems

Although publishers sought out Beethoven and he was an able manager of his own business affairs, he was at the mercy of the crooked publishing practices of his time. Publishers paid a fee to composers for rights to their works, but there was no system of copyrights (the exclusive right to sell and copy a published work) or royalties (profits based on public performances of the material) at the time. As each new work appeared, Beethoven sold it to one or more of the best and most reliable publishers. But this initial payment was all he would receive, and both he and his publisher had to contend with rival publishers who brought out editions of their own. As a result Beethoven saw his works published in many different versions that were unauthorized, unchecked, and often inaccurate. Several times during his life in Vienna Beethoven started plans for a complete, authorized edition of his works, but these plans were never realized.

Beethoven's deafness and his temper contributed to his reputation as an unpleasant personality. But reliable accounts and a careful reading of Beethoven's letters reveal him to be a powerful and self-conscious man, totally involved in his creative work but alert to its practical side as well, and one who is sometimes willing to change to meet current demands. For example, he wrote some works on commission, such as his cantata (a narrative poem set to music) for the Congress of Vienna, 1814.

Examining Beethoven

Beethoven's deafness affected his social life, and it must have changed his personality deeply. In any event, his development as an artist would probably have caused a crisis in his relationship to the musical and social life of the time sooner or later. In his early years he wrote as a pianist-composer for an immediate and receptive public; in his last years he wrote for himself. Common in Beethoven biographies is the focus on Beethoven's awareness of current events and ideas, especially his attachment to the ideals of the French Revolution (1789–99; the revolt of the French middle class to end absolute power by French kings) and his faith in the brotherhood of men, as expressed in his lifelong goal of composing a version of "Ode to Joy," by Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805), realized at last in the Ninth Symphony. Also frequently mentioned is his genuine love of nature and outdoor life.

No one had ever heard anything like Beethoven's last works; they were too advanced for audiences and even professional musicians for some time after his death in 1827. Beethoven was aware of this. It seems, however, he expected later audiences to have a greater understanding of and appreciation for them. Beethoven reportedly told a visitor who was confused by some of his later pieces, "They are not for you but for a later age."

For More Information

Autexier, Philippe A. Beethoven: The Composer As Hero. Edited by Carey Lovelace. New York: H. N. Abrams, 1992.

Balcavage, Dynise. Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer. New York: Chelsea House, 1996.

Solomon, Maynard. Beethoven. 2nd ed. New York: Schirmer Books, 1998.

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Beethoven: the astonishing force of nature who dragged music into the Romantic era

John Suchet profiles Ludwig van Beethoven - the composer who sparked a musical revolution

Fine Art Images/Heritage Images via Getty Images

BBC Music Magazine

The music and, indeed, the personality of Ludwig van Beethoven bestrides the story of classical music like a colossus. The story of this most wonderful artform would be profoundly different without his influence. Of course, Beethoven had a huge impact on the story of classical music, helping to usher in the Romantic era. Much more than that, though, he was perhaps without parallel in the art of translating emotion into music.

Read on for our guide to the life and music of perhaps the most influential composer in the history of classical music: Ludwig van Beethoven.

Who was Beethoven and why was he so crucial?

Beethoven was not only one of the greatest composers of all time - but also something of a revolutionary. Not just in the obvious sense that his compositions took music in a new direction.

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No, much more than this: he was an artist imbued with the idea of revolution. Crucial to a full appreciation of Beethoven’s music is a knowledge of the times in which he lived, an understanding of the tumultuous events sweeping across Europe, bringing with them new orders and new ideas.

When and where was Beethoven born?

Bonn, where Beethoven was born in December 1770 , was an outpost of the Habsburg Empire . It was small, prosperous and sophisticated due to the fact that it was the seat of the Elector of Cologne and Münster. On the surface it was also conservative.

But Vienna – capital city of the Holy Roman Empire, formal and proper, with a growing network of spies, where dissent was not tolerated – was 500 miles and several days’ coach ride away. And so the burghers of Bonn, not to mention the elector, were prone to making decisions almost calculated to upset those at the heart of government.

Where did Beethoven grow up?

The young Beethoven remained in the town of his birth, Bonn, until the age of 21.

The first of these to have a lasting impact on the young musical prodigy in Bonn was the employment as court organist not only of an outsider, from Saxony, but a man of the wrong religion too. A Protestant, no less, who wasted no time in joining the proscribed organisation of like-minded dissidents, the Illuminati .

No one knows what persuaded the largely incapable and alcoholic Johann van Beethoven to employ Christian Gottlob Neefe as teacher to his son Ludwig, but it was an inspired choice. It does not take too much imagination to see Neefe, as well as encouraging his young pupil’s first attempts at composition, filling his head with ideas of religion, philosophy and politics. Neefe radicalised Beethoven.

An early breakthrough

Before Beethoven was ten, the old order passed with the death of Empress Maria Theresa . Emperor Joseph put in place immediate reforms, stripping the clergy of much of their power, introducing a measure of freedom of worship, and pushing through emancipation of the peasantry before he died, just 48, in 1790.

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That was when the musical establishment of Bonn took a truly extraordinary decision. They decided to commission a work to commemorate Joseph’s death, which would set to music words by a local poet, which in lauding Joseph’s break with the past were political dynamite, as well as a second piece to mark the accession of the new emperor.

And instead of choosing one of the several senior and respected musicians at court, they awarded the commission to the 19-year-old Ludwig van Beethoven. No matter that the orchestra refused to perform the pieces because they considered them unplayable, from these two Cantatas on, Beethoven would always be a political composer.

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When did Beethoven arrive in Vienna?

He left Bonn for Vienna in November 1792, never to return. At the time, Paris was undergoing the single most cataclysmic event of the age. Three years earlier the people had stormed the Bastille , initiating the French Revolution. Louis XVI and his Queen were under arrest. The King would go to the guillotine within two months, Marie Antoinette a matter of months after that. It was not long before the French set about exporting their revolution, a task made easier by the fortune that one of their citizens was on his way to becoming the greatest military commander in history. Vienna was steeped in old-world tradition and was therefore most vulnerable to the new French Revolutionary Army. It was a city living in fear.

While lauding the aims of the French Revolution, Beethoven condemned outright the violence and bloodletting it had led to. He also deplored the French occupation of Bonn and the Rhineland. But this revolutionary young composer had found a hero in the First Consul of France, Napoleon Bonaparte , to whom he dedicated the Eroica Symphony , the work that famously propelled music into the 19th century.

Napoleon and the Eroica

When Napoleon appointed himself Emperor, Beethoven withdrew the dedication, declaring him to be nothing more than a tyrant after all. Still, Beethoven could not help admiring Napoleon. The title page of the first edition bore the words: Sinfonia Eroica... per festeggiare il sovvenire di un grand Uomo [Heroic Symphony... to celebrate the memory of a great man], and Beethoven wrote to his publisher that ‘the title of the symphony is really Bonaparte ’.

The influence of the Revolution stayed with Beethoven. The French composer Méhul, much admired by the revolutionaries, composed five symphonies in this period. All four movements of his First Symphony bear striking stylistic similarities to Beethoven’s Fifth – regarded as the epitome of revolutionary musical writing – and both were composed in the same year.

Beethoven and Méhul

Who influenced whom? One suspects that if you suggested to Beethoven that he was influenced by Méhul, he would probably agree, and say that the revolutionary theme of his only opera, Fidelio , was also influenced by themes used by Méhul in his operas.

Several times in adult life, Beethoven actively contemplated a move to Paris – surely a desire to experience revolutionary times at first hand. In fact in 1808, an annus horribilis for him, plans for the move were well advanced. It never, of course, happened. After Napoleon’s final defeat and exile, Vienna, with the autocratic Metternich running things, was more or less shut down. There were secret police everywhere.

• How did Beethoven cope with going deaf?
• Five of the best Beethoven piano sonata cycles on disc

Beethoven, by now deaf, had only one outlet for his ideas, and that was music. No wonder his compositions gave a new meaning to the world ‘revolutionary’. There had never been a piano sonata like the Hammerklavier . No composer had ever used voices in a symphony, as Beethoven would in his Ninth . The final Piano Sonata, Op. 111 shows his radical approach to form and his revolutionary brilliance stands out in every movement of his five Late Quartets, simply the greatest body of music ever composed.

When and why did Beethoven go deaf?

It is believed that Beethoven began to lose his hearing in his mid twenties. The cause of his hearing loss remains something of a mystery, though modern analysis of the composer's DNA has revealed some health issues - including large amounts of lead in his system.

• Why did Beethoven go deaf? Could heavy metal have been to blame?

Beethoven later claimed that his deafness had its origins in a quarrel with a singer, back in 1798. In 1801, he wrote to friends describing his symptoms and how they were making life difficult for him, both as a composer and in society.

Then came the famous Heiligenstadt Testament . Beethoven spent around six months of the year 1802 in the small Austrian town of Heiligenstadt , just outside Vienna, on the advice of his doctor. This was where he wrote his famous Testament: a letter to his brothers, in which he reveals that his deafness has made him consider suicide, but that he has resolved to continue living through his art. Never sent, the letter was found among the composer's papers after his death.

Did Beethoven marry?

No. He did meet a young countess, Julie Guicciardi, for whom he developed strong feelings: he writes about his love for her in a letter written to a friend in November 1801.

Sadly, though, the young Beethoven was from humbler origins than Julie, and this class difference meant that a union would have been out of the question.

Then there was Antonie Brentano - a philanthropist, arts patron, and close friend of the composer. While he was at the spa resort of Teplitz in 1812, Beethoven wrote a ten-page love letter to his 'Immortal Beloved' - but the letter was never sent and the addressee never revealed. The identity of the 'Immortal Beloved' has been much discussed, but the musicologist Maynard Solomon has convincingly demonstrated that the intended recipient must have been Antonie Brentano.

When did Beethoven die?

Beethoven died on 26 March 1827 at the age of 56. Some 10,000 people attended his funeral procession six days later - including a young Franz Schubert .

What did Beethoven die of?

The precise cause of Beethoven's death is not known for certain, although cirrhosis of the liver and infectious hepatitis are among those causes put forward.

What were Beethoven's final words?

You may hear the story told that Beethoven's final deathbed words were 'applaud friends, the comedy is ended' (spoken in Latin, no less). In fact, however, we believe that his final words came after a publisher had sent the dying composer 12 bottles of wine as a gift. Beethoven's reaction (and last words)? 'Pity, pity, too late!'.

Did Mozart and Beethoven meet?

The young Ludwig van Beethoven intended to study with Mozart and, in 1787, when Beethoven was 16 and Mozart was 31, the younger composer travelled to Vienna to meet his would-be mentor, However, shortly after his arrival in Vienna, Beethoven's mother fell ill, meaning that he had to return to his hometown of Bonn in Germany.

Beethoven stayed in Bonn for five years, looking after his younger siblings. When he was finally able to undertake the trip to Vienna the great Mozart was, sadly, dead.

What are Beethoven's most famous pieces?

With such an incredible output to his name, this becomes a very thorny question in Beethoven's case. However, we'd certainly nominate the Third, Fifth , and Ninth Symphonies (although the Sixth and Seventh follow close behind, and to be honest all nine are masterpieces).

• The 20 greatest symphonies of all time
• Best of Beethoven: his 20 greatest works

On the concerto front, the Violin Concerto and the final two Piano Concertos are probably the best known.

• The greatest violin concertos of all time
• The greatest piano concertos of all time

Among Beethoven's large and deeply impressive chamber music output, we'd have to single out the 'Archduke' Piano Trio, as well as the late String Quartets mentioned above.

• Lost movement of a Beethoven string quartet reconstructed

Most famous Beethoven sonatas

The best known Beethoven Piano Sonatas include the 'Hammerklavier' Sonata, the 'Moonlight' Sonata , the 'Waldstein' Sonata and the 'Pathétique' Sonata. Scared music lovers, meanwhile, will want to sample Beethoven's great choral work, the Missa Solemnis .

• Five of the best recordings of Beethoven's sonata cycles

How did Beethoven change music?

Like his forebear Bach, and more so than his immediate predecessors Haydn and Mozart, Beethoven had a profound impact on the direction that classical music was taking. Under his influence, some essential classical forms such as the sonata, the concerto, the string quartet and most obviously the symphony became bigger and wider in their ambitions.

Take Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, for example, which both rearranged the formal structure of a Classical symphony, and features - totally originally - the human voice in its final movement. Innovations such as these make Beethoven one of the earliest and best Romantic composers .

Or take the extraordinary 'Hammerklavier' Sonata: no other piano sonata covers such a vast ground, both musical and emotional. The final movement is a vast fugue, a mindblowingly complex composition that makes huge demands on the performer.

• Ten great Beethoven performers

Lastly, Beethoven's final five String Quartets attain a quality of transcendent beauty and emotional eloquence that was, quite simply, without precedent in the chamber music world.

Read reviews of the latest Beethoven recordings here

John Suchet

And... can't get enough Ludwig van? Some great lesser-known Beethoven works to discover

Wellington’s victory.

Originally written for a panharmonicon, an automatic orchestral organ, the piece marked the victory at the Battle of Vitoria in 1813.

Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph II, Wo0 87

Written for a memorial service by a 19-year-old Beethoven, it was premiered in 1884.

King Stephen, Op. 117

The overture is played today but the vocal movements that follow are forgotten. This 1811 piece refers to the first king of Hungary.

Three Equale for Four Trombones, Wo0 30

Written for All Soul’s Day in Linz Cathedral, 1812. Vocal arrangements were heard at Beethoven’s funeral .

• 10 Beethoven references in popular culture

Andante favori in F, Wo0 57

Rejected as the Waldstein Sonata’s second movement for being overlong, it took on its own life when published in 1805.

Waldstein Variations

Written for the same Count Ferdinand von Waldstein of sonata fame, this is one of Beethoven’s earliest piano duets.

• 10 of the best arrangements of Beethoven's music

Grosse Fugue for piano duet

Demand for a four-hand piano arrangement of this work for string quartet led to Beethoven making his own.

Organ Fugue, Wo0 31

Published in the 19th century, Beethoven’s ‘complete’ works included three organ pieces. This fugue is his earliest.

British folk songs

These 179 arrangements of folk tunes were a money-spinner for Beethoven, thanks to publisher George Thomson.

Sextet for horns and string quartet, Op. 81b

Published in 1810, but written in the 1790s, this E flat chamber piece tests the two horn players’ technique.

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Biography of Ludwig van Beethoven, German Composer

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Ludwig van Beethoven (December 16, 1770–March 26, 1827) was a German composer and musician. His work embraced a range of musical styles, from the classical to the romantic; although Beethoven composed music for a variety of settings, he is best known for his nine symphonies. His final symphony—featuring the "Ode to Joy" chorus—is one of the most famous works in Western music.

Fast Facts: Ludwig van Beethoven

• Known For : Beethoven is one of the most celebrated composers in the history of classical music; his symphonies are still performed throughout the world.
• Born : December 16, 1770 in Bonn, Electorate of Cologne
• Parents : Johann van Beethoven and Maria Magdalena Keverich
• Died : March 26, 1827 in Vienna, Austria

Beethoven's father Johann van Beethoven sang soprano in the electoral chapel where his father was Kapellmeister (chapel master). Johann eventually became proficient enough to teach violin, piano, and voice to earn a living. He married Maria Magdalena Keverich in 1767. Ludwig van Beethoven was baptized on December 17, 1770. Most scholars believe he was born the day before, as Catholic baptisms traditionally took place the day after birth. Maria later gave birth to five other children, but only two survived, Kaspar Anton Karl and Nikolaus Johann.

At a very early age, Beethoven received violin and piano lessons from his father. At the age of 8, he studied theory and keyboard with Gilles van den Eeden (a former chapel organist). He also studied with several local organists and received piano lessons from Tobias Friedrich Pfeiffer and violin and viola lessons from Franz Rovantini. Although Beethoven’s musical genius is often compared to that of Mozart , his education never exceeded the elementary level.

Teenage Years

As a teenager, Beethoven was the assistant and formal student of Christian Gottlob Neefe, the court organist of the city of Bonn. Beethoven performed more than he composed. In 1787, Neefe sent Beethoven to Vienna for reasons unknown, but many historians agree that while he was there he met and briefly studied with Mozart. Two weeks later, he returned home because his mother was ill with tuberculosis. She died in July. His father took to drink, and Beethoven, only 19 years old, petitioned to be recognized as the head of the house; he received half of his father's salary to support his family.

Music Career

In 1792, Beethoven moved to Vienna. His father died in December that same year. Beethoven studied with Austrian composer Joseph Haydn for less than a year; their personalities were evidently not a match for each other. Beethoven then studied with Johann Georg Albrechtsberger, the most famous teacher of counterpoint in Vienna. He studied counterpoint and contrapuntal exercises in free writing, in imitation, in two to four-part fugues, choral fugues, double counterpoint at different intervals, double fugue , triple counterpoint, and canon.

After establishing himself as a composer, Beethoven began writing more complex works. In 1800, he performed his first symphony and a septet. Publishers soon began to compete for the rights to his newest compositions. While still in his 20s, however, Beethoven began to suffer from hearing loss after a fall. His attitude and social life changed dramatically, as the composer wanted to hide his impairment from the world. Determined to overcome his disability, he wrote his second, third, and fourth symphonies before 1806. Symphony 3, ("Eroica") , was originally titled "Bonaparte" as a tribute to Napoleon.

Middle Period

In 1808, Beethoven completed his fifth symphony, whose opening notes are some of the most famous in all of classical music. This success was followed by several additional symphonies as well as string quartets and piano sonatas, including Fur Elise . During this time, Beethoven also premiered an early version of his opera "Fidelio." The production received poor reviews, and the composer continued to revise the work until 1814.

Beethoven's newfound fame began to pay off, and he soon found himself prosperous. His symphonic works were celebrated as masterpieces; critics cited Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven as the greatest composers of their era. Nevertheless, Beethoven faced personal challenges during this time. He fell in love with a young countess, Julie Guicciardi, but could not marry her because he was from a lower social station. He later dedicated his "Moonlight Sonata" to her.

Beethoven's output suffered during the next decade, the result of several serious illnesses and the death of his brother Kaspar, whom Beethoven had cared for during his sickness. This was followed by a custody battle with his brother's wife over his nephew Karl. The case was eventually resolved in Beethoven's favor, and the composer became the guardian of his nephew. However, the two had a troubled relationship.

Late Period

During the last 15 years of his life, Beethoven's hearing continued to decline. Nevertheless, he did not cease work on his compositions, and in the years before his death, he finished two of his most ambitious pieces—the Missa Solemnis , a mass written for a small orchestra and mixed choir, and the Ninth Symphony, one of the earliest examples of a choral symphony. The latter features what is perhaps Beethoven's most enduring piece of music—a chorus set to words from Friedrich Schiller's poem "Ode to Joy." Beethoven also wrote several additional string quartets, even as his health began to decline.

In 1827, Beethoven died of dropsy. In a will written several days before his death, he left his estate to his nephew Karl, of whom he was the legal guardian after his brother Kaspar's death.

Beethoven remains one of the most popular classical composers of all time, and his major works are frequently performed throughout the world. By introducing new musical ideas, he inspired countless composers after him; indeed, his influence is so great that it is difficult to summarize. The Voyager Golden Record—a recording placed onboard the Voyager spacecraft—contains two pieces of music by Beethoven: the opening of the Fifth Symphony and String Quartet No. 13 in B flat.

• Grove, George. "Beethoven and His Nine Symphonies." Franklin Classics, 2018.
• Lockwood, Lewis. "Beethoven: the Music and the Life." Norton, 2003.
• Swafford, Jan. "Beethoven: Anguish and Triumph." Faber and Faber, 2014.
• Beethoven's Eroica Symphony
• Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” Lyrics, Translation, and History
• The Greatest Composers of the Classical Period
• 'Fur Elise' by Beethoven
• Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata
• Top 24 Composers of the Romantic Era
• Biography of Franz Joseph Haydn, Austrian Composer
• Classical Music Composer Timeline
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• The Origin of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
• A List of Beethoven's Music That Has Appeared in the Movies
• String Quartet 101
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• Beethoven's Love Letter - My Eternally Beloved
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• Shazam and Classical Music

LVBEETHOVEN.COM

Ludwig van beethoven: the ultimate biography and resource.

Beethoven, Ludwig van 1770-1827

Ludwig van Beethoven: A Glimpse into the Life of a Genius

Born in 1770 in the city of Bonn, Ludwig van Beethoven was destined to be one of the greatest composers the world has ever known. From an early age, his prodigious talent was evident, and he soon moved to Vienna, the epicenter of musical innovation. Overcoming a series of personal trials, including the tragedy of progressive deafness, Beethoven crafted compositions that are celebrated for their emotion, depth, and revolutionary spirit. His works, spanning from intimate piano sonatas to powerful symphonies, not only reflect his own struggles and joys but also resonate with universal human experiences.

Throughout his life, Beethoven remained a figure of fascination, admiration, and at times, controversy. Yet, his undying commitment to his art and his indomitable spirit have inspired countless generations of musicians, scholars, and music lovers around the globe.

Your Resource for Everything Beethoven

This website is dedicated entirely to Ludwig van Beethoven and the rich tapestry of his life and works. Delve deeper and explore:

The Definitive Ludwig van Beethoven Biography

Covering all of the most significant events and contributions of the the masterclass Composer that defined an era.

Music & Masterpieces

A comprehensive library of his celebrated compositions.

Books & Literature

Reviews and insights into the best books about Beethoven.

Family Tree

Trace the lineage and uncover the history of the Beethoven family .

Historical Timeline

Key events that shaped the life and times of the maestro.

Portrait Gallery

A visual journey through the many faces of Beethoven.

Philatelic Collection

Rare stamps and postal memorabilia commemorating Beethoven’s influence on culture.

… and so much more!

Join us as we celebrate the life, music, and legacy of Ludwig van Beethoven, a luminary who continues to inspire the world.

What’s new?

Make sure to check out our recently updated section on Beethoven Music . Includes comprehensive guides to all of Beethoven’s most beloved Symphonies, Sonatas, Piano Concerto’s, and more!

We are also in the process of updating and expanding our section on Beethoven Films . We provide comprehensive guides to all of the most acclaimed films that portrayed Beethoven’s extraordinary impact on the world.

Beethoven – Did you know?

One of the most beloved musical geniuses of all-time, Beethoven remains one of the most popular people (albeit deceased) in the world.

• Beethoven began losing his hearing in his late 20s, and by the age of 49, he was almost completely deaf, yet he continued to compose groundbreaking music.
• He was baptized on December 17, 1770, in Bonn, Germany, but his exact birthdate remains unknown.
• Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” was dedicated to his pupil, Countess Giulietta Guicciardi, with whom he fell in love.
• Despite his fame, Beethoven often struggled financially and was supported by a group of wealthy patrons.
• His Symphony No. 9 was the first example of a major composer using voices in a symphony.
• Beethoven was known for his fiery personality and frequent mood swings, often reflected in his music.
• He never married, but his Immortal Beloved letters suggest he had a mysterious, intense love affair.
• Beethoven’s “Für Elise,” one of his most famous pieces, was discovered and published 40 years after his death.
• He was a crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western music.
• Beethoven’s last words were reportedly “Pity, pity—too late!”, as he was told of a gift of wine from his publisher.
• His Ninth Symphony’s “Ode to Joy” is the anthem of the European Union.
• Beethoven often dipped his head in cold water before composing, believing it stimulated his creativity.
• He wrote only one opera, “Fidelio,” which was revised multiple times and premiered in its final form in 1814.
• As a child prodigy, Beethoven gave his first public performance at the age of 7½.
• His “Heiligenstadt Testament,” a letter written to his brothers, reveals his thoughts on his growing deafness and his resolve to continue living through his art.
• Beethoven’s compositions include 9 symphonies, 5 piano concertos, 1 violin concerto, 32 piano sonatas, and 16 string quartets.
• He was known to have a messy living space and a disheveled appearance, often focusing so intensely on his work that he neglected his surroundings.
• Beethoven was a great admirer of Napoleon until Napoleon declared himself Emperor, after which Beethoven famously scratched out Napoleon’s name from the dedication of his “ Eroica ” Symphony.
• His music was influenced by his love of nature, often taking long walks in the countryside for inspiration.
• Beethoven’s funeral in Vienna in 1827 was attended by an estimated 10,000 to 30,000 people, reflecting his immense popularity.

Beethoven and the Changing Landscape of Music Critique

Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the most revered composers in the history of western music, continues to captivate audiences nearly two centuries after his death. From his early life in Bonn to his monumental compositions created in Vienna, Beethoven’s music has withstood the test of time. However, his journey was far from easy and was peppered with critical scrutiny that

Beethoven’s Innovations – Challenging the Critics

Ludwig van Beethoven is a name synonymous with grand symphonies, emotive piano works, and intricate chamber music. Born in 1770 in Bonn, Germany, Beethoven revolutionized classical music through his innovative compositions and distinctive style. Widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time, Beethoven’s contributions to music did not come without their share of criticism. In an era

Critical Misunderstandings in Beethoven’s Lesser-Known Works

Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the most celebrated and influential composers in Western music history, is renowned for his symphonies, piano sonatas, and string quartets that have shaped the very foundation of classical music. However, even a genius of Beethoven’s caliber wasn’t immune to criticism during and after his lifetime. As we delve into the lesser-known, often overlooked works of

Beethoven’s Life and Influence on 19th Century Music Criticism

Ludwig van Beethoven stands as one of the incredible pillars of western classical music, a composer whose work has transcended time and continues to resonate worldwide. Born in Bonn in 1770, his journey through the realms of symphonies, sonatas, and concertos was not merely a musical excursion but a groundbreaking voyage that altered the musical landscape forever. His compositions, ranging

Comparing Critiques – Beethoven vs. His Contemporaries

In the pantheon of Western classical music, Ludwig van Beethoven’s name resonates with unmatched force. The German composer, born in 1770 in Bonn, redefined music in ways that still influence the discipline today. Beethoven, who began his career in the Classical era and spanned into the Romantic era, produced a plethora of symphonies, sonatas, string quartets, and various other compositions

The Evolution of Beethoven’s Critical Reception Over Time

Ludwig van Beethoven, born in 1770, remains a towering figure in the world of classical music. His compositions, which range from symphonies to sonatas, have not only endured but have grown in esteem over the centuries. Despite his posthumous acclaim, Beethoven’s relationship with music criticism during his lifetime was complex and, at times, contentious. This article delves into the historical

Frequently Asked Questions about Ludwig van Beethoven

Yes, Beethoven began to lose his hearing in his late twenties, and it deteriorated progressively over time. By his late 40s, he was almost completely deaf. Despite this significant challenge, many of Beethoven’s most celebrated works were composed during the period when he was experiencing profound hearing loss.

For more thorough information on Beethoven’s Deafness check out this comprehensive article we wrote on the topic – “ Beethoven’s Deafness: Triumph of Creativity .”

There is no solid evidence to support the claim that Beethoven was black. The majority of historical records and portraits depict him as a European man of Caucasian descent. Over the years, there have been debates and speculations about his heritage, but there’s no concrete evidence to counter the widely accepted view of his ethnicity. Some of the debates arise from descriptions of Beethoven’s darker complexion, but this can be attributed to various reasons, including his health and the standards of description at the time.

Ludwig van Beethoven was born on December 17, 1770, in Bonn, a city in what is now Germany.

For more information check out our comprehensive Biography of Ludwig van Beethoven .

Beethoven passed away on March 26, 1827, in Vienna. The exact cause of his death is not definitively known. Over the years, various theories have been proposed, including lead poisoning, syphilis, and autoimmune disorders. During an autopsy, significant amounts of lead were found in Beethoven’s hair, lending support to the lead poisoning theory. However, the true cause of his death remains a subject of debate among historians and researchers.

Check out our comprehensive Biography of Ludwig van Beethoven for more information on this topic.

You may also want to check out Beethoven’s Family Tree .

Ludwig van Beethoven composed a total of 9 symphonies.

Visit (and listen) to Beethoven’s Symphonies and Music .

Also check out Beethoven’s Biography .

Use LVBeethoven.com as a resource to learn more about this extraordinary many.

Beethoven passed away on March 26, 1827.

For thorough information on the life of Ludwig van Beethoven check out Beethoven’s Biography.

Beethoven was born in Bonn, which is located in present-day Germany.

Here is a Chronology of Beethoven’s life – https://lvbeethoven.wpenginepowered.com/biography/chronology-of-beethovens-life/

Beethoven began to experience hearing loss in his late twenties. This hearing loss worsened progressively over the years, and by the time he was in his late 40s, he was almost completely deaf.

For the most comprehensive treatise on Beethoven’s Deafness check out “ Beethoven’s Deafness: Triumph of Creativity .”

No, Beethoven was not blind. He is famously known for his hearing impairment, but there are no records or evidence to suggest that he suffered from blindness.

For a comprehensive look at the life of Ludwig van Beethoven check out his BIO .

Yes, Ludwig van Beethoven was German. He was born in Bonn, a city in the Electorate of Cologne, which was a part of the Holy Roman Empire at the time of his birth. This region is now in modern-day Germany.

Here are a few helpful links to learn more about Ludwig van Beethoven:

LVBeethoven.com is your comprehensive resource for information about the impeccable Ludwig van Beethoven.

Perhaps the most famous piece by Ludwig van Beethoven is the Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, often referred to as the “Choral” Symphony. This masterpiece is notable not just for its musical brilliance but also because it was the first time a major composer used voices in a symphony. The final movement of this symphony incorporates Friedrich Schiller’s “Ode to Joy,” sung by a chorus and soloists. This movement has since become an anthem for unity and fraternity. Moreover, the symphony’s structure, themes, and the sheer emotional power it exudes make it a groundbreaking work in the history of classical music. Today, the “Ode to Joy” theme is recognized worldwide and has been adapted for various purposes, including being the anthem of the European Union.

Check out our section dedicated to Beethoven’s Music .

Ludwig van Beethoven was a prolific composer, and throughout his lifetime, he composed a vast number of works across various musical genres. While it’s challenging to pinpoint an exact number due to variations in counting (some pieces have multiple parts, or movements), Beethoven wrote 9 symphonies, 32 piano sonatas, 16 string quartets, 5 piano concertos, 1 violin concerto, 1 opera (“Fidelio”), and many other compositions including sonatas for various instruments, overtures, choral works, and chamber music pieces. In total, he composed well over 200 individual works. His influence in shaping the Classical and Romantic eras of music is monumental, with many of his compositions being staples in the repertoires of orchestras, chamber groups, and soloists around the world.

BTW – you can learn more about Beethoven through Films and Literature .

While Beethoven wrote numerous renowned pieces throughout his lifetime, the Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, also known as the “Choral” Symphony, stands out as one of his most celebrated. The piece’s final movement is particularly famous for its incorporation of Friedrich Schiller’s “Ode to Joy,” performed by a choir and soloists. This inclusion of a choral element was revolutionary for symphonic works at the time. The symphony as a whole, and especially its final movement, is emblematic of Beethoven’s vision for music as a powerful force for unity and shared humanity. It encapsulates his masterful ability to convey profound emotions and ideals through musical expression. This symphony’s enduring popularity is a testament to its universal appeal and its representation of Beethoven’s genius.

Don’t miss the Beethoven Biography for a thorough education on everything Beethoven.

Ludwig van Beethoven is buried in Vienna, Austria. Initially, he was interred at the Währing Cemetery, but in 1888, his remains, along with those of Franz Schubert, were moved to the Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) in Vienna, one of the largest cemeteries in the world. The Zentralfriedhof is notable for its numerous graves of famous composers, making it a significant site for music enthusiasts and historians. Beethoven’s grave attracts countless visitors each year, who come to pay their respects to one of the greatest composers in the history of music. The grand monument marking his final resting place is a testament to the profound impact he left on the world of classical music and his enduring legacy.

Check out the chronology of Beethoven’s life .

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A portrait by , 1820 (pronounced (US) or (UK); ); 17 December 1770 1] – 26 March 1827) was a and . He is considered to have been the most crucial figure in the transitional period between the and eras in , and remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time. Born in , then the capital of the and a part of the in present-day , he moved to in his early twenties and settled there, studying with and quickly gaining a reputation as a pianist. His hearing began to in the late 1790s, yet he continued to compose, , and perform, even after becoming . Biography Background and early life Establishing his career in Vienna Musical maturity Loss of hearing Patronage The Middle period Personal and family difficulties Custody struggle and illness Late works Illness and death Character Religious views Music Overview The three periods Beethoven on screen See also References Sources Further reading External links Digitized, scanned material (books, sheetmusic) Sheetmusic (scores) Historical recordings General reference Specific topics Background and early life Beethoven was the grandson of a musician of Flemish origin named Lodewijk van Beethoven (1712–1773). [ 2 ] Beethoven was named after his grandfather, as Lodewijk is the Dutch cognate of Ludwig . Beethoven's grandfather was employed as a bass singer at the court of the Elector of Cologne , rising to become Kapellmeister (music director). He had one son, Johann van Beethoven (1740–1792), who worked as a tenor in the same musical establishment, also giving lessons on piano and violin to supplement his income. [ 2 ] Johann married Maria Magdalena Keverich in 1767; she was the daughter of Johann Heinrich Keverich, who had been the head chef at the court of the Archbishopric of Trier . [ 3 ] Beethoven was born of this marriage in Bonn ; he was baptized in a Roman Catholic service on 17 December 1770, and was probably born the previous day, 16 December. [ 4 ] Children of that era were usually baptized the day after birth, and it is known that Beethoven's family and his teacher Johann Albrechtsberger celebrated his birthday on 16 December. While this evidence supports the case for 16 December 1770 as Beethoven's date of birth, it cannot be stated with certainty, as there is no documentary evidence of it (only his baptismal record survives). [ 5 ] [ 6 ] Of the seven children born to Johann van Beethoven, only the second-born, Ludwig, and two younger brothers survived infancy. Caspar Anton Carl was born on 8 April 1774, and Nikolaus Johann, the youngest, was born on 2 October 1776. [ 7 ] Beethoven's first music teacher was his father. A traditional belief concerning Johann van Beethoven is that he was a harsh instructor, and that the child Beethoven, "made to stand at the keyboard, was often in tears". [ 2 ] However, the New Grove indicates that there is no solid documentation to support it, and asserts that "speculation and myth-making have both been productive." [ 2 ] Beethoven had other local teachers as well: the court organist Gilles van den Eeden (d. 1782), Tobias Friedrich Pfeiffer (a family friend, who taught Beethoven piano), and a relative, Franz Rovantini (violin and viola). [ 2 ] His musical talent manifested itself early. Johann, aware of Leopold Mozart 's successes in this area (with son Wolfgang and daughter Nannerl ), attempted to exploit his son as a child prodigy , claiming that Beethoven was six (he was seven) on the posters for Beethoven's first public performance in March 1778. [ 8 ] Some time after 1779, Beethoven began his studies with his most important teacher in Bonn, Christian Gottlob Neefe , who was appointed the Court's Organist in that year. [ 9 ] Neefe taught Beethoven composition, and by March 1783 had helped him write his first published composition: a set of keyboard variations ( WoO 63). [ 7 ] Beethoven soon began working with Neefe as assistant organist, first on an unpaid basis (1781), and then as paid employee (1784) of the court chapel conducted by the Kapellmeister Andrea Luchesi . His first three piano sonatas , named " Kurfürst " ("Elector") for their dedication to the Elector Maximilian Frederick , were published in 1783. Maximilian Frederick, who died in 1784, not long after Beethoven's appointment as assistant organist, had noticed Beethoven's talent early, and had subsidized and encouraged the young Beethoven's musical studies. [ 10 ] Maximilian Frederick's successor as the Elector of Bonn was Maximilian Franz , the youngest son of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria , and he brought notable changes to Bonn. Echoing changes made in Vienna by his brother Joseph , he introduced reforms based on Enlightenment philosophy , with increased support for education and the arts. The teenage Beethoven was almost certainly influenced by these changes. He may also have been strongly influenced at this time by ideas prominent in freemasonry , as Neefe and others around Beethoven were members of the local chapter of the Order of the Illuminati . [ 11 ] In March 1787 Beethoven traveled to Vienna (it is unknown at whose expense) for the first time, apparently in the hope of studying with Wolfgang Mozart . The details of their relationship are uncertain, including whether or not they actually met. [ 12 ] After just two weeks there Beethoven learned that his mother was severely ill, and he was forced to return home. His mother died shortly thereafter, and the father lapsed deeper into alcoholism. As a result, Beethoven became responsible for the care of his two younger brothers, and he spent the next five years in Bonn. [ 13 ] Beethoven was introduced to a number of people who became important in his life in these years. Franz Wegeler, a young medical student, introduced him to the von Breuning family (one of whose daughters Wegeler eventually married). Beethoven was often at the von Breuning household, where he was exposed to German and classical literature, and where he also gave piano instruction to some of the children. The von Breuning family environment was also less stressful than his own, which was increasingly dominated by his father's strict control and descent into alcoholism. [ 14 ] It is also in these years that Beethoven came to the attention of Count Ferdinand von Waldstein , who became a lifelong friend and financial supporter. [ 15 ] In 1789 he obtained a legal order by which half of his father's salary was paid directly to him for support of the family. [ 16 ] He also contributed further to the family's income by playing viola in the court orchestra. This familiarized Beethoven with a variety of operas, including three of Mozart 's operas performed at court in this period. He also befriended Anton Reicha , a flautist and violinist of about his own age who was the conductor's nephew. [ 17 ] Establishing his career in Vienna With the Elector's help, Beethoven moved to Vienna in 1792. [ 18 ] He was probably first introduced to Joseph Haydn in late 1790, when the latter was traveling to London and stopped in Bonn around Christmas time. [ 19 ] They met in Bonn on Haydn's return trip from London to Vienna in July 1792, and it is likely that arrangements were made at that time for Beethoven to study with the old master. [ 20 ] In the intervening years, Beethoven composed a significant number of works (none were published at the time, and most are now listed as works without opus ) that demonstrated a growing range and maturity of style. Musicologists have identified a theme similar to those of his third symphony in a set of variations written in 1791. [ 21 ] Beethoven left Bonn for Vienna in November 1792, amid rumors of war spilling out of France , and learned shortly after his arrival that his father had died. [ 22 ] [ 23 ] Count Waldstein in his farewell note to Beethoven wrote: "Through uninterrupted diligence you will receive Mozart's spirit through Haydn's hands." [ 23 ] Beethoven responded to the widespread feeling that he was a successor to the recently deceased Mozart over the next few years by studying that master's work and writing works with a distinctly Mozartean flavor. [ 24 ] Beethoven did not immediately set out to establish himself as a composer, but rather devoted himself to study and to playing the piano. Working under Haydn's direction, [ 25 ] he sought to master counterpoint . He also took violin lessons from Ignaz Schuppanzigh . [ 26 ] Early in this period, he also began receiving occasional instruction from Antonio Salieri , primarily in Italian vocal composition style; this relationship persisted until at least 1802, and possibly 1809. [ 27 ] With Haydn's departure for England in 1794, Beethoven was expected by the Elector to return home. He chose instead to remain in Vienna, continuing his instruction in counterpoint with Johann Albrechtsberger and other teachers. Although his stipend from the Elector expired, a number of Viennese noblemen had already recognized his ability and offered him financial support, among them Prince Joseph Franz Lobkowitz , Prince Karl Lichnowsky , and Baron Gottfried van Swieten . [ 28 ] By 1793, Beethoven established a reputation as an improviser in the salons of the nobility, often playing the preludes and fugues of J. S. Bach 's Well-Tempered Clavier . [ 29 ] His friend Nikolaus Simrock had also begun publishing his compositions; the first are believed to be a set of variations (WoO 66). [ 30 ] Beethoven spent much of 1794 composing. By 1793, he had established a reputation in Vienna as a piano virtuoso, but he apparently withheld works from publication so that their publication in 1795 would have greater impact. [ 28 ] Beethoven's first public performance in Vienna was in March 1795, a concert in which he debuted a piano concerto . It is uncertain whether this was the First or Second , as documentary evidence is unclear, and both concertos were in a similar state of near-completion (neither was completed or published for several years). [ 31 ] [ 32 ] Shortly after this performance, he arranged for the publication of the first of his compositions to which he assigned an opus number , the piano trios of Opus 1 . These works were dedicated to his patron Prince Lichnowsky, [ 31 ] and were a financial success; Beethoven's profits were nearly sufficient to cover his living expenses for a year. [ 33 ] Musical maturity Between 1798 and 1802 Beethoven tackled what he considered the pinnacles of composition: the string quartet and the symphony . With the composition of his first six string quartets (Op. 18) between 1798 and 1800 (written on commission for, and dedicated to, Prince Lobkowitz), and their publication in 1801, along with premieres of the First and Second Symphonies in 1800 and 1802, Beethoven was justifiably considered one of the most important of a generation of young composers following after Haydn and Mozart. He continued to write in other forms, turning out widely known piano sonatas like the " Pathétique " sonata (Op. 13), which Cooper describes as "surpass[ing] any of his previous compositions, in strength of character, depth of emotion, level of originality, and ingenuity of motivic and tonal manipulation". [ 34 ] He also completed his Septet (Op. 20) in 1799, which was one of his most popular works during his lifetime. For the premiere of his First Symphony , Beethoven hired the Burgtheater on 2 April 1800, and staged an extensive program of music, including works by Haydn and Mozart, as well as the Septet, the First Symphony, and one of his piano concertos (the latter three works all then unpublished). The concert, which the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung described as "the most interesting concert in a long time", was not without difficulties; among other criticisms was that "the players did not bother to pay any attention to the soloist". [ 35 ] While Mozart and Haydn were undeniable influences (for example, Beethoven's quintet for piano and winds is said to bear a strong resemblance to Mozart's work for the same configuration , albeit with his own distinctive touches), [ 36 ] other composers like Muzio Clementi were also stylistic influences [ citation needed ] . Beethoven's melodies, musical development, use of modulation and texture, and characterization of emotion all set him apart from his influences, and heightened the impact some of his early works made when they were first published. [ 37 ] By the end of 1800 Beethoven and his music were already much in demand from patrons and publishers. [ 38 ] In May of 1799, Beethoven gave piano lessons to the daughters of Hungarian Countess Anna Brunsvik. While this round of lessons lasted less than one month, Beethoven formed a relationship with the older daughter Josephine that has been the subject of speculation ever since. Shortly after these lessons she married Count Josef Deym, and Beethoven was a regular visitor at their house, giving lessons and playing at parties. While her marriage was by all accounts unhappy, the couple had four children, and her relationship with Beethoven did not intensify until after Deym died in 1804. [ 39 ] Beethoven had few other students. From 1801 to 1805, he tutored Ferdinand Ries , who went on to become a composer and later wrote Beethoven remembered , a book about their encounters. The young Carl Czerny studied with Beethoven from 1801 to 1803. Czerny went on to become a renowned music teacher himself, taking on Franz Liszt as one of his students, and also gave the Vienna premiere of Beethoven's fifth piano concerto (the "Emperor") in 1812. Beethoven's compositions between 1800 and 1802 were dominated by two works, although he continued to produce smaller works, including the Moonlight Sonata . In the spring of 1801 he completed The Creatures of Prometheus , a ballet . The work was such a success that it received numerous performances in 1801 and 1802, and Beethoven rushed to publish a piano arrangement to capitalize on its early popularity. [ 40 ] In the spring of 1802 he completed the Second Symphony , intended for performance at a concert that was eventually cancelled. The symphony received its premiere at a subscription concert in April 1803 at the Theater an der Wien , where Beethoven had been appointed as composer in residence. In addition to the Second Symphony, the concert also featured the First Symphony, the Third Piano Concerto , and the oratorio Christ on the Mount of Olives . While reviews were mixed, the concert was a financial success; Beethoven was able to charge three times the cost of a typical concert ticket. [ 41 ] Beethoven's business dealings with publishers also began to improve in 1802 when his brother Carl, who had previously assisted him more casually, began to assume a larger role in the management of his affairs. In addition to negotiating higher prices for recently composed works, Carl also began selling some of Beethoven's earlier unpublished works, and encouraged Beethoven (against the latter's preference) to also make arrangements and transcriptions of his more popular works for other instrument combinations. Beethoven acceded to these requests, as he could not prevent publishers from hiring others to do similar arrangements of his works. [ 42 ] Loss of hearing Around 1796, Beethoven began to lose his hearing. [ 43 ] He suffered a severe form of tinnitus , a "ringing" in his ears that made it hard for him to perceive and appreciate music; he also avoided conversation. The cause of Beethoven's deafness is unknown, but it has variously been attributed to syphilis , lead poisoning , typhus , auto-immune disorder (such as systemic lupus erythematosus ), and even his habit of immersing his head in cold water to stay awake. The explanation, from the autopsy of the time, is that he had a "distended inner ear" which developed lesions over time. Because of the high levels of lead found in samples of Beethoven's hair, that hypothesis has been extensively analyzed. While the likelihood of lead poisoning is very high, the deafness associated with it seldom takes the form that Beethoven exhibited. As early as 1801, Beethoven wrote to friends describing his symptoms and the difficulties they caused in both professional and social settings (although it is likely some of his close friends were already aware of the problems). [ 44 ] Beethoven, on the advice of his doctor, lived in the small Austrian town of Heiligenstadt , just outside Vienna, from April to October 1802 in an attempt to come to terms with his condition. There he wrote his Heiligenstadt Testament , which records his resolution to continue living for and through his art. [ 45 ] Over time, his hearing loss became profound: there is a well-attested story that, at the end of the premiere of his Ninth Symphony , he had to be turned around to see the tumultuous applause of the audience; hearing nothing, he wept. [ 46 ] Beethoven's hearing loss did not prevent his composing music, but it made playing at concerts—a lucrative source of income—increasingly difficult. After a failed attempt in 1811 to perform his own Piano Concerto No. 5 (the "Emperor") , which was premiered by his student Carl Czerny , he never performed in public again. A large collection of Beethoven's hearing aids such as a special ear horn can be viewed at the Beethoven House Museum in Bonn, Germany. Despite his obvious distress, Carl Czerny remarked that Beethoven could still hear speech and music normally until 1812. [ 47 ] By 1814 however, Beethoven was almost totally deaf, and when a group of visitors saw him play a loud arpeggio of thundering bass notes at his piano remarking, "Ist es nicht schön?" (Is it not beautiful?), they felt deep sympathy considering his courage and sense of humor (he lost the ability to hear higher frequencies first). [ 48 ] As a result of Beethoven's hearing loss, a unique historical record has been preserved: his conversation books. Used primarily in the last ten or so years of his life, his friends wrote in these books so that he could know what they were saying, and he then responded either orally or in the book. The books contain discussions about music and other issues, and give insights into his thinking; they are a source for investigation into how he felt his music should be performed, and also his perception of his relationship to art. Unfortunately, 264 out of a total of 400 conversation books were destroyed (and others were altered) after Beethoven's death by Anton Schindler , in his attempt to paint an idealized picture of the composer. [ 49 ] While Beethoven earned income from publication of his works and from public performances, he also depended on the generosity of patrons for income, for whom he gave private performances and copies of works they commissioned for an exclusive period prior to their publication. Some of his early patrons, including Prince Lobkowitz and Prince Lichnowsky, gave him annual stipends in addition to commissioning works and purchasing published works. Perhaps Beethoven's most important aristocratic patron was Archduke Rudolph , the youngest son of Emperor Leopold II , who in 1803 or 1804 began to study piano and composition with Beethoven. The cleric ( Cardinal-Priest ) and the composer became friends, and their meetings continued until 1824. Beethoven dedicated 14 compositions to Rudolph, including the Archduke Trio (1811) and his great Missa Solemnis (1823). Rudolph, in turn, dedicated one of his own compositions to Beethoven. The letters Beethoven wrote to Rudolph are today kept at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna. In the Autumn of 1808, after having been rejected for a position at the royal theatre, Beethoven received an offer from Napoleon 's brother Jérôme Bonaparte , then king of Westphalia , for a well-paid position as Kapellmeister at the court in Cassel . To persuade him to stay in Vienna, the Archduke Rudolph, Prince Kinsky and Prince Lobkowitz, after receiving representations from the composer's friends, pledged to pay Beethoven a pension of 4000 florins a year. Only Archduke Rudolph paid his share of the pension on the agreed date. Kinsky, immediately called to duty as an officer, did not contribute and soon died after falling from his horse. Lobkowitz stopped paying in September 1811. No successors came forward to continue the patronage, and Beethoven relied mostly on selling composition rights and a small pension after 1815. The effects of these financial arrangements were undermined to some extent by war with France , which caused significant inflation when the government printed money to fund its war efforts. The Middle period Beethoven's return to Vienna from Heiligenstadt was marked by a change in musical style, now recognized as the start of his "Middle" or "Heroic" period. According to Carl Czerny, Beethoven said, "I am not satisfied with the work I have done so far. From now on I intend to take a new way". [ 50 ] The first major work of this new way was the Third Symphony in E flat, known as the "Eroica". While other composers had written symphonies with implied programs, or stories, this work was longer and larger in scope than any previously written symphony. When it premiered in early 1805 it received a mixed reception, with some listeners objecting to its length or failing to understand its structure, while others viewed it as another masterpiece. [ 51 ] Beethoven composed highly ambitious works throughout the Middle period, often heroic in tone, that extended the scope of the classical musical language Beethoven had inherited from Haydn and Mozart. The Middle period work includes the Third through Eighth Symphonies, the string quartets 7–11, the "Waldstein" and "Appassionata" piano sonatas, Christ on the Mount of Olives , the opera Fidelio , the Violin Concerto and many other compositions. During this time Beethoven earned his living from the sale and performance of his work, and from the continuing support of wealthy patrons. His position at the Theater an der Wien was terminated when the theater changed management in early 1804, and he was forced to move temporarily to the suburbs of Vienna with his friend Stephan von Breuning. This slowed work on Fidelio , his largest work to date, for a time. It was delayed again by the Austrian censor , and finally premiered in November 1805 to houses that were nearly empty because of the French occupation of the city . In addition to being a financial failure, this version of Fidelio was also a critical failure, and Beethoven began revising it. [ 52 ] The string quartets composed during the Middle period are Op. 59 no 1 , Op 59 no 2 , Op 59 no 3 (The Razumowski quartets), Op. 74 (the Harp) and Op 95 . Beethoven's publisher said that the world was not ready for the middle quartets. The slow movement of Op. 59 no 2 has been described as the closest Beethoven got to heaven. Even Beethoven said that the Op. 95 quartet was not suitable for public performance. The work of the Middle period established Beethoven's reputation as a great composer. In a review from 1810, he was enshrined by E. T. A. Hoffmann as one of the three great " Romantic " composers; Hoffman called Beethoven's Fifth Symphony "one of the most important works of the age". A particular trauma for Beethoven occurred during this period in May 1809, when the attacking forces of Napoleon bombarded Vienna . According to Ferdinand Ries, Beethoven, very worried that the noise would destroy what remained of his hearing, hid in the basement of his brother's house, covering his ears with pillows. [ 53 ] He was composing the "Emperor" Concerto at the time. Personal and family difficulties Beethoven was introduced to Giulietta Guicciardi in about 1800 through the Brunsvik family. His mutual love-relationship with Guicciardi is mentioned in a November 1801 letter to his boyhood friend, Franz Wegeler. Beethoven dedicated to Giulietta his Sonata No. 14 , popularly known as the "Moonlight" Sonata . Marriage plans were thwarted by Giulietta's father and perhaps Beethoven's common lineage. In 1803 she married Count Wenzel Robert von Gallenberg (1783–1839), himself an amateur composer. Beethoven's relationship with Josephine Deym notably deepened after the death of her first husband in 1804. There is some evidence that Beethoven may have proposed to her, at least informally. While the relationship was apparently reciprocated, she, with some regret, turned him down, and their relationship effectively ended in 1807. She cited her "duty", an apparent reference to the fact that she was born of nobility and he was a commoner. [ 54 ] It is also likely that he considered proposing (whether he actually did or not is unknown) to Therese Malfatti , the dedicatee of " Für Elise " in 1810; his common status may also have interfered with those plans. In the spring of 1811 Beethoven became seriously ill, suffering headaches and bad fevers. On the advice of his doctor, he spent six weeks in the Bohemian spa town of Teplitz . The following winter, which was dominated by work on the Seventh symphony, he was again ill, and decided to spend the summer of 1812 at Teplitz. It is likely that he was at Teplitz when he wrote three love letters to an "Immortal Beloved". [ 55 ] While the identity of the intended recipient is an ongoing subject of debate, the most likely candidate, according to what is known about people's movements and the contents of the letters, is Antonie Brentano , a married woman with whom he had begun a friendship in 1810. [ 56 ] [ 57 ] Beethoven traveled to Karlsbad in late July, where he stayed in the same guesthouse as the Brentanos. After traveling with them for a time, he returned to Teplitz, where after another bout of gastric illness, he left for Linz to visit his brother Johann. [ 58 ] Beethoven's visit to his brother was made in an attempt to end the latter's immoral cohabitation with Therese Obermayer, a woman who already had an illegitimate child. He was unable to convince Johann to end the relationship, so he appealed to the local civic and religious authorities. The end result of Beethoven's meddling was that Johann and Therese married on 9 November. [ 58 ] In early 1813 Beethoven apparently went through a difficult emotional period, and his compositional output dropped for a time. Historians have suggested a variety of causes, including his lack of success at romance. His personal appearance, which had generally been neat, degraded, as did his manners in public, especially when dining. Some of his (married) desired romantic partners had children (leading to assertions among historians of Beethoven's possible paternity), and his brother Carl was seriously ill. Beethoven took care of his brother and his family, an expense that he claimed left him penniless. He was unable to obtain a date for a concert in the spring of 1813, which, if successful, would have provided him with significant funds. Beethoven was finally motivated to begin significant composition again in June 1813, when news arrived of the defeat of one of Napoleon's armies at Vitoria, Spain , by a coalition of forces under the Duke of Wellington . This news stimulated him to write the battle symphony known as Wellington's Victory . It was premiered on 8 December at a charity concert for victims of the war along with his Seventh Symphony. The work was a popular hit, likely because of its programmatic style which was entertaining and easy to understand. It received repeat performances at concerts Beethoven staged in January and February 1814. Beethoven's renewed popularity led to demands for a revival of Fidelio , which, in its third revised version, was also well-received when it opened in July. That summer he also composed a piano sonata for the first time in five years ( No. 27, Opus 90 ). This work was in a markedly more Romantic style than his earlier sonatas. He was also one of many composers who produced music in a patriotic vein to entertain the many heads of state and diplomats that came to the Congress of Vienna that began in November 1814. His output of songs included his only song cycle , " An die ferne Geliebte ", and the extraordinarily expressive, but almost incoherent, "An die Hoffnung" (Opus 94). Custody struggle and illness Between 1815 and 1817 Beethoven's output dropped again. Part of this Beethoven attributed to a lengthy illness (he called it an "inflammatory fever") that afflicted him for more than a year, starting in October 1816. [ 59 ] Biographers have speculated on a variety of other reasons that also contributed to the decline in creative output, including the difficulties in the personal lives of his would-be paramours and the harsh censorship policies of the Austrian government. The illness and death of his brother Carl from consumption likely also played a role. Carl had been ill for some time, and Beethoven spent a small fortune in 1815 on his care. When he finally died on 15 November 1815, Beethoven immediately became embroiled in a protracted legal dispute with Carl's wife Johanna over custody of their son Karl, then nine years old. Beethoven, who considered Johanna an unfit parent because of her morals (she had an illegitimate child by a different father before marrying Carl, and had been convicted of theft) and financial management, had successfully applied to Carl to have himself named sole guardian of the boy; but a late codicil to Carl's will gave him and Johanna joint guardianship. While Beethoven was successful at having his nephew removed from her custody in February 1816, the case was not fully resolved until 1820, and he was frequently preoccupied by the demands of the litigation and seeing to the welfare of the boy, whom he first placed in a private school. The custody fight brought out the very worst aspects of Beethoven's character; in the lengthy court cases Beethoven stopped at nothing to ensure that he achieved this goal, and even stopped composing for long periods. The Austrian court system had one court for the nobility , The R&I Landrechte, and another for commoners, The Civil Court of the Magistrate. Beethoven disguised the fact that the Dutch "van" in his name did not denote nobility as does the German "von", [ 60 ] and his case was tried in the Landrechte. Owing to his influence with the court, Beethoven felt assured of a favorable outcome. Beethoven was awarded sole guardianship. While giving evidence to the Landrechte, however, Beethoven inadvertently [ 60 ] admitted that he was not nobly born. The case was transferred to the Magistracy on 18 December 1818, where he lost sole guardianship. Beethoven appealed, and regained custody of Karl. Johanna's appeal for justice to the Emperor was not successful: the Emperor "washed his hands of the matter". Beethoven stopped at nothing to blacken her name, as can be read in surviving court papers. During the years of custody that followed, Beethoven attempted to ensure that Karl lived to the highest of moral standards. His overbearing manner and frequent interference in his nephew's life, especially as he grew into a young man, apparently drove Karl to attempt suicide on 31 July 1826 by shooting himself in the head. He survived, and was brought to his mother's house, where he recuperated. He and Beethoven reconciled, but Karl was insistent on joining the army, and last saw Beethoven in early 1827. The only major works Beethoven produced during this time were two cello sonatas , a piano sonata, and collections of folk song settings. He began sketches for the Ninth Symphony in 1817. Beethoven began a renewed study of older music, including works by J. S. Bach and Handel , that were then being published in the first attempts at complete editions. He composed the Consecration of the House Overture , which was the first work to attempt to incorporate his new influences. But it is when he returned to the keyboard to compose his first new piano sonatas in almost a decade, that a new style, now called his "late period", emerged. The works of the late period are commonly held to include the last five piano sonatas and the Diabelli Variations , the last two sonatas for cello and piano, the late quartets (see below), and two works for very large forces: the Missa Solemnis and the Ninth Symphony . By early 1818 Beethoven's health had improved, and his nephew had moved in with him in January. On the downside, his hearing had deteriorated to the point that conversation became difficult, necessitating the use of conversation books. His household management had also improved somewhat; Nanette Streicher, who had assisted in his care during his illness, continued to provide some support, and he finally found a decent cook. [ 61 ] His musical output in 1818 was still somewhat reduced, with song collections and the Hammerklavier Sonata his only notable compositions, although he continued to work on sketches for two symphonies (that eventually coalesced into the enormous Ninth Symphony). In 1819 he was again preoccupied by the legal processes around Karl, and began work on the Diabelli Variations and the Missa Solemnis . For the next few years he continued to work on the Missa, composing piano sonatas and bagatelles to satisfy the demands of publishers and the need for income, and completing the Diabelli Variations. He was ill again for an extended time in 1821, and completed the Missa in 1823, three years after its original due date. He also opened discussions with his publishers over the possibility of producing a complete edition of his works, an idea that was arguably not fully realized until 1971. Beethoven's brother Johann began to take a hand in his business affairs around this time, much in the way Carl had earlier, locating older unpublished works to offer for publication and offering the Missa to multiple publishers with the goal of getting a higher price for it. Two commissions in 1822 improved Beethoven's financial prospects. The Philharmonic Society of London offered a commission for a symphony, and Prince Nikolay Golitsin of St. Petersburg offered to pay Beethoven's price for three string quartets. The first of these spurred Beethoven to finish the Ninth Symphony, which was premiered, along with the Missa Solemnis, on 7 May 1824, to great acclaim at the Kärntnertortheater . The Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung gushed "inexhaustible genius had shown us a new world", and Carl Czerny wrote that his symphony "breathes such a fresh, lively, indeed youthful spirit [...] so much power, innovation, and beauty as ever [came] from the head of this original man, although he certainly sometimes led the old wigs to shake their heads." [ 62 ] Unlike his earlier concerts, Beethoven made little money on this one, as the expenses of mounting it were significantly higher. [ 62 ] A second concert on 24 May, in which the producer guaranteed Beethoven a minimum fee, was poorly attended; nephew Karl noted that "many people have already gone into the country". [ 63 ] It was Beethoven's last public concert. [ 63 ] Beethoven then turned to writing the string quartets for Golitsin. This series of quartets , known as the "Late Quartets", went far beyond what either musicians or audiences were ready for at that time. One musician commented that "we know there is something there, but we do not know what it is." Composer Louis Spohr called them "indecipherable, uncorrected horrors", though that opinion has changed considerably from the time of their first bewildered reception. They continued (and continue) to inspire musicians and composers, from Richard Wagner to Béla Bartók , for their unique forms and ideas. Of the late quartets, Beethoven's favorite was the Fourteenth Quartet, op. 131 in C# minor [ citation needed ] , upon hearing which Schubert is said to have remarked, "After this, what is left for us to write?" [ citation needed ] Beethoven wrote the last quartets amidst failing health. In April 1825 he was bedridden, and remained ill for about a month. The illness—or more precisely, his recovery from it—is remembered for having given rise to the deeply felt slow movement of the Fifteenth Quartet , which Beethoven called "Holy song of thanks ('Heiliger dankgesang') to the divinity, from one made well". He went on to complete the (misnumbered) Thirteenth , Fourteenth , and Sixteenth Quartets. The last work completed by Beethoven was the substitute final movement of the Thirteenth Quartet, deemed necessary to replace the difficult Große Fuge . Shortly thereafter, in December 1826, illness struck again, with episodes of vomiting and diarrhea that nearly ended his life. Illness and death Beethoven was bedridden for most of his remaining months, and many friends came to visit. He died on Monday, 26 March 1827, during a thunderstorm. His friend Anselm Hüttenbrenner , who was present at the time, claimed that there was a peal of thunder at the moment of death. An autopsy revealed significant liver damage, which may have been due to heavy alcohol consumption. [ 64 ] Unlike Mozart , who was buried anonymously in a communal grave (such being the custom at the time), 20,000 Viennese citizens lined the streets for Beethoven's funeral on Thursday, 29 March 1827. Franz Schubert , who died the following year and was buried next to Beethoven, was one of the torchbearers. After a Requiem Mass at the church of the Holy Trinity (Dreifaltigkeitskirche), Beethoven was buried in the Währing cemetery, north-west of Vienna. His remains were exhumed for study in 1862, and moved in 1888 to Vienna's Zentralfriedhof . [ 64 ] There is dispute about the cause of Beethoven's death; alcoholic cirrhosis , syphilis , infectious hepatitis , lead poisoning , sarcoidosis and Whipple's disease have all been proposed. [ 65 ] Friends and visitors before and after his death clipped locks of his hair, some of which have been preserved and subjected to additional analysis, as have skull fragments removed during the 1862 exhumation . [ 66 ] Some of these analyses have led to controversial assertions that Beethoven was accidentally poisoned to death by excessive doses of lead-based treatments administered under instruction from his doctor. [ 67 ] [ 68 ] [ 69 ] Beethoven's personal life was troubled by his encroaching deafness , which led him to contemplate suicide (documented in his Heiligenstadt Testament). Beethoven was often irascible and may have suffered from bipolar disorder [ 70 ] and irritability brought on by chronic abdominal pain (beginning in his twenties) that has been attributed to possible lead poisoning. [ 71 ] Nevertheless, he had a close and devoted circle of friends all his life, thought to have been attracted by his strength of personality. Toward the end of his life, Beethoven's friends competed in their efforts to help him cope with his incapacities. [ 72 ] Sources show Beethoven's disdain for authority, and for social rank. He stopped performing at the piano if the audience chatted amongst themselves, or afforded him less than their full attention. At soirées, he refused to perform if suddenly called upon to do so. Eventually, after many confrontations, the Archduke Rudolph decreed that the usual rules of court etiquette did not apply to Beethoven. [ 72 ] Religious views Beethoven was attracted to the ideals of the Enlightenment . In 1804, when Napoleon's imperial ambitions became clear, Beethoven took hold of the title-page of his Third Symphony and scratched the name Bonaparte out so violently that he made a hole in the paper. He later changed the work's title to "Sinfonia Eroica, composta per festeggiare il sovvenire d'un grand'uom" ("Heroic Symphony, composed to celebrate the memory of a great man"), and he rededicated it to his patron, Prince Joseph Franz von Lobkowitz, at whose palace it was first performed. The fourth movement of his Ninth Symphony features an elaborate choral setting of Schiller's Ode An die Freude ("Ode to Joy"), an optimistic hymn championing the brotherhood of humanity. Scholars disagree about Beethoven's religious beliefs , and about the role they played in his work. It has been asserted, but not proven, that Beethoven was a Freemason . [ 73 ] Beethoven is acknowledged as one of the giants of classical music ; occasionally he is referred to as one of the " three B s " (along with Bach and Brahms ) who epitomize that tradition. He was also a pivotal figure in the transition from 18th century musical classicism to 19th century romanticism , and his influence on subsequent generations of composers was profound. [ 72 ] Beethoven composed in several musical genres, and for a variety of instrument combinations. His works for symphony orchestra include nine symphonies (the Ninth Symphony includes a chorus), and about a dozen pieces of "occasional" music. He wrote seven concerti for one or more soloists and orchestra, as well as four shorter works that include soloists accompanied by orchestra. His only opera is Fidelio ; other vocal works with orchestral accompaniment include two masses and a number of shorter works. His large body of compositions for piano includes 32 piano sonatas and numerous shorter pieces, including arrangements of some of his other works. Works with piano accompaniment include 10 violin sonatas, 5 cello sonatas, and a sonata for French horn , as well as numerous lieder . Beethoven also wrote a significant quantity of chamber music. In addition to 16 string quartets , he wrote five works for string quintet , seven for piano trio , five for string trio , and more than a dozen works for a variety of combinations of wind instruments. The three periods Beethoven's compositional career is usually divided into Early, Middle, and Late periods. [ 72 ] In this scheme, his early period is taken to last until about 1802, the middle period from about 1803 to about 1814, and the late period from about 1815. In his Early period, Beethoven's work was strongly influenced by his predecessors Haydn and Mozart . He also explored new directions and gradually expanded the scope and ambition of his work. Some important pieces from the Early period are the first and second symphonies, the set of six string quartets Opus 18 , the first two piano concertos, and the first dozen or so piano sonatas , including the famous Pathétique sonata, Op. 13. His Middle (Heroic) period began shortly after Beethoven's personal crisis brought on by his recognition of encroaching deafness. It includes large-scale works that express heroism and struggle. Middle-period works include six symphonies (Nos. 3–8), the last three piano concertos, the Triple Concerto and violin concerto , five string quartets (Nos. 7–11), several piano sonatas (including the Moonlight , Waldstein and Appassionata sonatas), the Kreutzer violin sonata and Beethoven's only opera , Fidelio . Beethoven's Late period began around 1815. Works from this period are characterized by their intellectual depth, their formal innovations, and their intense, highly personal expression. The String Quartet, Op. 131 has seven linked movements, and the Ninth Symphony adds choral forces to the orchestra in the last movement. [ 72 ] Other compositions from this period include the Missa Solemnis , the last five string quartets (including the massive Große Fuge ) and the last five piano sonatas. Beethoven on screen Eroica is a 1949 Austrian film depicting life and works of Beethoven ( Ewald Balser ), which also entered into the 1949 Cannes Film Festival . [ 74 ] The film is directed by Walter Kolm-Veltée , produced by Guido Bagier with Walter Kolm-Veltée and written by Walter Kolm-Veltée with Franz Tassié. [ 75 ] In 1962, Walt Disney produced a made-for-television and extremely fictionalized life of Beethoven entitled The Magnificent Rebel . The film was given a two-part premiere on the Walt Disney anthology television series and released to theatres in Europe. It starred Karlheinz Böhm as Beethoven. In 1994 a film about Beethoven ( Gary Oldman ) titled Immortal Beloved was written and directed by Bernard Rose . The story follows Beethoven's secretary and first biographer , Anton Schindler (portrayed by Jeroen Krabbé ), as he attempts to ascertain the true identity of the Unsterbliche Geliebte ( Immortal Beloved ) addressed in three letters found in the late composer's private papers. Schindler journeys throughout the Austrian Empire , interviewing women who might be potential candidates, as well as through Beethoven's own tumultuous life. Filming took place in the Czech cities of Prague and Kromeriz and the Zentralfriedhof in Vienna , Austria, between 23 May and 29 July 1994. In 2003 a BBC /Opus Arte film Eroica was released, with Ian Hart as Beethoven and the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner performing the Eroica Symphony in its entirety. The subject of the film is the first performance of the Eroica Symphony in 1804 at the palace of Prince Lobkowitz (played by Jack Davenport ). [ 76 ] In a 2005 three-part BBC miniseries, Beethoven was played by Paul Rhys . [ 77 ] A movie titled Copying Beethoven was released in 2006, starring Ed Harris as Beethoven. This film was a fictionalized account of Beethoven's last days, and his struggle to produce his Ninth Symphony before he died. ^ Beethoven was baptised on 17 December. His date of birth was often, in the past, given as 16 December, however this is not known with certainty; his family celebrated his birthday on that date, but there is no documentary evidence that his birth was actually on 16 December. ^ a b c d e Grove Online, section 1 ^ Thayer, Vol 1 , p. 49 ^ Thorne, J. O. & Collocott, T.C., ed (1986). Chambers Biographical Dictionary . Edinburgh : W & R Chambers Ltd. p. 114. ISBN   0550180222 .   ^ Thayer, Vol 1 , p. 53 ^ This is discussed in depth in Solomon , chapter 1. ^ a b Stanley , p. 7 ^ Thayer, Vol 1 , p. 59 ^ Thayer, Vol 1 , p. 67 ^ Thayer, Vol 1 , pp. 71–74 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 15 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 23 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 24 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 16 ^ Thayer, Vol 1 , p. 102 ^ Thayer, Vol 1 , p. 104 ^ Thayer, Vol 1 , pp. 105–109 ^ Thayer, Vol 1 , p. 124 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 35 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 41 ^ Cooper (2008) , pp. 35–41 ^ Thayer, Vol 1 , p. 148 ^ a b Cooper (2008) , p. 42 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 43 ^ Grove Online, section 3 ^ Cooper (2008) , pp. 47,54 ^ Thayer, Vol 1 , p. 161 ^ a b Cooper (2008) , p. 53 ^ Cross (1953) , p. 59 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 46 ^ a b Cooper (2008) , p. 59 ^ Lockwood (2005) , p. 144 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 56 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 82 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 90 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 66 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 58 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 97 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 80 ^ Cooper (2008) , pp. 98–103 ^ Cooper (2008) , pp. 112–127 ^ Cooper (2008) , pp. 112–115 ^ Grove Online, section 5 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 108 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 120 ^ White, Felix (1 April 1927). "Some Tributes to Beethoven in English Verse". The Musical Times 68 (1010).   ^ Ealy, George Thomas (Spring 1994). "Of Ear Trumpets and a Resonance Plate: Early Hearing Aids and Beethoven's Hearing Perception" . 19th-Century Music 17 (3): 262–273. doi : 10.1525/ncm.1994.17.3.02a00050 . http://www.jstor.org/pss/746569 .   ^ Solomon (2001) [ page needed ] ^ Clive , p. 239 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 131 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 148 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 150 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 185 ^ Cooper (2008) , pp. 146,168 ^ Beethoven's Immortal Beloved Letters ^ Oakley Beahrs, Virginia: The Immortal Beloved Riddle Reconsidered, Musical Times, Vol. 129, No. 1740 (Feb., 1988), pp. 64-70 ^ Cooper (2008) , pp. 194, 208–210. Cooper cites Solomon among other sources, and provides compelling evidence that it was neither Josephine Deym nor Marie Erdödy. ^ a b Cooper (2008) , p. 212 ^ Cooper (2008) , p. 254 ^ a b On 18 December 1818, The Landrechte, the Austrian court for the nobility, handed over the whole matter of guardianship to the Stadtmagistrat, the court for commoners " It .... appears from the statement of Ludwig van Beethoven, as the accompanying copy of the court minutes of 11 December of this year shows, that he is unable to prove nobility: hence the matter of guardianship is transferred to an honorable magistrate" Landrechte of the Magisterial tribunal. ^ Cooper (2008) , p 260 ^ a b Cooper (2008) , p. 317 ^ a b Cooper (2008) , p. 318 ^ a b Cooper (2008) , p. 349 ^ Mai, F.M. (1 October 2006). "Beethoven's terminal illness and death" . J R Coll Physicians Edinb. 36(3) : 258–263 . http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed&cmd=DetailsSearch&term=Beethoven%27s+terminal+illness+and+death&log$=activity .   ^ Meredith, William (Spring & Summer 2005). "The History of Beethoven's Skull Fragments" . The Beethoven Journal 20 (1 & 2): 2–3 . http://www2.sjsu.edu/beethoven/skull/skullstory.pdf . Retrieved 27 March 2009 .   [ dead link ] ^ Jahn, George (28 August 2007). "Pathologist: Doctor Killed Beethoven" . The Washington Post . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/28/AR2007082800980_pf.html . Retrieved 29 December 2008 .   ^ Eisinger, Josef (1 January 2008). "The lead in Beethoven's hair". Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry 90 : 1–5.   ^ Lorenz, Michael: 'Commentary on Wawruch’s Report: Biographies of Andreas Wawruch and Johann Seibert, Schindler’s Responses to Wawruch’s Report, and Beethoven’s Medical Condition and Alcohol Consumption', The Beethoven Journal, Winter 2007, Vol. 22, No 2, (San Jose: The Ira Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies, 2007), 92-100. ^ Beethoven bipolar? http://www.gazette.uottawa.ca/article_e_1529.html ^ Cold Case in Vienna: Who Killed Beethoven? — CBS News ^ a b c d e Grove Online ^ Ludwig van Beethoven — Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon ^ "Festival de Cannes: Eroica" . festival-cannes.com . http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/4138/year/1949.html . Retrieved 9 January 2009 .   ^ Eroica at the Internet Movie Database ^ Beethoven at the Internet Movie Database Clive, Peter (2001). Beethoven and His World: A Biographical Dictionary . Oxford University Press. ISBN   0-19-816672-9 .   Cooper, Barry (2008). Beethoven . Oxford University Press US. ISBN   9780195313314 .   Cross, Milton; Ewen, David (1953). The Milton Cross New Encyclopedia of the Great Composers and Their Music . Garden City, NJ: Doubleday. OCLC   17791083 .   Landon, H C Robbins ; Göllerich; August (1970). Beethoven: a documentary study . Macmillan. OCLC   87180 .   Lockwood, Lewis (2005). Beethoven: The Music And The Life . W. W. Norton. ISBN   9780393326383 .   Sachs, Harvey , The Ninth: Beethoven and the World in 1824 , London, Faber, 2010. ISBN 9780571221455 Solomon, Maynard (2001). Beethoven (2nd revised ed.). Schirmer Books. ISBN   0-8256-7268-6 .   Stanley, Glenn (ed) (2000). The Cambridge Companion to Beethoven . Cambridge University Press. ISBN   0-521-58074-9 .   Thayer, A. W. ; Krehbiel, Henry Edward (ed, trans); Deiters, Hermann; Riemann, Hugo (1921). The Life of Ludwig Van Beethoven, Vol 1 . The Beethoven Association. OCLC   422583 . http://books.google.com/?id=VQw5AAAAIAAJ .   Kerman, Joseph; Tyson, Alan; Burnham, Scott G. "Ludvig van Beethoven", Grove Music Online , ed. L. Macy (accessed 29 November 2006), grovemusic.com (subscription access). Further reading Albrecht, Theodore , and Elaine Schwensen, "More Than Just Peanuts: Evidence for December 16 as Beethoven's birthday." The Beethoven Newsletter 3 (1988): 49, 60–63. Bohle, Bruce, and Robert Sabin. The International Cyclopedia of Music and Musicians. London: J.M.Dent & Sons LTD, 1975. ISBN 0-460-04235-1 . Davies, Peter J. The Character of a Genius: Beethoven in Perspective. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2002. ISBN 0-313-31913-8 . Davies, Peter J. Beethoven in Person: His Deafness, Illnesses, and Death. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2001. ISBN 0-313-31587-6 . DeNora, Tia . "Beethoven and the Construction of Genius: Musical Politics in Vienna, 1792–1803." Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 1995. ISBN 0-520-21158-8 . Geck, Martin. Beethoven . Translated by Anthea Bell. London: Haus, 2003. ISBN 1-904341-03-9 (h), ISBN 1-904341-00-4 (p). Hatten, Robert S (1994). Musical Meaning in Beethoven . Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. ISBN   0-253-32742-3 .   Kornyei, Alexius. Beethoven in Martonvasar . Verlag, 1960. OCLC Number: 27056305 Kropfinger, Klaus. Beethoven . Verlage Bärenreiter/Metzler, 2001. ISBN 3-7618-1621-9 . Martin, Russell. Beethoven's Hair . New York: Broadway Books, 2000. ISBN 978-0767903509 Meredith, William. "The History of Beethoven's Skull Fragments." The Beethoven Journal 20 (2005): 3-46. Morris, Edmund . Beethoven: The Universal Composer. New York: Atlas Books / HarperCollins, 2005. ISBN 0-06-075974-7 . Rosen, Charles . The Classical Style: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven. (Expanded ed.) New York: W. W. Norton, 1998. ISBN 0-393-04020-8 (hc); ISBN 0-393-31712-9 (pb). Solomon, Maynard. Late Beethoven: Music, Thought, Imagination. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003. ISBN 0-520-23746-3 . Thayer, A. W. , rev and ed. Elliot Forbes. Thayer's Life of Beethoven. (2 vols.) Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-09103-X Sullivan, J. W. N. , Beethoven: His Spiritual Development New York: Alfred A. Knopf , 1927 External links Beethoven-Haus Bonn . Official website of Beethoven-Haus in Bonn, Germany . Links to extensive studio and digital archive, library holdings, the Beethoven-Haus Museum (including "internet exhibitions" and "virtual visits"), the Beethoven-Archiv research center, and information on Beethoven publications of interest to the specialist and general reader. Extensive collection of Beethoven's compositions and written documents, with sound samples and a digital reconstruction of his last house in Vienna. The Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies , The Beethoven Gateway (San José State University) Digitized, scanned material (books, sheetmusic) "Beethoven" Titles ; Beethoven as author from archive.org "Beethoven" Titles ; Beethoven as author from books.google.com Digital Archives from Beethoven-Haus Bonn "Beethoven" titles from Gallica Sheetmusic (scores) Works by Beethoven Beethoven-Haus Bonn "Beethoven" Titles from the Munich Digitisation Centre (MDZ) "Beethoven" Titles from the University of Rochester Free scores by Ludwig van Beethoven in the International Music Score Library Project Free sheet music from Kreusch-sheet-music.net Free scores by Ludwig van Beethoven in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki) Works by Ludwig van Beethoven at Project Gutenberg Free scores by Ludwig van Beethoven in the Werner Icking Music Archive (WIMA) Beethoven scores from Mutopia Project Historical recordings Beethoven - recordings with audio available ;   Beethoven - recordings (incl. without avail. audio) ;   Information on sound files (CHARM) Beethoven cylinder recordings , from the Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project at the University of California, Santa Barbara Library Recordings at archive.org General reference Mad About Beethoven by British television and radio announcer John Suchet Beethoven: The Immortal . Introduction and detailed account of the composer's life. Articles include his deafness, demeanor, daily routine, medical history, final days, and letters. Raptus Association for Music Appreciation site on Beethoven All About Ludwig van Beethoven Listings of live performances at Bachtrack Works by or about Ludwig van Beethoven in libraries ( WorldCat catalog) Specific topics Beethoven's last apartment in Vienna , digitally reconstructed 2004, on Multimedia CD-ROM edited by Beethoven-Haus Bonn  •   •  Life  ·  ·  ·  ·  ·  ·  · Family  ·  · Music  ·  ·  ·  · In movies (1949) · (1994) · (2003) · (2006) NAME Beethoven, Ludwig van ALTERNATIVE NAMES SHORT DESCRIPTION German composer DATE OF BIRTH 1770-12-16 PLACE OF BIRTH DATE OF DEATH 1827-03-26 PLACE OF DEATH December 17, 1770 - Bonn (Germany) — March 26, 1827 - Vienna (Austria) Ludwig van Beethoven, known throughout the world for the Hymn to Joy of his ninth symphony, is one of the greatest composers in musical history. Despite spending his early years in poverty and pain with a drunkard for a father, Beethoven received a solid musical education, particularly in Vienna with Haydn and Salieri. A brilliant pianist and great improviser, Liszt fervently admired the composer whose work he divided into two distinct periods, “one where traditional form still dominates his thought and the other where his thought determines, recreates and shapes the form”. As early as 1798, Ludwig van Beethoven understood that his faculties were diminishing as the first signs of deafness appeared, which led him to attempt suicide in 1802. However, the energy and ardent desire to love won him over and the composer used his time for composition leaving masterpieces for humanity, which emerged from the light of silence. Beethoven’s work aims for communion and hope and hails the beauties of the world. Ludwig van Beethoven's legacy A solitary giant and misanthropist, Ludwig van Beethoven's work prolonged the balance of classicism and opens up the abysses of Romanticism. He was able to forge a new musical language, between tradition and modernity. René Leibowitz evoked, “a composer of the greatest inspiration, and what’s more, a musician racked by a visible obsession with an ideal of form and structure constantly pushed to the very limits of what the human mind is capable of apprehending, grasping and forming”. His influence would determine Liszt, Hector Berlioz , Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms who venerated him. Key moments in Ludwig van Beethoven's life Born in Bonn, second child of Maria Magdalena (née Keverich) and Johann van Beethoven. Several generations of musical background. Mozart premieres Mitridate re di ponto . Beethoven's house of birth, Bonn First music education by his father Johann, tenor and music teacher, who, inspired by the memory of the Mozart siblings’ success story as travelling prodigies, tries to follow in their steps and prepares a tour where he presents Beethoven as being younger, in order to further fit the narrative of a child prodigy à la Handel-Haydn-Mozart.   First public concert in Bonn, Germany (“Various keyboard concertos and trios”), but doesn't establish himself as a child prodigy.  Stops formal education at elementary school in order to go on tour in The Netherlands. The tour is appreciated but not the expected success. Johann, alcoholic, unable to properly manage the education and upbringing of Beethoven, ultimately places him under the musical instruction of composer and court organist Christian Gottlob Neefe . Neefe introduces Beethoven to Bach ’s Well-Tempered Clavier. Beethoven on Neefe : " I thank you for the advice that you have very often given me about how to make progress in my divine art. Should I ever become a great man, you too will have a share in my success. " First published work "9 Variations for the keyboard on a march by Dressler.” First printed notice of Beethoven, by Neefe: “ Youthful genius… would surely become a second Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart if he were to continue as he has begun. ” Publishes first three piano sonatas “Three Piano Sonatas, WoO 47” dedicated to Maximilian Friedrich, Prince-Elector of Cologne First trip to Vienna, sponsored by Count Ferdinand Ernst Gabriel von Waldstein , introduced by Neefe, with the intention of meeting with Mozart and studying with him. Meeting with Mozart is positive but ultimately unsuccessful. Returns to Bonn to visit his mother, who dies during the summer. Death of Leopold Mozart. Death of Gluck . Mozart premieres Don Giovanni in Prague. Count Waldstein French troops invade the Rhineland one month before Beethoven moves to Vienna to study with Haydn under the patronage of Count Waldstein who famously wished “You shall receive Mozart’s spirit from Haydn’s hands.” Also studies counterpoint with Albrechtsberger and Italian vocal style with Salieri . Johan van Beethoven dies in December. Birth of Rossini . Haydn premieres Symphony No. 94 “Surprise” French troops in 19th century Vienna Haydn leaves Vienna for London (second trip), without Beethoven. Beethoven moves in with Prince Lichnowsky , to whom he dedicates his first published work with an opus number “ Three piano trios, op. 1 ” (1795). Premieres first two concertos for piano and orchestra: Piano Concerto in B-flat (published in 1800 as No. 2, with opus number 19) and Piano Concerto in C (published in 1800 as No. 1, with opus number 15). These were composed with the intention of creating a name for himself in Vienna as a virtuoso pianist and composer; they are very similar to Mozart’s late concertos, both in structure and style, particularly Piano Concerto No. 26 also known as “Coronation concerto”. Publication of first piano sonatas with an opus number “ Three piano sonatas, op. 2 ”, dedicated to Haydn . Publication of “ Two cello sonatas, op. 5 ” after having met French cellist Jean-Pierre Duport the previous year. Birth of Donizetti . Premiere of Cherubini ’s Médée . Publication of Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 “Pathétique” , dedicated to Prince Lichnowsky . One of the most beloved and popular pieces for piano, since its premiere. It is striking both because of the dramatic mood linked to the tonality and the ingenious thematic recalls throughout its three movements. Beethoven seems to have used Mozart’s sonata in the same tonality, No. 14, as a main source of inspiration. Beethoven premieres the Septet in E-flat major for winds and strings, op. 20 and Symphony No.1 in C major op. 21 at the same concert in Vienna’s Burgtheater, with one of the attendees, none other than the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, reportedly saying “There is something revolutionary in that music!.” Both works are heavily influenced by Mozart and Haydn’s own serenades and symphonies, on which he expands. Their popularity during Beethoven’s lifetime allowed him to also introduce and market himself as a forward-looking symphonic composer. Publishes Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp Minor, op. 27 No. 2, "Moonlight" , dedicated to pupil Countess Giulietta Guicciardi. Beethoven titled both sonatas present in op. 27 Sonata quasi una fantasia ("sonata in the manner of a fantasy") which explains, especially regarding Moonlight , the innovative trajectory of the work, in three movements and with only the last one being truly fast. In spite of this novelty that rejects the conventional movement arrangement of the sonata form in the Classical period, the work was popular during Beethoven’s lifetime and continues to be one of the most known and beloved sonatas by the composer. Premieres Symphony No. 2 in D major, op. 36 and Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, op. 37 with himself at the piano. The symphony, although of classical tradition, hints at the later characteristic “heroic” style of the composer with its fiery allegro and a scherzo taking the place of the traditional minuet. The concerto, reminiscent of Mozart’s 24th in the same tonality, is a virtuoso show-piece brimming with gravitas. The Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 9 in A Major, op. 47 "Kreutzer Sonata" has a successful public premiere in Vienna (published later in 1805), with Beethoven at the piano and the original dedicatee, British violinist George Bridgetower on the violin. After a dispute, Beethoven decided to change the dedication to French violinist Rodolphe Kreutzer , considered the greatest at the time, and to whom we owe the colloquial name of the work "Kreutzer Sonata" . Curiously, the violin virtuoso never played the sonata which he considered "outrageously unintelligible". The sonata has an unusual length and is indeed one of the most demanding and virtuosic ever published, for both technical and emotional reasons. Moreover, the work makes a daring statement regarding the concept of democracy in chamber music, with a first movement that begins with a soft-spoken declamatory instrumental symmetry that represents equality. Birth of Berlioz . Completes Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, op. 53 "Waldstein" , dedicated to Count Waldstein . It surpasses all previous sonatas in its scope and technical difficulty, with an elaborate figuration, original pedal effects, astonishing use of trills and overall pianistic virtuosity.  Premiere of Symphony No. 3 in E-flat  major, op. 55 “Eroica” and Fidelio (German opera). Fidelio is the only opera composed by Beethoven and a German-language favorite, it is Mozartian in style and highly dramatic in its moral theme and symphonic scope. It tells the story of Leonore who goes to great lengths to rescue her unjustly imprisoned husband. Beethoven wrote no less than 5 overtures for the work. This grand Beethovenian overture is one of the precursors of the symphonic poem. The Eroica symphony, considered a grand example of the aesthetic transition from Classicism to Romanticism , is of great importance in the history of music for a multitude of reasons. It is longer than the previous two and also longer than any symphony by Haydn or Mozart . The emotional range is grand and varied, all within a military subject matter. Perhaps the most controversial and famous aspect of this paramount composition is the intention behind its creation and the original dedication. Beethoven gave the work a title “Bonaparte”, for he admired the life and deeds of Napoléon Bonaparte , the First Consul who in his eyes embodied the democratic ideals of the French Revolution. He withdrew the dedication in a fit of rage and disappointment when he learned that Bonaparte had declared himself Emperor. The work was ultimately published in Italian with the title "Heroic Symphony, composed to celebrate the memory of a great man." Bonaparte at the Pont d'Arcole by Gros Composes Three String Quartets op. 59 “Razumovsky” after receiving a commission from the Russian Ambassador in Vienna, Count Andreas Razumovsky . Beethoven is still attached to the 4-movement tradition for quartets, but greatly expands their musical content, technical difficulty and especially their emotional range. Highly esteemed today, they left their original public astonished and the interpreters upset because of the novelty and difficulty. The least negative critique they received when publicly premiered said: "Three new, very long and difficult Beethoven string quartets … are attracting the attention of all connoisseurs. The conception is profound and the construction excellent, but they are not easily comprehended." Premieres Violin concerto in D major, op. 61 , unsuccessfully. It immediately fell into obscurity until it was revived in 1844 by Mendelssohn conducting the London Philharmonic Society, with 12-year-old violin prodigy Joseph Joachim as soloist. It is now one of the best known and most regularly performed violin concertos. Publishes Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, op. 57 “Appassionata”  dedicated to Count Franz von Brunswick. One of the greatest, most iconic and technically challenging piano sonatas in the whole repertoire, it is also a beloved piece by performers and public alike. The colloquial nickname refers to the intense agitated character of the work, and does find its origin in the autograph manuscript which says "La Passionata" on the cover. Beethoven’s unpaid secretary Anton Schindler once asked the composer the meaning behind the sonata, and the famous answer he got was: “Read Shakespeare’s The Tempest !.” Premieres Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Piano in C major, op. 56, “Triple Concerto” (published in 1804). Premieres Symphony No. 5 in C minor, op. 67 and Symphony No.6 in F major, op. 68  along Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, op. 58 and the Fantasy for Piano, Choir and Orchestra in C minor, op. 80, "Choral Fantasy" . The Triple Concerto, a novel show-piece, premiered in a summer concert and was well received, especially in regards to the two string soloists, who have the most virtuoso, pyrotechnic writing. The later marathon concert (which lasted over 4 hours) saw the public premieres of four masterpieces and is in itself an iconic moment in the history of music. It took place during winter in the famous Theater an der Wien and wasn’t a success for several reasons, including the cold temperature inside the theater and a lack of preparation by the orchestra. The Fifth symphony with its iconic four-note initial motif, often called the “fate” motif, further expands on the heroic subject matter of the Third. Romantic German author E.T.A Hoffmann wrote a very poetic essay titled “Beethoven’s instrumental music” which included a highly dramatic positive review of the symphony (“indescribably profound, magnificent symphony”). This greatly participated in the development of the Beethoven myth: an unavoidable romantic narrative of struggle and transcendence that presents Beethoven as a morally superior introspective individual with a character as strong as his music, and whose music is solely the expression of feelings of pain and suffering… The Sixth symphony is a formidable example of a program symphony, with specific and explicit extra-musical inspiration. Here Beethoven brilliantly gives his varied impressions of nature a symphonic expression. The Forth piano concerto was favorably received after its public premiere, but curiously fell into obscurity until it was revived by Felix Mendelssohn in 1836. It is considered today to be one of the best in the whole repertoire and it is also one of the most performed globally. Here, Beethoven not only expands the limits of the classical piano concerto form, with a complex dialogue between the piano and the orchestra, but also introduces one particular innovation: for the first time, the piano soloist starts the work and introduces the main theme of the first movement without the orchestra. It is known to be Martha Argerich ’s favorite piano concerto. Forte Piano by Jakob Pfister, Würzburg Public premiere of Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor" , dedicated to Archduke Rudolf, patron, friend and pupil of Beethoven. Unlike the previous concerto, Beethoven was unable to perform his own work at the premiere, because of his encroaching deafness. The concerto, in the same tonality as the Eroica symphony, is a pinnacle of Beethoven’s pianistic virtuosity, with a majestic character and an abundance of rhythmic figures evocative of the military style. Birth of Franz Liszt . Rudolf von Österreich by Johann Baptist von Lampi Beethoven meets Goethe , while at the Bohemian town of Teplitz where he went a second time for a cure at the spa, as advised by his doctor. The impression of the polymath and poet on the composer is immortalized in correspondence: " His talent amazed me; unfortunately he is an utterly untamed personality, who is not altogether wrong in holding the world to be detestable, but surely does not make it any more enjoyable ... by his attitude. " Premiere of Symphony No. 7 in A Major, op. 92 , at a charity concert in Vienna, with Beethoven conducting. Composed while he was in Teplitz and dedicated to Count Moritz von Fries, patron of the arts, its premiere was a public success and Beethoven himself was quite pleased with it. The now famous second movement Allegretto had to be encored immediately after performed, for the audience was filled with rapture and demanded it. It is a staple work in the symphonic repertoire and one of the most performed Beethoven symphonies, after the 5th and the 9th.  Composer Richard Wagner is one of its admirers in the 19th century and famously called it the "apotheosis of dance", thanks to the astonishing use of rhythmic devices evocative of dance. Birth of Richard Wagner . Premiere of Symphony No. 8 in F Major, op. 93 in Vienna, less than three months after the premiere of the 7th, with Beethoven conducting still. It is, unlike many of his works, without dedication. Also appreciated by Wagner , it is written in a manner highly reminiscent of Haydn and Mozart . This aspect makes it often pale in comparison to the surrounding 7th and 9th, the more “heroic” 3rd and 5th and the larger and more descriptive 6th (in the same tonality). Since Beethoven was effectively bringing forth a transformation of the symphonic tradition of the sublime and the digni?ed towards the monumental and the dramatic, the more lighthearted 8th seems peculiar. However, the factors of wit and surprise taken into consideration explain both the nod to Haydn as much as the work’s own deserving place in Beethoven’s output. While Beethoven did fondly refer to it as "my little Symphony in F", he also considered the 8th to be much better than the 7th. Last public appearance as pianist. Publishes Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 10 in G Major, op. 96 , dedicated to Archduke Rudolf, who played the piano part at the public premiere in 1813, with French violinist Pierre Rode. The last sonata composed by Beethoven for piano and violin, it is a charming and seemingly innocent forward-looking chamber music piece, with an elusive language and intimate musical texture. It is also peculiar in that it questions the general idea of Beethoven’s “three periods”, for it displays different aspects of the arbitrary boundary between the middle and late period. Beethoven himself refused to adhere to this concept during his lifetime and his musical output in itself proves the superficiality of the categorization (with a possible exception regarding the string quartets), it is only after his death that early biographers and music publishers constructed and popularized the narrative of three periods. Rossini premieres The Barber of Seville in Rome. Publication and premiere of Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major, op. 101 , dedicated to pianist Baroness Dorothea Ertmann. Ertmann was one of the first pianists who became known specifically for her interpretations of Beethoven. This sonata, a highly intimate work, is the first of the last 5 piano sonatas of Beethoven and the very first time he used the German name for the pianoforte in the title Hammerklavier . These late works for the piano solo are of the most technically and psychologically challenging of the whole repertoire. Rossini premieres La Cenerentola in Rome. Publishes Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major, op. 106, "Hammerklavier" , Beethoven's most difficult piano work and the only of the late sonatas to revisit the four-movement plan characteristic of the earlier sonatas.  Beethoven described it as “a sonata that will keep pianists busy when it is played 50 years hence”– an accurate prediction, since apart from Franz Liszt , Clara Wieck-Schumann and Hans von Bülow , few pianists tackled the immense musical, intellectual and psychological challenges of this great sonata before the last decades of the nineteenth century. Birth of Jacques Offenbach, Clara Wieck-Schumann and Franz von Suppé . Franz Liszt Meets Rossini  and Franz  Schubert in Vienna. Publishes the cantata Meeresstille und glückliche Fahrt op. 112 on Goethe’s poem and sends a copy of it with a letter to the poet; “ The admiration, the love and esteem which already in my youth I cherished for the one and only immortal Goethe have persisted. ” Goethe does not reply. Prince Nikolaus Galitzin from St. Petersburg commissions three string quartets. Franz Schubert by Wilhelm August Rieder Publishes  33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, op. 120 , Beethoven's greatest variations set and a pinnacle of pianistic virtuosity, praised by Hans von Bülow as a “microcosm of Beethoven’s genius” and by Alfred Brendel as “the greatest of all piano works.” Meets with Liszt . Beethoven by Ferdinand Georg Waldmuller Premieres Missa Solemnis , op. 123 , dedicated to Archduke Rudolf of Austria , it is considered one of Beethoven's supreme symphonic achievements. Beethoven on Missa Solemnis : " my primary goal in composing this grand Mass was to awaken and permanently instill religious feelings in both the singers and listeners. " Premieres  Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, op. 125 , dedicated to the King of Prussia, Frederick William III. It is a choral symphony with text adapted from Schiller 's poem Ode to Joy  and the first example of a major composer using voices in a symphony. Admired all over the world and widely considered Beethoven's greatest work, it is also one of the most known and performed symphonies. It made an influence in many composers of the late Romantic period and continues to inspire artists and audiences today. Birth of Anton Bruckner , Bedrich Smetana . Beethoven by Joseph Karl Stieler Suffers continuous worseing illnesses. Works on the last string quartets and canons.  Death of Carl Maria von Weber . Publication of  String Quartets opp. 131 , 132 , 135 , and Grosse Fuge op. 133 . 26 march: Death of Beethoven at the age of 56. 29 march: large public funeral service in Vienna, with Franz Schubert among the torchbearers.  Beethoven's funeral Bill Overton 1am - 4am Now Playing La Forza del Destino - Overture Giuseppe Verdi Download 'La Forza del Destino - Overture' on iTunes Beethoven: Compositions, biography, siblings and more facts He reinvented the symphony, reshaped string quartets, and redefined piano sonatas - but there's much more to learn about Ludwig van Beethoven, the deaf composer who changed music forever. 1. When is Beethoven's birthday? Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany in December 1770… but no one is sure of the exact date! He was baptised on 17 December, so he was probably born the day before. His birthplace (pictured) is now the Beethoven-Haus museum. 2. Beethoven's father creates a child prodigy Never mind the exact date, the year of Beethoven’s birth is sometimes questioned, and for years the composer thought he was born in 1772, two years too late. This may have been a deliberate deception on the part of his father (pictured) to make the musical prodigy seem younger – and therefore, more advanced for his age – than he actually was. 3. Beethoven's siblings Beethoven had seven sibings: Kaspar Anton Karl, Nikolaus Johann (pictured), Ludwig Maria, Maria Margarita, Anna Maria Francisca and Franz Georg van Beethoven, and Johann Peter Anton Leym. 4. Beethoven on the violin As a young boy, Beethoven played the violin, often enjoying improvisation rather than reading the notes from a score. His father once asked: “What silly trash are you scratching together now? You know I can’t bear that – scratch by note, otherwise your scratching won’t amount to much.” How wrong he was… 5. Beethoven's first composition There’s some speculation about when the young composer started setting his ideas on paper, but the only piece to date from as early as 1782 is a set of nine variations for piano. Beethoven set himself apart as a musical maverick even at the age of 12 – the music is in C minor, which is unusual for music of the time, and it’s fiendishly difficult to play! 6. Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart After the death of Mozart in 1791, musicians in his hometown of Vienna were in need of a new genius. The Viennese Count Waldstein (pictured) told the young Beethoven if he worked hard enough he would receive ‘Mozart’s spirit through Haydn’s hands’. No pressure then. 7. Beethoven in Vienna Finding a wig maker? Noting the address of a dance teacher? Oh, and finding a piano, of course. Beethoven kept a diary of his day-to-day activities when he moved to Vienna in 1792, giving us insights into his personality. 8. Beethoven and Bach By 1793, aged just 22, Beethoven often played the piano in the salons of the Viennese nobility. He often performed the preludes and fugues from Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier and quickly established himself as a piano virtuoso. 9. Was Beethoven deaf? Composing anything at all is a challenge, even for a musical genius. So when you consider Beethoven started to go deaf around 1796, aged just 25, it’s a wonder he managed to write any music at all. He communicated using conversation books, asking his friends to write down what they wanted to say so he could respond. 10. Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 – a musical joke? Beethoven was 30 when his first symphony was first performed in the Burgtheater in Vienna (pictured), and it went where no symphony had ever gone before. Symphonies were seen to be pretty light-hearted works, but Beethoven took this one step further with the introduction, which sounds so musically off-beam it’s often considered to be a joke! 11. Deafness and despair: The Heiligenstadt Testament Despite his increasing deafness, by 1802 Beethoven was almost at breaking point. On a retreat to Heiligenstadt, just outside Vienna, he wrote: “I would have ended my life – it was only my art that held me back. Ah, it seemed to me impossible to leave the world until I had brought forth all that I felt was within me.” It’s known as the ‘Heiligenstadt Testament’, and was published in 1828. 12. Beethoven’s three musical periods: early period It's hard to split Beethoven’s music up into sections, but it’s generally agreed there are three different periods with three broad styles. The first is his early period, ending around 1802 after the Heiligenstadt Testament, and includes the first and second symphonies, a set of six string quartets, piano concerto no. 1 and 2, and around a dozen piano sonatas – including the 'Pathétique' sonata. 13. Beethoven’s three musical periods: ‘heroic’ middle period After his personal crisis, it’s perhaps no surprise that Beethoven’s middle period works are more emotional. A lot of the music from this period expresses heroes and struggles – including Symphony No. 3, the last three piano concertos, five string quartets, Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio, and piano sonatas including the ‘Moonlight’, ‘Waldstein’ and ‘Appassionata’. 14. Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight’ Sonata It’s one of Beethoven’s great piano works, but he never knew the piece as the ‘Moonlight’ Sonata. He simply called it Piano Sonata No. 14, and it wasn’t given its poetic nickname until 1832, five years after Beethoven’s death. German poet Ludwig Rellstab said the first movement sounded like moonlight shining upon Lake Lucerne, and the name stuck. 15. Beethoven’s temper and Symphony No. 3 ‘Eroica’ Beethoven admired the ideals of the French Revolution, so he dedicated his third symphony to Napoleon Bonaparte… until Napoleon declared himself emperor. Beethoven then sprung into a rage, ripped the front page from his manuscript and scrubbed out Napoleon’s name. Some modern reproductions of the original title page have scrubbed out Napoleon’s name to create a hole for authenticity’s sake! 16. Beethoven’s opera: Fidelio If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing properly. He may have only composed one opera, but Beethoven poured blood, sweat, and tears into revising and improving it. He reworked the whole opera over a ten year period, giving us the two act version performed today – the older version is sometimes known as Leonore. 17. Beethoven’s three musical periods: late period Symphony No. 9 with its choral finale, the Missa Solemnis, late string quartets, and some of his greatest piano music including sonatas and the Diabelli variations – Beethoven’s late period is jam-packed with musical genius. Much of the music is characterised by its intellectual intensity, but it sounds just as wonderful to beginners and Beethoven-lovers alike. 18. Beethoven at the movies The moving music from Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 is a perfect soundtrack to 2010 blockbuster smash, The King’s Speech, as George VI makes his address to the nation. You’ll also find hints of his fifth symphony in unexpected places, if you listen carefully – have you watched Saturday Night Fever recently…? 19. Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and the 'Ode to Joy' Symphony No. 9 is often nicknamed the ‘choral’ symphony, but it’s only the finale that features a choir. Using singers in a symphony was a wild idea at the time, but it seems to have paid off – Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony changed the face of classical music forever, and continues to inspire listeners and composers to this day! 20. When and how did Beethoven die? We all like a tipple, but Beethoven may have been more partial to a pint than most. He was once arrested for being a tramp by an unsuspecting policeman who didn’t recognise him! After his death in 1827, his autopsy revealed a shrunken liver due to cirrhosis. 21. Famous last words? Just like Beethoven’s birth, his last words are also a bit of a mystery. It’s often thought his last words were ‘applaud friends, the comedy is ended’ (in Latin!) but his parting gift to the world was far less cerebral. After a publisher bought Beethoven 12 bottles of wine as a gift, the dying composer’s final words were: ‘Pity, pity, too late!’ Beethoven latest See more Beethoven latest PDQ Bach delivered the ultimate classical music and sport parody in this Beethoven performance We ranked beethoven’s nine symphonies from worst to greatest, armed forces and children sing beethoven’s ‘ode to joy’ in stirring d-day commemoration, the 25 best pianists of all time. Discover Music Curious cat wanders on stage during Beethoven’s ‘Pastoral’ Symphony in Istanbul What classical music does francesca play on piano in bridgerton, why did beethoven go deaf new hair analysis could solve mystery, say scientists, a cd can hold exactly 74 minutes of music, thanks to beethoven, the remarkable story of beethoven’s ‘choral’ symphony no. 9 and the ‘ode to joy’, ultra-realistic image of beethoven created by visual artist using composer’s own life mask, best classical music. 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Beethoven and women Wider recognition The last years Beethoven’s achievement First period Second period Third period Structural innovations What is Ludwig van Beethoven known for? How did Ludwig van Beethoven get his start in music? What did Ludwig van Beethoven compose? Was Ludwig van Beethoven deaf? How did Ludwig van Beethoven change music? Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. My Hero - Ludwig Van Beethoven Humanities LibreTexts - Biography of Ludwig van Beethoven Making Music Fun! - Biography of Ludwig Van Beethoven AllMusic - Biography of Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11) Ludwig van Beethoven - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) Table Of Contents A change in direction occurred with Beethoven’s gradual realization that he was becoming deaf. The first symptoms had appeared even before 1800, yet for a few years his life continued unchanged: he still played in the houses of the nobility, in rivalry with other pianists, and performed in public with such visiting virtuosos as violinist George Bridgetower (to whom the Kreutzer Sonata was originally dedicated). But by 1802 he could no longer be in doubt that his malady was both permanent and progressive. During a summer spent at the (then) country village of Heiligenstadt he wrote the “Heiligenstadt Testament.” Ostensibly intended for his two brothers, the document begins: O ye men who think or say that I am malevolent, stubborn or misanthropic, how greatly do you wrong me. You do not know the cause of my seeming so. From childhood my heart and mind was disposed to the gentle feeling of good will. I was ever eager to accomplish great deeds, but reflect now that for six years I have been in a hopeless case, made worse by ignorant doctors, yearly betrayed in the hope of getting better, finally forced to face the prospect of a permanent malady whose cure will take years or even prove impossible. He was tempted to take his own life, But only Art held back; for, ah, it seemed unthinkable for me to leave the world forever before I had produced all that I felt called upon to produce.… There is a Werther-like postscript: As the leaves of autumn wither and fall, so has my own life become barren: almost as I came, so I go hence. Even that high courage that inspired me in the fair days of summer has now vanished. More significant, perhaps, are his words in a letter to his friend Franz Wegeler: “I will seize fate by the throat.…” Elsewhere he remarks, “If only I were rid of my affliction I would embrace the whole world.” He was to do both, though the condition he hoped for was not fulfilled. From then on his days as a virtuoso were numbered. Although it was not until about 1819 that his deafness became total, making necessary the use of those conversation books in which friends wrote down their questions while he replied orally, his playing degenerated as he became able to hear less and less. He continued to appear in public from time to time, but most of his energies were absorbed in composing. He would spend the months from May to October in one or another of the little villages near Vienna . Many of his musical ideas came to him on long country walks and were noted in sketchbooks. These sketchbooks, many of which have been preserved, reveal much about Beethoven’s working methods. The man who could improvise the most intricate fantasies on the spur of the moment took infinite pains in the shaping of a considered composition . In the sketchbooks such famous melodies as the adagio of the Emperor Concerto or the andante of the Kreutzer Sonata can be seen emerging from trivial and characterless beginnings into their final forms. It seems, too, that Beethoven worked on more than one composition at a time and that he was rarely in a hurry to finish anything that he had on hand. Early sketches for the Fifth Symphony , for instance, date originally from 1804, although the finished work did not appear until 1808. Sometimes the sketches are accompanied by verbal comments as a kind of aide-mémoire. Sometimes, as in the sketching of the Third Symphony ( Eroica ), he would leave several bars blank, making it clear that the rhythmic scheme had preceded the melodic in his mind. Many of the sketches consist merely of a melody line and a bass—enough, in fact, to establish a continuity . But in many works, especially the later ones, the sketching process is very elaborate indeed, with revisions and alterations continuing up to the date of publication. If, in general, it is only the primitive sketches and jottings that have survived, this is because Beethoven kept them beside him as potential sources of material for later compositions . The next few years were those of Beethoven’s short-lived connection with the theatre. In 1801 he had provided the score for the ballet Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus ( The Creatures of Prometheus ). Two years later he was offered a contract for an opera on a classical subject with a libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder , who had achieved fame and wealth as the librettist of Mozart’s The Magic Flute and who was then impresario of the Theater an der Wien. Two or three completed numbers show that Beethoven had already begun work on it before Schikaneder himself was ousted from the management and the contract annulled—somewhat to Beethoven’s relief, as he had found Schikaneder’s verses “such as could only have proceeded from the mouths of our Viennese applewomen.” When the new management reengaged Beethoven the following year, it was largely on the strength of his now almost-forgotten oratorio , Christus am Ölberg ( Christ on the Mount of Olives ), which had been given in an all-Beethoven benefit concert, together with the first two symphonies and the Third Piano Concerto . The year 1804 was to see the completion of the Third Symphony , regarded by most biographers as a landmark in Beethoven’s development. It is the answer to the “Heiligenstadt Testament”: a symphony on an unprecedented scale and at the same time a prodigious assertion of the human will. The work was to have been dedicated to Napoleon , intermittently one of Beethoven’s heroes, but Beethoven struck out the dedication on hearing that Napoleon had taken the title of emperor. Outraged in his republican principles, he changed the title to Eroica and added the words “for the memory of a great man.” From then on the masterworks followed hard on one another’s heels: the Waldstein Piano Sonata , Opus 53; Piano Sonata in F Minor , Opus 57, known as the Appassionata ; the Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major , Opus 58; the three Razumovsky Quartets , Opus 59; the Fourth Symphony , Opus 60; the Violin Concerto , Opus 61. To this period also belongs his one opera, Fidelio , commissioned for the winter season of 1805. The play concerns a wife who disguises herself as a boy in order to rescue her husband, imprisoned for political reasons; in setting this to music , Beethoven was influenced by Ferdinando Paer and by Luigi Cherubini , composer of similar “rescue” operas and a musician whom he greatly admired. Fidelio enjoyed no great success at first, partly because the presence of French troops, who had occupied Vienna after the Battle of Austerlitz , kept most of the Viennese away. With great difficulty Beethoven was persuaded to make certain changes for a revival in the following spring, with modified libretto. This time the opera survived two performances and would have run longer but for a quarrel between Beethoven and the management, after which the composer in a fury withdrew his score. It was not until eight years later that Fidelio , heavily revised by Beethoven himself and a new librettist, returned to the Vienna stage, to become one of the classics of the German theatre. Beethoven later turned over many other operatic projects in his mind but without bringing any to fruition. During all this time, Beethoven, like Mozart, had maintained himself without the benefit of an official position—but with far greater success insofar as he had no family to support. His reputation as a composer was steadily soaring both in Austria and abroad. The critics of the Leipzig Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung , the most authoritative music journal in Europe, had long since passed from carping impertinence to unqualified praise, so that, although there were as yet no copyright laws to ensure a system of royalties, Beethoven was able to drive far more-favourable bargains with the publishing firms than Haydn and Mozart before him or Franz Schubert after him. Despite the restrictions on Viennese musical life imposed by the war with France, Beethoven had no difficulty in getting his most ambitious works performed, largely because of the generosity of such patrons as Prince Lichnowsky, who at one point made him a regular allowance of 600 florins a year. Others would pay handsomely for a dedication—e.g., the Graf (count) von Oppersdorf, for the Fourth Symphony . Also, Beethoven’s pupils included the archduke Rudolf, youngest brother of the emperor. Consequently, poverty was never a serious threat. But, doubtless because of increasing deafness combined with a habitual readiness to take offense, Beethoven’s relations with the Viennese musicians, on whose cooperation he depended, became steadily worse; and in 1808, at a benefit concert where the Fourth Piano Concerto , the Fifth and Sixth symphonies, and the Choral Fantasia , Opus 80, were first performed publicly, there occurred a quarrel so serious that Beethoven thought of leaving Vienna altogether. But the threat of his departure was sufficient to stir his patrons into action. The archduke Rudolf, Prince Lobkowitz, and Prince Kinsky banded together to provide him with an annuity of 4,000 florins, requiring only that he should remain in Vienna and compose. The agreement remained in force until Beethoven’s death, though it was to be affected by circumstances, one of which was the devaluation of 1811; although the archduke increased his contribution accordingly, it was some time before his partners could do the same. Nevertheless, from 1809 onward Beethoven remained adequately provided for, although his habits of life often gave visitors the impression that he was miserably poor. Inevitably, his public appearances became less frequent. 214 IMAGES Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig Van Beethoven Biography Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig Van Beethoven Biography Ludwig van Beethoven Biography VIDEO Beethoven Biography Intro "Ludwig van Beethoven: A Comprehensive Biography from Birth to Death" #LudwigVanBeethoven 5 Facts You Didn't Know about Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven: Triumph Over Adversity The mosquito of Beethoven Beethoven's Mathematical Mystery #beethoven #funfacts #shorts COMMENTS Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer whose Symphony 5 is a beloved classic. Some of his greatest works were composed while Beethoven was going deaf. ... The Biography.com staff is a team of ... Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptized December 17, 1770, Bonn, archbishopric of Cologne [Germany]—died March 26, 1827, Vienna, Austria) was a German composer, the predominant musical figure in the transitional period between the Classical and Romantic eras. Widely regarded as the greatest composer who ever lived, Ludwig van Beethoven dominates a ... Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven [n 1] (baptised 17 December 1770 - 26 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire and span the transition from the Classical period to the Romantic era in classical music. His early period, during which he forged his craft ... Beethoven Biography Learn about the life and music of Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the greatest composers of classical and romantic music. Discover his achievements, challenges, religious views and famous works. Ludwig van Beethoven Learn about the life and music of Beethoven, one of the greatest composers in history. Explore his early years, influences, achievements, character, and legacy. Ludwig van Beethoven Biography. Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was a German composer and pianist, who is arguably the defining figure in the history of Western music. ... Beethoven composed only one opera, Fidelio, which took years to get right. He re-wrote one aria no fewer than 18 times and came up with four different overtures before deciding upon the one he ... Ludwig van Beethoven and his compositions Ludwig van Beethoven, (baptized Dec. 17, 1770, Bonn, archbishopric of Cologne—died March 26, 1827, Vienna, Austria), German composer.Born to a musical family, he was a precociously gifted pianist and violist. After nine years as a court musician in Bonn, he moved to Vienna to study with Joseph Haydn and remained there for the rest of his life. He was soon well known as both a virtuoso and a ... Beethoven: A Brief History Learn about Beethoven's life, music, and legacy in this article from Carnegie Hall. Discover how he bridged the Classical and Romantic styles, faced political and personal challenges, and influenced generations of composers and performers. Ludwig van Beethoven biography Learn about the life and works of Beethoven, one of the greatest and most radical composers of all time. Explore his musical style, personal beliefs, and influence on classical and romantic music. Ludwig van Beethoven: biography and facts Learn about the life and works of Ludwig van Beethoven, the German composer and pianist who is considered one of the greatest figures in Western music. Discover his achievements, challenges, influences and legacy in this guide. The Biography of Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven, a name synonymous with profound musical innovation, stands as one of the most influential composers in the annals of music history. Born in the late Classical period, his revolutionary compositions and personal resilience bridged the gap between the Classical and Romantic eras, reshaping the course of music. Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven - Composer, Innovator, Genius: Beethoven's greatest achievement was to raise instrumental music, hitherto considered inferior to vocal, to the highest plane of art. During the 18th century, music, being fundamentally nonimitative, was ranked below literature and painting. Its highest manifestations were held to be those in which it served a text—that is, cantata, opera ... Ludwig van Beethoven Biography Learn about the life, works, and legacy of the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the most important figures in the history of music. Explore his early years in Bonn, his years in Vienna, his personal and professional problems, and his deafness. Beethoven: the astonishing force of nature who dragged music into the Beethoven: the astonishing force of nature who dragged music into the Romantic era. Biography of Ludwig van Beethoven, German Composer Ludwig van Beethoven (December 16, 1770-March 26, 1827) was a German composer and musician. His work embraced a range of musical styles, from the classical to the romantic; although Beethoven composed music for a variety of settings, he is best known for his nine symphonies. His final symphony—featuring the "Ode to Joy" chorus—is one of the most famous works in Western music. Ludwig van Beethoven: The Ultimate Biography and Resource Beethoven, Ludwig van 1770-1827. Welcome to The Beethoven Experience! At LVbeethoven.com we dive into the world of Ludwig van Beethoven - a musical genius who changed the course of classical music and left an indelible mark on the pages of history. From the grand symphonies that stir emotions to the intricate sonatas that touch the soul, Beethoven's legacy is both profound and unparalleled. Ludwig van Beethoven: Biography Beethoven was the grandson of a musician of Flemish origin named Lodewijk van Beethoven (1712-1773). [2] Beethoven was named after his grandfather, as Lodewijk is the Dutch cognate of Ludwig.Beethoven's grandfather was employed as a bass singer at the court of the Elector of Cologne, rising to become Kapellmeister (music director). He had one son, Johann van Beethoven (1740-1792), who ... Ludwig van Beethoven It was first heard at a concert arranged by the composer himself in Vienna in 1800. Built on the models of Haydn or Mozart, it is noticeably more robust in temperament and more sustained in intensity than either man's work. Symphonies of this time began firmly and securely in the home key. Beethoven's, however, opens with a sequence of ... Ludwig van Beethoven: Facts & Related Content Beethoven first publicly performed when he was eight years old. Kosovo and the Council of Europe adopted Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" as their anthems. After Napoleon crowned himself emperor of France, Beethoven erased a dedication to him so harshly that he ripped the manuscript. Beethoven's father advertised his son as the next musical child ... Ludwig van Beethoven: biography, videos, works & important dates A solitary giant and misanthropist, Ludwig van Beethoven's work prolonged the balance of classicism and opens up the abysses of Romanticism. He was able to forge a new musical language, between tradition and modernity. René Leibowitz evoked, "a composer of the greatest inspiration, and what's more, a musician racked by a visible obsession ... Beethoven: Compositions, biography, siblings and more facts Learn about Beethoven's life, music, siblings, deafness and more in this guide from Classic FM. Discover how he reinvented the symphony, redefined the piano sonata and wrote his only opera, Fidelio. Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven - Composer, Deafness, Symphony: A change in direction occurred with Beethoven's gradual realization that he was becoming deaf. The first symptoms had appeared even before 1800, yet for a few years his life continued unchanged: he still played in the houses of the nobility, in rivalry with other pianists, and performed in public with such visiting virtuosos as violinist ... assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis