The Live And Work Of Ludwig Van Beethoven
Ludwig Van Beethoven was born on December 16 and baptized on December 17. He was the child of Johann Van Beethoven and Maria Magdalena and they lived in Bonn, Germany. Beethoven was the eldest of his two other brothers. He was supposed to have six other sivblingis but they all died from dieses. Beethoven was a sickly person thourghout his life and was sick most of the time. Some of the diseases that he suffered from were: rheumatism, jaundice, rheumatic fever, ophthalmic, inflammatory degeneration of the arteries, chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, skin disorders, Syphilis, infectious hepatitis, and many other diseases. Since his father was a Tenor singer and his grandfaterh was also a respected musician as well so Beethvne was taught him the clavier and the violinat an young age by his father. All of Beethoven's family could see that the young bouy was talented yet his father wanted him to become the next Mozart so he incorporated physical to make him become the best. 'Neighbors provided accounts of the small boy weeping while he played the clavier, standing atop a footstool to reach the keys, his father beating him for each hesitation or mistake.' ('Ludwig Van Beethoven' 2019). Beethoven's father also woke him up in the middlw of the night just so he could practice his violin and clavier. The young musician wa beaten and even put in the cellar of his house when he made a mistake playing. His father set him up to play at the age of 7, his performance was taken with good reviws but it did not give him the popularity that his Father wanted for him . In 1781, Beethivne was taken out of school at the age of 11 to study music full time and was tausht by Christian Gottlob Neefe, the Bonn's court organist. Neefe introduced young Beethivne to Bach and at age 12 made his first composition that was made up of songs by a rarely known composer named Dressler. But in 1784, his father had become such a heavy dringer so he could not work, causing Beethivon to ask for a job and the court. His request was granted and he became the assistant court organist with a 150 florins pay. 'By 1787 he had made such progress that Maximilian Francis, archbishop-elector since 1784, was persuaded to send him to Vienna to study with Mozart.' Beethovne was sent by Maximilian Francis, the archbishop to the Bpnn court at the time, since he saw his talent to Vienna to be taught by Mozart. Beethvne and Mozart never meet but as Beethven was playing for Mozart he told his comradis that he was gong to make a name for himself. Yet Beethoven had to leave eaeryl since he received a letter that his mother was sick and he returned to Bonn Germany. His mother passed on July 17th, 1787 which hit Beethovne hard since she was in his words,' his best friend'. As he mourned her death, he still continued to study and perfect his music abilities. Beethivne's father had been drinking even more and was not taking care of his two hounger brother. ' In the year 1789, Ludwig was forced to take a legal action against his father as the responsibilities dumped on him were too much. He managed to get the court to order that half of what his father makes be paid to him directly so that he can take care of his siblings in a better way.' ('Beethoven Biograhpy- History of Ludwig Van Beethoven ' 2019).
Beethoven , 19 at the time, received a study grant in 1792 that lasted for two years and it meant he had to return to Vienna, Italy to continue his music studies. He quickly grabbed at this opportunity at went to Vienna. He was supported by people who saw the gift that he had like Prince Joseph Franz Lobkowitz, Prince Karl Lichnowsky, Gottfried Van Swieten. There he sharpen his piano craft with Hayden, studied under Ignaz Schuppanzigh for his violin mastery and with Antonio Salieri who taught him some Italina vocal styole in compsitions. Beethovne was now becoming know among the new rising composers in 1793 and most high society people enjoyed and liked his music. Because of his now published works, Beethovne was now getting a name for himself and was able to finally get money to support hinslfe finsaual. His first symphony was premied in 1800 and his second symphony was premeired in 1803. After these symphonys were pulblised, Beethovne was now the new Mozart of his time. Beethovne was not only a composer but also a music teacher. He taught many family and their children including Ferdinand Reis and Carl Czerny who went on and became wonderful composers just like their teacher beethovne. 'Ludwig Van Beethoven grew to become one of the great people when it comes to classical music. He was greatly known for his improvisation and he was really good. Some of his greatest works were his nine symphonies, his piano sonatas, the violin sonata, string quartets, the piano concerto and many other compositions.' (
What made Beethovne different form the other composere like hayden and Mozart was that Beethoven was able to tug at the heart and emotions of his audience in his music. He knew music was not for just entertainment by saying, ' Music is the mediator between the spiritual and sensual life.” ( Ludwig Van Beethovne)
As Beethoven's music carrer was booming, love life was not so great. Beethoven was described as, ' short and stocky, broad-shourded, with a short neck, larg3 head, round d=nose and swarthy complection; he always stooped forward.' ( Ludwig Van Beethevon 12) He was always attracted to women who were considered ' out of his league' since he was in the commerner class of sociarty . One of the first women he had fallen for was Countess Julie 'Giulietta' Guicciard who he had meet by teaching Josephine Brunsvik piano. Beethoven know he could not be with this woman since of theirj class difference. And with his deep desir and sadness, these emotions inspiared hijm to write Sonatoa No. 14 and dedicated the piece to her. Then he found himself having feelings who also had feeling for Beethoven. Even though her husband passed away and they were attracted ot eachothert, Beethvone again not be with her since she was in a higher class then him. She then remarried for if she married Beethoven she would have lsot her custudy to her children . The other woman that Beethovne found himself falling in love and proposing to Therese Malfatti. He even dedicated Fur Elise to her, yet he was turned down for different class reasons, since he was a commenr.
During his flowering music carrer he started to lose his hearing at the age of 27 years old. At first it was only a slight buzzing in his ear but little by little he was having more and more trouble with hearing people speak and his music. For the longest time Beethovne wanted to keep his lose of hearing to himself since he didn’t want people to view him differently. He started to become more reclusive and not go out as much as he did so people would not see that he could not hear as well. In 1812, at the age of 44 he had lost his hearing completely. Beethven wrote a letter to his brothers and close friends known as the Heiligenstadt Testament. In the testament he says that he is tired of how is life is so depressing, that he has no love and he hates that he is becoming a deaf.
At one point he even comtiplatited suicide, but because he was so in love in music he did not carry out with it. He finally came to terms with his deafness and because of that his music became even more passiantoe and full of emiotn.
Aroundf the time of his death , Beethoven was not writing or prefoerming his works as frequent as he normally did. In 1827, Beethoven became wxtremly sick and was bedrideen. He drinking heavily and was suffering from syphilis, infectious hepatitis, Whipple’s disease, sarcoidosis. On March 27 of 1827, Ludwig Van Beethovne passed away.
He was buried in Wahring cemeter and more then 200,000 people attented his furneal. As his house was being emptied, a love letter was found in one of his drawers. The letter was a passionate 3 paged love letter that was addressing an 'immortal Beloved' but the name of the woman was not on the letter. Many scholar believe it was either Antonie Brentan or Josephine Brunsvik since the dates or 1801–02, 1806–07, and 1811–12 when Beethoven was close to Brentan then to Brunsvik.
While Beethovne had a hard childhood, he talents were seen by professional who knew he would become something great. While he never was able to get married and find happiness in love ,All of Beethoven's music picese were filled with is passion and love for music. He was truly one of the Great composers of your time .
