Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827)

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany in 1770. He was the second-born of seven and one of only three children to survive infancy in his family. Beethoven was baptized on December 17, 1770. Although his birth date is not known for certain, his family celebrated his birthday on December 16.

Beethoven's first music teacher was his father, who was a tenor in the service of the Electoral Court at Bonn. Later Tobias Pfeiffer presided over his musical training. Beethoven's talent was recognized at a very early age, and by 1778 he was studying the organ and viola in addition to the piano. His next and most important teacher in Bonn was Gottlob Neefe, who was the Court's organist. Neefe helped Beethoven publish his first composition: a set of piano variations.

In 1787, the young Beethoven traveled to Vienna for the first time, in hopes of studying with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It is not clear whether he succeeded in meeting Mozart, or if he did whether Mozart was willing to accept him as a pupil. But his mother's declining health forced him to return home after only about two weeks in Vienna. Beethoven's mother died from tuberculosis in 1787, when Beethoven was 16. Due to his father's worsening alcohol addiction, Beethoven became responsible for raising his two younger brothers.

In 1792, Beethoven returned to Vienna. This time he stayed to study with Joseph Haydn - his hopes of studying with Mozart had been shattered by Mozart's death the previous year. Beethoven received additional instruction from Johann Georg Albrechtsberger and Antonio Salieri.

By 1793, Beethoven established a reputation in Vienna as a piano virtuoso. His first works, a set of three piano trios, appeared in 1795. 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, he supported himself through a combination of annual stipends or single gifts from members of the aristocracy, income from subscription concerts, concerts, lessons, and proceeds from sales of his works.

In 1800, Beethoven organized a new concert at Vienna including, notably, the presentation of his first symphony. Although today we find this work classical, and close to the works of Mozart and Haydn, at the time certain listeners found the symphony strange, overly extravagant, and even risqué.

In 1805 the Eroica symphony, Beethoven's third symphony, was played for the first time; shortly after that Beethoven finished his opera Leonore, the only opera he ever wrote. He wrote and re-wrote four different overtures for Leonore and in 1814 it was renamed Fidelio, against Beethoven's wishes.

In the years that followed, the creative activity of the composer became intense. He composed many symphonies, including the Pastoral, the Coriolan Overture, and the famous Für Elise. He took on many students, one of whom was the Archbishop Rudolph, who also became his friend and eventually one of his benefactors.

In 1809, Beethoven considered leaving Vienna on the invitation to become Kapellmeister at the court of Jerome Bonaparte. To persuade him to stay in Vienna, the Archbishop Rudolf, Count Kinsky, and Prince Lobkowitz pledged to pay Beethoven a pension. Only Archbishop Rudolf paid his share of the pension on the agreed date and Beethoven survived mostly on selling composition rights, and a smaller pension after 1815.

Around 1796, Beethoven began to lose his hearing. He suffered a severe form of tinnitus, a "ringing" in his ears that made it hard for him to perceive and appreciate music. During his time living in Heiligenstadt, just outside Vienna, he wrote his Heiligenstadt Testament, which records his resolution to continue living for and through his art.

Over time, his hearing loss became profound. Fortunately, this did not prevent Beethoven from composing music. Beethoven used a special rod attached to the soundboard on a piano that he could bite-the vibrations would then transfer from the piano to his jaw to increase his perception of the sound.

As a result of Beethoven's hearing loss, a unique historical record has been preserved: his conversation books. His friends wrote in the book so that he could know what they were saying, and he then responded either verbally or in the book. The books contain discussions about music and other issues, and give insights into his thinking.

By 1814 Beethoven was totally deaf. It is said that at the end of the premiere of his Ninth Symphony in 1824, he had to be turned around to see the tumultuous applause of the audience and hearing nothing, he began to weep.

In 1826, after he caught cold coming back from his brother's place, Beethoven's health became delicate and through complications of other health problems he passed away on March 26, 1827.