Birth

 

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in 1770 in Bonn, Germany to Johann (a musician) and Maria (a domestic engineer). His father was his first music teacher. There is a story that when Beethoven was little, his father forced him to practice the keyboard for hours and hours because he wanted him to be like Mozart.  While this story has never been supported, it is known that Johann was aware of Mozart's father's successes in taking his children around to the different European courts, and so, he too attempted to exploit his son as a child prodigy.

 

 

 

During His Lifetime

 

Beethoven traveled to Vienna as a young adult in the hopes of studying with Mozart. Unfortunately, he was only able to work with Mozart a short time before he was called back home because his mother was gravely ill.  Beethoven returned at once back to Bonn, and was at his mother's bedside when she died.  Upon her death, Beethoven became the guardian of his younger brothers.

 

Throughout his career Beethoven was often quite grumpy and demanded that people listen to his music - he would stop playing if people started talking during a performance!  When Beethoven was 28 years old his hearing began to grow worse, and eventually he begame totally deaf.  However, because he knew how music sounded, he was able to "hear" the music in his mind and continued to compose until his death.  Below is a picture of Beethoven walking in nature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several things happened during Beethoven's lifetime that you might have heard about before today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Death

 

Beethoven died in 1827 at the age of 56 after several months of illness.  His funeral procession  was attended by an estimated 20,000 Viennese citizens. Among the morners was Franz Schubert, another famous composer, who was one of the torchbearers.  Schubert died the following year and, per his request, was buried next to Beethoven.

 

 

 

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Type of Music

 

Beethoven began composing during the Classic Period; however, his compositions in later years are credited for starting a new period in classical music, the Romantic Period. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most Famous Music

 

Beethoven's most famous pieces of music are Für Elise, Moonlight Sonata, Symphony No. 5, and

Ode to Joy from Symphony No. 9.

 

 

 

Music in Pop Culture

 

Beethoven's music has been used many, many times in popular culture.  Click Beethoven's pop art portrait to see video examples.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Listening

 

The videos below are great examples of Beethoven's most famous music: Für Elise, Moonlight Sonata, Symphony No. 5., and Ode to Joy from Symphony No. 9.