Beethoven Biography: The Life Story of The Greatest Musician
BEETHOVEN BIOGRAPHY
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A Beethoven Biography on the Early Years
This Beethoven biography will cover his early years. Born in Bonn, Germany in December 1770, Ludwig van Beethoven became the most famous composer of his time, in fact, he is deemed the greatest composer of all times by many. His family members were royal-court musicians in Cologne.
His first years of childhood were happy ones (according to the Beethoven biography accounts). Johann, his father was in moderately good financial standing during this time. Ludwig's grandfather also helped to support the family. His father started teaching him the piano at about 4 years of age.
It was soon learned that Ludwig had a gift for it. This allowed him to excel quickly. The family slowly lost their money over time and became poorer. When Ludwig's grandfather died in 1773, it lead to his father becoming an alcoholic. Beethoven's father tried to exploit him around age 6 by claiming he was actually 7 years old at the time. This was at the time of his first performance in public in March 1778.
After 1779, at some point, Ludwig studied with his most influential teacher (at least in Bonn), Christian Gottlob Neefe. Christian had become the court's organist in the same year. Beethoven learned composition with him and when onto eventually worked on a paid basis with him in 1782.
At 11 years of age, Ludwig van Beethoven had to quit school. In 1783, Ludwig became a continuo player for the Bonn opera. He was so successful that in 1787 he was sent to Vienna for the purpose of studying with Mozart. Sadly, the visit was cut short when his mother died. It is said though that Mozart thought highly of Beethoven and knew he would go places. The death of his mother drove his father further into alcoholism. Beethoven spent the next five years working in Bonn supporting his two brothers (as the Beethoven biography reports).
The Beethoven Biography of His Climb to Fame
This Beethoven biography will cover the years of 1790 to about 1800. In 1790, Haydn had seen a score written by Ludwig van Beethoven, and was so impressed that he offered to train him after he went to London and back. So in the later part of 1792, Beethoven went to train with Haydn in Vienna and never returned to Bonn. He studied with Haydn for more than a year after he got the arrangements made though.
It did not take Beethoven long to make a name for himself in Vienna musically. He would hold concerts with nobility present. Upon getting through studying with Haydn, Beethoven began studying with Alois Forster, Johann Schenk, Antonio Salieri, and Johann-Georg Albrechtsberger, all of whom were his friends. It is easy to see that Beethoven had the best of teachers in Vienna for his music.
By 1795, he was becoming more famous. His first public appearance in Vienna as a pianist was in 1795. He performed the concerto "No.2, Opus19" that was his and then he did one that was written by Mozart. He then took part in a charity event with Haydn (according to what is written in many of the Beethoven biography accounts). Over the next several years, he would go on concert tours to not only Berlin but also Prague. International situations kept him from traveling more.
Then in 1800, he had a piano duel with one of the famous Prussian pianist and won. He was heralded as the greatest piano virtuoso in Vienna. Also in this year, he staged a concert that included the Septet of his and his First Symphony, along with works of Mozart and Haydn. This helped to spread his fame in other parts of the world, and is mentioned often in a Beethoven biography.
Beethoven Biography
This particular Beethoven biography will cover the period of time that Beethoven's talents became fully developed. After he had even made a name for himself that made is fame spread to even abroad in 1800, Ludwig started on a path of producing some of his most well known works.
His First and Second Symphonies had been premiered during 1800 and 1802. After these he was thought of are one of the most talented young composers of his time to come after Haydn and of course Mozart. During the 10 years between the year 1805 and the year 1815 many of his best work was done. With the Symphonies numbered IV, No.5 and No. 7 along with overtures, quartets and a number of piano concertos Beethoven had success.
Even though in 1800 he started to have his first symptoms of going deaf, he did not let this dampen his spirit. He eventually had to quit playing the piano in public though. In 1811, he tried to play in public one last time failing to perform Piano Concerto No.5, which was written by him. After this he did not try to perform publicly again. Ludwig turned to composing then (as per Beethoven biography writings).
In 1819, his deafness was so complete that he had to use conversation books to communicate with friends. They would jot down any questions they had and Ludwig would reply verbally. He would still appear publicly at intervals; however, he spent most of his time composing.
During this time, he would spend time in one of the small villages just outside Vienna. He would take long walks in the country. On the walks, he would come up with many of his ideas for music. He would mark them down in sketchbooks according to accounts in many of the Beethoven biography writings.
A Beethoven Biography Covering His Final Years
This Beethoven biography will cover the last 12 years of Ludwig's life. Due to his deafness increasing and eventually becoming total, the work he wrote during this time is only a small fraction of what he wrote in his lifetime. The quality of it though, was far superior to what he had previously composed. He went out in society less, but still participated in business affairs, which were not always profitable.
In 1815, Casper Anton Carl, Ludwig's brother, dies leaving a child Karl, who was nine years old and his widow Johanna. Johanna and Ludwig were appointed guardians of the boy in the will. Ludwig fought this because of Johanna's poor morality and he won after three years of litigation. Beethoven and his nephew quarreled a lot though and at one point tried to commit suicide in 1826. Once recovered Ludwig agreed with his friends' advice and sent the boy to the army for a career. The horror of the suicide attempt did stay with Beethoven though to his death (according to other Beethoven biography accounts).
Beethoven's last large-scale work was the Ninth Symphony. He supervised the premier of it at the Kärntnertor Theatre. Ludwig was oblivious to the applause because of his deafness until a soloist had him look toward the audience.
In 1826, Beethoven went and stayed with his only living brother, Nikolaus Johann at his estate. When he got back to Vienna, Ludwig came down with pneumonia, a disease he did not fully recover from. After this, he was bedridden in Vienna until his death on March 26, 1827 of cirrhosis of the liver. Beethoven accomplished rising instrumental music into a valued art form. Before his time this type of music was thought not to be as valued as singing. Through this Beethoven biography, you can get a glimpse his final years were spent.