LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN BIOGRAPHY
1770-1827

The Greatest Composition in Musical History, Beethoven's SYMPHONY #9 "THE CHORAL" (1824) was composed when he was TOTALLY DEAF!

"A few fly-bites can not stop a spirited horse." - LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

Ludwig van Beethoven is the MOST FAMOUS and GREATEST CLASSICAL COMPOSER WHO EVER LIVED. Beethoven is remembered for his POWERFUL, ANGRY, GENIUS MUSIC and for composing the MOST EXCITING and INTENSE MUSIC IN HISTORY, while being DEAF! Beethoven created the "ROMANTIC" style of Classical Music (development from a motive or idea, rather than a melody).

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany, on December 16 (or 15), 1770 in a family of musicians. Beethoven's father tried to force Beethoven to become "The New Mozart". Instead, he become the ONE and ONLY BEETHOVEN.

In 1787, Beethoven moved to Vienna where he studied with JOSEPH HAYDN and WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART. He was a piano virtuoso whose playing style exploded with fire and energy. Beethoven received patronage from the Austrian Royalty, WITHOUT sacrificing his independence and power.

In 1794 (at the age of 23), Beethoven began hearing noises, which were the first symptoms of DEAFNESS. He sought medical help, but with no success. In 1802 he was so distraught with deafness, he actually contemplated suicide, as witnessed in a Last Will and Testament he wrote called the "HEILIGENSTADT TESTAMENT."

Beethoven's Symphony #3 ("Eroica"), written in 1803, becomes a LANDMARK in musical history-- the FIRST TRUE "ROMANTIC" symphonic work, which was originally dedicated to NAPOLEON, who Beethoven thought was fighting for democracy. When Beethoven found out that Napoleon made himself Emperor, Beethoven furiously removed the dedication and named the symphony "EROICA." Even while his deafness worsen, Beethoven's music became even MORE Powerful. The BEST example of this is the FAMOUS SYMPHONY #5, with the MOST FAMOUS 4 NOTES in MUSICAL HISTORY.

In 1810, by the age of 40, Beethoven could no longer perform as a pianist and in 1822, by the age of 52, he was totally deaf. Beethoven became even MORE temperamental and furious and channeled all his anger into his music. The Greatest Composition in Musical History, Beethoven's SYMPHONY #9 "THE CHORAL" (1824) was composed when he was TOTALLY DEAF!

Beethoven spent his last days in a shabby room, dying of Cirrhois of the Liver and Dropsy. On his last day on March 26, 1827, at around 4 or 5 in the afternoon it was storming and there was heavy thunder. The musician Anselm Huttenbrenner says of Beethoven's dying moments, "Beethoven opened his eyes wide; he raised his right arm, fist clenched, and stared for a few seconds with a proud and menacing gaze into the emptiness before him." On that day, March 26, 1827, Ludwig van Beethoven died leaving his mark of genius for all time.