The most famous and influential composer in music history.

His life and music provided the

template for musical Romanticism.

Vital Statistics
Born: Dec. 17, 1770 in Bonn, Germany
Died: Mar. 26, 1827, in Vienna, Austria, of cirrhosis of the liver and lead poisoning
Nationality: German
Genre: Classical
Performed as: Pianist (soloist)
During the composer's lifetime: The American and French Revolutions, and Napoleonic Wars
took place.

Biographical Outline
First gig: Assistant court organist, Bonn, ages 14-22.
Vienna: Moves there in 1792 to study with Haydn. Establishes himself as a star pianist.
Deafness: In 1801, Beethoven confides to a couple of trusted friends that he is experiencing
deafness. By 1818, he is totally deaf.
Heroic decade: 1802-1812: Beethoven produces many of his most famous compositions.
His heroic style expands and, in some ways, redefines the instrumental genres of his time.
High-level contacts: Beethoven dedicates many of his famous works to his major
aristocratic patrons. These include Count Waldstein, Count Rasumovsky, Prince Karl
Lichnowsky and, later on, the Archduke Rudolph.
Resurgence: After a creative trough, Beethoven forges a distinctive late-period style,
beginning with the Hammerklavier piano sonata (1818).
The Ninth: Beethoven had long wanted to set the poet Friedrich Schillers Ode to Joy to
music. In 1823, he finally accomplishes that goal by finishing the Ninth Symphony. It is first
performed on May 7, 1824, conducted by Beethoven.
Quartet consolation: Though Beethoven is beset with illness in his last years, he composes
a final series of five string quartets in 1822-26.
Fun Facts
Poor Education: Beethoven was not well-educated, nor was he good-looking. He had a
forceful, magnetic personality and many friends, but was hot-tempered, often ill-mannered,
and suspicious.
Politics: Beethoven was initially a supporter of Napoleon, and meant to dedicate the Third
Symphony to him. The dedication was angrily crossed out when Napoleon declared himself
Emperor, in 1802. Beethoven remained loyal to his friends in the high Austrian nobility.
Unrequited love:The Immortal Beloved addressed in an 1812 letter that Beethoven saved
but never sent, was Antonie Brentano, wife of a Frankfurt businessman.
Hearing loss:As he grew more deaf, visitors to Beethoven wrote their conversation down
for him to read. About 140 conversation books are known to exist, though Beethovens
personal secretary destroyed some of them and tampered with others after the composers
death.
Auctioned works:Beethovens estate, including his music sketchbooks and manuscript
scores, were auctioned off after his death. Together, they brought a moderate amount of
money, 1,140 florins (about 17,600 modern Euros).
Funeral:Beethovens funeral procession, on March 29, 1827, was witnessed by 10,000 or
more people.

Recommended Biography
Maynard Solomon, Beethoven (1977, revised 1998), Schirmer Books.
Esteban Buch, Beethovens Ninth: A Political History, translated by Richard Miller.
University of Chicago Press, 2004 (paperback edition).

Explore the Music

A list of non-masterpieces by Beethoven would be much shorter than the list of famous
works. Musicians are familiar with most of his lesser works. To do, once before you die:
Hear the Ninth Symphony live in concert

Recommended Websites
Keeping Score: Beethoven, Symphony No. 3. Eroica Michael Tilson Thomas and San
Francisco Symphony
Wikipedia article on Beethoven
The Beethoven-Haus, Bonn Museum website
Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies, San Jose State University
Ludwig van Beethoven: The Magnificent Master
The Unheard Beethoven with midi files
Mad About Beethoven an in-depth website about Beethoven's life
Selected Sheet Music by Ludwig van Beethoven: