Beethoven�s Life

Ludwig van Beethoven only got his �von� after his death as a tribute to the turnout at his funeral of over 20,000 people, the term temporarily used at the time brought him into the aristocracy, �von� being the sign of noble birth and approval of his peers.



Beethoven was born in 1770, probably on 16th December, into a musical family. His grandfather, who came from a Flemish background, was an accomplished musician and eventually Kappelmeister (Head of Music) for the Elector (Prince), whilst his father, working for his own father, was a singer and degenerated into alcoholism.



His father taught him music initially but he was lucky enough to get a �real teacher in Christian Neefe who recognised the enormous talent in the young Beethoven. He encouraged him to go to Vienna, but after only two weeks he had to return home due to his mother�s illness, from which she soon died.



Beethoven looked after his two younger brothers until his father�s death in 1792, when he at last was able to go to live in Vienna, one of the great centres of music at the time. Mozart, with whom he had wanted to study, had died, and so Beethoven happily took lessons in piano, counterpoint and composition from Hayden. His earlier works show detailed study of both composers, yet managed, even then, to go forward in the development of a new musical age.



He was a great piano virtuoso at this time, and was able to become one of the new breed of �independent� composers, not relying on patronage. He did, however, during the course of his career have several rich sponsors who helped him spend time composing, either for a period or for specific works.



His late 20�s were seriously marred by his increasing deafness, and by the age of 29 he was hardly able to hear. His technical ability, both as a scholar of Bach, Mozart and Hayden�s work, and as a brilliant piano player allowed him to retain his ability to compose. Many people think that he may have been able to hear the relevant harmonics despite his deafness, as well as feeling them from his piano.



Despite depression at his deafness he is said to have declared in 1802 that he would take his music a �new way�, and this lead to his �middle period� of composing. His works became more complex and longer. He took previous ideas and expanded the themes. He wrote six symphonies during this time, string quartets, piano sonatas and much more. He made his money during this period from the sale of his music, its performance and partly from subsidies from rich and noble people who recognised his genius. This period lasted for about 10 years, ending with the popular triumphs of his seventh and eighth symphonies.



Deepening crises in his personal life, both relating to his health and probably to various love affairs greatly reduced his musical output, and indeed for four years practically nothing was published. In 1816 however works written during this time were eventually made available to the public.



Beethoven�s late life shows him trying to take music even further into the "romantic" era, and was particularly successful in the shape of his final five piano sonatas, with his tremendous ninth symphony receiving a tumultuous welcome by the general public, remaining one of his most famous works even today.



Beethoven�s health rapidly deteriorated with jaundice in 1821 and liver problems, possibly caused by large alcohol consumption, preventing him composing much of the time.



He eventually died on 26thMarch 1827. His funeral in Vienna was attended by over 20,000 people, baring full testimony to his fame as one of the Great composers of all time.