Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)

Ludwig van Beethoven was a musical genius who was a complex, difficult man. He lived his entire life driven by the need to make music. Born in Bonn, Germany on December 17, 1770, Beethoven was one of seven children, only three of whom survived to adulthood. Ludwig's father recognized his musical ability at a very early age and began to give him lessons. In 1787, when he was seventeen, Beethoven made his first trip to Vienna, the city that would become his home. While there, he had the chance to play the piano for Mozart. Mozart’s prediction was: “You will make a big noise in the world.”

Beethoven’s stay in Vienna was cut short by a series of family tragedies. He returned to Bonn to his dying mother. Shortly after, his infant sister died. When his father lost his job, Beethoven had to take responsibility for the family. After his father’s death in 1792, Beethoven returned to Vienna for good. Beethoven’s hard life had turned him into a man who could be at one moment rude and violent, and the next moment, kind and generous. Despite his temper, Beethoven attracted friends easily. He studied piano with composer Franz Joseph Haydn, and the two became friends.

At the age of twenty-eight, just before writing his first symphony, Beethoven began to lose his hearing. He tried every available treatment and, at first, there were periods when he could hear. But in the last decade of his life he lost his hearing completely. Nevertheless, he continued to lead rehearsals and play the piano. Possibly he “heard” music by feeling its vibrations.

As time passed, Beethoven became more and more absorbed in his music. He began to ignore his grooming, pouring water over his head instead of properly bathing. His rooms were piled high with papers that nobody was allowed to touch. He had four pianos without legs so that he could feel their vibrations. He often worked in his underwear, ignoring the friends who came to visit him if they interrupted his composing.

The stories about Beethoven’s temper became legendary: he threw hot food at a waiter; he swept candles off a piano during a bad performance; he may even have hit a choirboy. Despite his behaviour, he was admired and respected for the music that poured from him. In 1826 Beethoven became ill with pneumonia. Late in the afternoon of March 26,1827, the sky became dark. Suddenly Beethoven’s room was lit by a flash of lightning. A great clap of thunder followed. Beethoven opened his eyes, raised his fist, and fell back dead. He was fifty-seven years old. When Beethoven died, he was surrounded by friends. His funeral was held on March 29, 1827, and about twenty thousand people lined the streets. He was buried in a grave marked by a simple pyramid on which was written one word: “Beethoven.”

Moonlight Sonata

Beethoven is considered one of the greatest musical geniuses who ever lived. He may be most famous for his nine symphonies, but he also wrote many other kinds of music including choral pieces, piano music, string quartets, and an opera.

Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata is one of his most popular piano compositions. He wrote it when he was 31 years old and dedicated it to one of his piano students. It was given the name “Moonlight Sonata” by a German poet named Ludwig Rellstab after Beethoven died. Rellstab said the first movement sounded like moonlight shining on a lake.