Biography
Ludwig Van Beethoveen was born in 1770 in Bonn, Germany as the son of a court
musician. His talent for the piano was soon realized and he gave his first public performance at
the age of eight. Beethoven's father wanted to promote him as the next child prodigy, another
Mozart. (This most surely led to Beethoven's absolute distaste for child prodigies later in his life.)
Nevertheless, Beethoven was employeed as a court musician in Bonn from 1787. During this time
he studied briefly under both Haydn and Mozart, although it was certainly not a satisfying
relationship for Beethoven. It turns out that events in Beethoven's life greatly affected (or seem to
have affected) him writing. Because of this Beethoven's musical output is very episodic. As we
shall see, there are three main periods in Beethoven's life, known simply as the early, middle, and
late periods.
In 1792, Beethoven relocated to Vienna. This is the beginning of his early period which lasted
rougly until 1800. During this time Beethoven quickly made a name for himself as a virtuoso
pianist. He used his abilities at the piano to gain favor with the nobility. In fact, he even tried to
claim his own noble roots by accidentially changing the Van (a meaningless title) to Von (a title
of nobility). His compositions during this period consisted mainly of works for his main
instrament, the piano. An example of a piece composed during this time is the Pathétique Sonata,
Op. 13 (1798). Beethoven's hearing was also beginning to deteriotate at this point, however, he
went to great lengths to hide this fact from those around him. A picture of the apparatus used by
Beethoven to hear is pictured below.
Beethoven is a transistion figure in the history of western music. He is generally known as
the father of the Romantic era. However, during the first period most of his compositions were
classical (ie Hadyn and Mozart) in nature.
However, in 1800 Beethoven is reported to have turned his friend Krumpholz and said, "I
am not very well satisfied with the work I have thus far done. From this day on I shall take a new
way." And basically, he did. Beethoven abandoned the classical forms of the previous century and
set out for a more expressive (Romantic) musical voice. His musical imagination began to grow
beyond that of the piano. This period, which later became known as the Heroic Period because of
the larger than life nature that his compositions took on, saw the creations of such masterpieces as
the Tempest Sonata, Op. 31 (1801-2), the 3rd Symphony (Eroica), Op. 55 (1803), his only opera,
Fidelio, Op. 72 (1803-5), and the 5th Piano Concerto (Emperor), Op. 73 (1809). Some say that
this middle period was Beethoven's greatest. It certainly was his most productive. In about a
decade Beethoven produced countless masterpieces in every genre.
In 1809, however, his musical output began to drop, possibly in connection to his declining
health and mental state. Around 1815 the famous Immortal Beloved affair occured which left
Beethoven in deep depression and contemplating suicide. Although there has been much debate
over the identity of this Immortal Beloved character, it is now assumed that the lucky woman was
Josephine, Countess Deym, née Countess von Brunswick
Beethoven's output was mostly null until 1818. At this point he was completely deaf and
slightly mad. Also his brother died leaving Beethoven's only nephew, Karl, in the guardianship of
his mother. Now Beethoven felt that she was not fit to raise Karl, so he entered into a vicious
lawsuit over custody of the child. For the most part he was able to use his influence with the
aristocracy to win the battle. Unfortunately Beethoven was not a fit father and his relationship
with Karl was quite poor, driving him to an suicide attempt a few years later. Beethoven loved
Karl dearly, and the pain of his failed attempts to teach Karl music must have been devestating for
Beethoven. It's often spectulated that Karl was probably a strong contributor to Beethoven's late
style. The late period saw the compositions of Beethoven's largest works: the Mass in D (Missa
Solemnis), Op. 123 (1818-23), the 9th Symphony (Choral), Op. 125 (1818-23), the
Hammerklavier Sonata, Op. 106 (1818), and the late string quartets.
