The states where he was born and died (the Holy Roman and Austrian Empires) no longer exist, yet Beethoven’s name in the 21st century carries as much weight as it did in the 18th. Despite being unable to hear notes, the genius masterfully played several instruments, composed symphonies, and conducted orchestras. Fate may have robbed him of physical hearing, but it left him with a musical ear, which was more than enough to create immortal masterpieces across all genres.
Not a second, but the first
He did not become the “second Mozart” as his parents had hoped; instead, he became the “first Beethoven.” The great Austrian predecessor, upon hearing this unique successor in Vienna, predicted that the world would come to know him. And so it happened, even during the lifetime of the legendary composer. Tragically, he was granted only 56 years of life, 30 of which he spent in complete silence, alone with his inner metronome. Paradoxically, these years became pivotal in the unparalleled creativity of the musician, during which he gifted humanity his finest symphonies, operas, choral works, theater music, sonatas, overtures, quartets, and concertos.
One of the most intriguing composers of all time, he endowed the piano with its own “voice,” allowing it to stand apart from the harpsichord. This legendary German composer established a “signature” piano style characterized by dramatic contrasts between extreme registers (as playing on the harpsichord was limited to the middle range), the use of dynamic volume and depth of sound (previously, the pedal was not used consistently), and powerful chordal harmonies.
The son of a tenor, the grandson of a bass
The phenomenal child was born on December 16, 1770, in Bonn, into a family of hereditary musicians. Ludwig was named after his grandfather (a native of the Southern Netherlands), who had risen to the position of conductor of the court chapel in the Duchy of Austria. The future composer’s parents were singers in the court chapel: his grandfather was a bass, and his father was a tenor (his mother was the daughter of the court chef).
From a young age, Ludwig was introduced to the violin, organ, and harpsichord, and by the age of 8, he gave his first public performance in Cologne. His teachers encouraged the talented student to perform “tempered keyboards,” so young Beethoven grew up on the notes of Bach, Mozart, and Haydn. At 12, he composed his first original piece: a variation on a well-known march, which was included in the repertoire of the assistant court organist. In his childhood, Ludwig van Beethoven wrote three sonatas and a number of songs, one of which—”The Little Raven”—is still taught to children in schools today.
Beethoven’s parents: Johann and Maria Magdalena
However, due to the family’s deteriorating financial situation (following his grandfather’s death), Beethoven had to leave school early and pursue self-education. Besides music, he was passionate about literature, languages, and philosophy: he read in German, French, Italian, and Latin, striving from a young age, as he put it, to understand the essence of the teachings of the most renowned philosophers of various eras. There was no work in this collection that proved too difficult for Beethoven, including the writings of Homer, Plutarch, Shakespeare, Goethe, and Schiller.
A title is not an achievement
Beethoven never had the opportunity to study with Mozart. After impressing the master with his improvisation (“This young man will be talked about by everyone!” Mozart said in 1787), 17-year-old Ludwig left Vienna due to his mother’s death. With the responsibility of caring for his younger brothers, Beethoven had little time for studies: he had to take a position as an alto in an orchestra, where he played works by the very person who could have been his teacher. Just two years later, he managed to resume his studies.
He attended lectures at the university in Bonn while Europe was shaken by the revolution in France. Traditionally, the progressive university professors were supporters of “leftist” ideas, and under the influence of a collection of revolutionary poetry from one of the professors, Beethoven wrote his own work on social justice. In his “Song of the Free Man,” he included the phrase: “He is free who does not consider birth and title an advantage.”
Young Beethoven (1801), painting by Karl T. Riedel
In this sense, Beethoven could consider himself free. He allowed himself not only an “informal” hairstyle and careless clothing but also sharp judgments and independent behavior. He would stop performing due to conversations in the hall: “It’s not worth throwing pearls before swine.” He refused the host’s request to entertain guests if he was one of them. When the high-ranking Prince Lichnowsky announced Beethoven’s performance in his social salon, the unyielding composer left the parlor and secluded himself in a locked room. The prince ordered the lock to be broken, and Beethoven slammed the door loudly, immediately leaving the aristocrat’s palace that had so offended him. The next morning, the composer sent Lichnowsky a note: “I owe my name to myself. There are many princes, but there is only one Beethoven.”
There is no harmony in the world
Even when encountering Emperor Franz on the street, Beethoven did not bow respectfully but pushed through the crowd of attendants, barely touching his hat. After being disillusioned by Napoleon’s disregard for the ideals of the French Revolution, the 34-year-old Beethoven refused to dedicate his “Third Symphony” to the self-proclaimed emperor. The composer crossed out the dedication on the title page next to the name “Eroica” and explained his decision with a bold accusation: “Now this mediocre creature will trample on civil rights and become a tyrant.”
Title page of the “Eroica” Symphony, edited by the author
Colleagues had to burn part of the “conversation notebooks” that facilitated their communication with the deaf Beethoven due to his unfavorable remarks about the emperor, the heir apparent, and other ruling figures. The composer constantly criticized the anti-people actions of the authorities, unjust laws, and outrageous decrees. “You will end up on the scaffold,” his friends urged him to be cautious, sometimes warning him about spies in their company. Beethoven’s pessimistic worldview inevitably influenced his image and creativity, which sometimes alienated people from him. This was particularly true for Haydn: the teacher called his student talented but “gloomy and strange” and refused to work with him due to his radical views.
Who killed the genius?
But despite his outward severity, Beethoven never turned away relatives and friends in need of help. He himself barely overcame suicidal thoughts due to his early deafness (the composer began losing his hearing at 26, and research on his remains in 2007 suggested that “lead treatments” administered by Beethoven’s doctor during fluid drainage may have worsened this process). He found the strength to continue living for the sake of the purpose he saw in creating music and supporting his loved ones.
After his brother’s death, Beethoven took on the care of his nephew. How the brother’s son managed his support took a toll on Beethoven’s health. The relative’s education in the best boarding schools with the finest music teachers proved futile. The ungrateful young man was more interested in billiards and cards than in art: he fell into debt and attempted suicide. The bullet left a scar on the nephew’s head, while the uncle’s ailing liver failed from the stress. Beethoven died at the age of 57 in March 1827. The composer was personally buried by 20,000 admirers of his immortal music.
Beethoven’s funeral procession: watercolor by FX Stoeber