Ludwig van Beethoven

Birth and childhood Born in Bonn, Germany -December 16th, 1770. Father and Grandfather were musicians. Father was Ludwig’s first music teacher. Ludwig had to practice many nights when his father came home drunk. Ludwig showed an interest in composing when he was a child.

Young adulthood Beethoven went to Vienna, Austria to learn more about composing when he was 17. He had to return home when his mother died, and help raise his brothers.

Return to Vienna When Beethoven was 22, he moved to Austria and never returned to Germany. He learned from Haydn, another great composer, ...and played for Mozart before that respected composer died. Beethoven loved to visit the country, where he composed a lot of music

Losing his hearing Beethoven began hearing buzzing in his ears. At first he tried to hide his loss of hearing from his friends. He continued to write music when he was deaf. Beethoven tried many hearing devices, but none of them worked. He could watch people’s lips to understand what they were saying, or have them write in a notebook.

Medical methods back then... Doctors poured warm milk and crushed nuts in Beethoven’s ears, telling him that this would help restore his hearing! Doctors rubbed Beethoven’s arms with an ointment until they blistered, then punctured and drained the blisters…telling him that this would help restore his hearing!

He still composed when he was deaf…..how could he do this? His Later Years He still composed when he was deaf…..how could he do this?

He could hear the music inside his head very well… He could hear the music inside his head very well….and he wasn’t bothered with other noises around him. He wrote some of his best music during this time, from musical ideas he had written years before.

His temperament Beethoven was not easy to be around. He had a temper, and he was very demanding. He would get lost in his own thoughts and would get impatient with others when they didn’t do what he thought they should do. He criticized other musicians when they didn’t perform his pieces the way he wanted them to sound. His whole life was very ‘stormy’ …there were many sad and discouraging times.

Some of his Works 32 Piano Sonatas Fur Elise Fidelio (his only opera) Moonlight Sonata Sonata Pathetique Fur Elise Fidelio (his only opera) 9 Symphonies Choral Symphony …#9 (Ode to Joy) Beethoven’s Fifth …#5 Pastorale …..#6

Beethoven’s death Beethoven died in Vienna, Austria - March 26th, 1827. It was storming when he died. (There was thundering during a snow storm!) Beethoven raised his fist toward the storm and fell back on his bed, dying. 50,000 lined the streets at his funeral to pay tribute to this great man.

Ludwig van Beethoven 1770-1827 German composer, who spent his adult life in Austria Wrote during the Classical Era (1750 – 1820). Chose a ‘new and different’ way of composing.