Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most famous composers in history. He was born in Germany in 1770. His music is powerful, emotional, and exciting. He wrote nine symphonies, five piano concertos, and many other pieces. The most amazing thing about Beethoven is that he kept writing music even after he became completely deaf. He felt the music inside his head and heart.

A Difficult Start

Beethoven's father was a musician who wanted his son to be a child star like Mozart. He made young Ludwig practice for hours, sometimes waking him up in the middle of the night. Beethoven moved to Vienna, Austria, when he was 21. There he studied and began writing his own music. People were amazed by his piano playing and his bold new compositions. He quickly became one of the most important musicians in Europe.

Music Without Hearing

In his late twenties, Beethoven started losing his hearing. This was terrible for a musician. He was sad and angry. But he did not give up. He kept composing by feeling the vibrations of the piano and hearing the notes in his mind. His later works, including his famous Ninth Symphony with the Ode to Joy, were written when he was almost completely deaf. This symphony is now a symbol of hope around the world.

Fun Facts

• Beethoven's Ninth Symphony was the first major symphony to include a choir singing with the orchestra.
• He was so messy that he once poured water over his head to cool down and it leaked through the floor to his neighbor below.
• Beethoven's Fur Elise is one of the most popular piano pieces ever, but nobody knows for sure who Elise was.

Did You Know?

When Beethoven conducted the premiere of his Ninth Symphony, he was completely deaf and could not hear the audience's thunderous applause until a singer turned him around to see it!