Quote: " Never use the piano while composing" Beethoven told a student, which shouws the ability to listen to music internally was important to Beethoven. Dates: 1770-1827 Born In Bonn, Germany. Beethoven's father pushed his son and his musical abilities, hoping he would be a child prodigy like Mozart, but Ludwig's talents took longer to develop. He had an unhappy childhood, living with his alcoholic father who often woke his son late at night so that he could entertain friends. It is thought that he suffered ear infections as a child and had his ears "boxed" by his father which may have pjlayed a role in his deafness later in life. At the age of 10, Beethoven started taking lessons from Christian Neefe and he did well with his patient teacher. By age 12, Beethoven was allowed to direct an orchestra part of the time and he had begun to compose. Beethoven played the orgen in the court chapel by age 12, then harpsichord and viola in the orchestra at 18. He made a trip to Vienna during this time and played for Mozart, who was impressed by young Ludwig. Beethoven gained many aristocratic admirers and unlike Haydn, he demanded respect and freedom from his patrons. Beethoven also earned money through concerts and publishing. In 1802, after losing his hearing and struggling with this at a retreat in Heiligenstadt, Beethoven decided to continue writing music and make his art his salvation and source of happiness. Beethoven was a difficult man, very intense, but revered throughout Europe. Though Beethoven always professed his desire for true love, many of the women that he admired were contentedly married. He was often unaware of his physical surroundings and preoccupied with his own thoughts. When Beethoven died at age 57, ten thousand people are said to have attended the funeral in Wahring. he had become a public figure, as no composer had done before. Perhaps his unhappy childhood contributed to Beethoven's angry, passionate and darker music. Beethoven's musical development is generally divided into three distinct periods- early, middle, and late: The early period (until 1802) works mostly stayed within the bounds of classical conventions established by Haydn and Mozart. Works include the 'Moonlight" Piano sonata, op. 27. During the middle period (1802-1812), Beethoven began to experment with new forms, expanded conventional forms, and produced works on an enormous scale. Finally, the late period (1813-1827) was when Beethoven's hearing was failing and he was no longer concerned with the audience's preferences or conventions. The two volumes of Beethoven's piano sonatas are considered to be the New Testament for piano performers, the Old Testament being Bach's two volumes of the Well Tempered Clavier. A cadenza is a passage near the end of a movement where a performer improvised and showed off their technical skills. Beethove wrote one opera, Fidelio, as opera was still an important genre for composers to prove themselves and receive royal approval. Fidelio was Beethoven's only opera, but the effort went on for over ten years due to revisions. Beethoven replaced the graceful Minuet and Trio with the more playful and jubilant Scherzo and Trio. Beethoven wrote out the cadenzas, thus placing his stamp of originality in areas that were previously controlled by the performer. Beethoven and Symphony no. 5, op. 67 born in Bonn, Germany, to a musical family father Johann, was a singer and he was a harsh, severe parent who became an alcoholic. received early musical training from father. briefly studied with Haydn, dedicated his first three piano sonatas to him. Beethoven's patrons occasionally experienced his wrath if he took offense to their musical demands. On one occasion, Prince Lichnowsky requested that Beethoven entertain some french officers; he responded by angrily storming off into the driving rain! On another occasion, Beethoven wrote the following words to his patron; "Praince, what you are, you are by accident of birth; what I am, I am of myself. There are and will be thousands of princes, but there is only one Beethoven." Had many romantic infatuations, but remained single. began to lose hearing in his mid-twenties; attempts at treatment failed wrote a letter to his brother (known today as the Heiligenstadt Testament) in which he revealed his inner turmoil and conflict; contemplated suicide bu rose above the crisis. gained custody of nephew Karl after a lengthy legal battle with his sister-in -law. totally deaf in later years; visitors wrote in conversation books. spent final years living in isolation; became increasingly withdrawn and anti-social. Beethoven was apparently an undesirable tenant, he moved thirty- three times in thierty-five years, lived in a complete mess, grew increasingly unconcerned with his personal hygiene and appearance, and was incorrigible to his landlords and landladies. devastated by Karl's suicide attempt. died apparently from pneumonia. highly respected in Vienna; funeral attracted thousands of admirers superb musical architect; planned and meticulously revised works in sketchbooks. explosive accents, extreme dynamic contrasts incorporated new orchestral instruments; piccolo, trombone, and contrabassoon. Before Beethoven was buried, many admirers who viewed the body snipped locks of his hair as keepsakes. One of these locks has survived , and in 1994 several members of the American Beethoven Society purchased it at auction. Scientific tests were conducted on the hair; these tests revealed that Beethoven suffered from lead poisoning, whcih may have affected his personality and contributed to his numerous illnesses. Russell Martin documented the history of this particular lock of hair in his book, Beethoven's Hair.
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