Ludwig Beethoven was born Dec. 17th, 1770 in Bonn, Germany and died March 26, 1827 in Vienna, Austria.
He is regarded as one of the greatest composers and central to the transition from the classical music period to the romantic classical.
His innovative legend in the history of classical music was sealed with the Beethoven 9th Symphony where he combined vocals and instruments as no one had done before.
As a young man pursuing music in the tradition of his musical family, his 18th birthday found him supporting his siblings in the place of his alcoholic father.
By 1792 the young Beethoven played the viola in the orchestra and drew the attention of the visiting Haydn who brought him to Vienna as the armies of the French Revolution were invading the Rhineland.
It was in Vienna where the romantic Beethoven first emerged in Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, written in despair one evening in response to the first of several marriage proposals for this lifelong bachelor.
While in Vienna Beethoven continued to study music and earn money playing it, allowing him to not only support himself, but send money home to his brothers.
In 1795 he appeared for the first time in public as a pianist and with Vienna as his base, toured as much as the political landscape allowed.
By 1800, a large European tour spread the word about Beethoven to the world.
In 1810 Beethoven’s 5th Symphony was produced in Berlin and put him in touch with the Romantic writers of the era.
Beethoven’s popularity grew during his middle life as his hearing gradually declined having started in his late 20’s.
Later in life, completely deaf, he composed what he heard in his head and directed orchestras unable to hear and absorbing the applause by seeing hands clapping in the audience.
With his declining health and funds evaporating, his last months were bedridden and a later autopsy showed liver damage probably due to alcohol he consumed to cope with his hearing loss and unrequited loves.
