Ludwig Van Beethoven By Steffan Larsen Birth Ludwig

Ludwig Van Beethoven By: Steffan Larsen

Birth • Ludwig Van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany on or around December 16 th, 1770. (exact date is not known) • His parents were Johann and Maria Magdalena van Beethoven. • He was the second of seven children. Four of which died. Present day Bonn, Germany

Early childhood • Beethoven's father was a court musician who took it upon himself to teach young Beethoven how to play music. • He would sometimes have to entertain his fathers tavern buddies by playing the violin. • Despite his fathers abuse and forcing young Beethoven to play (which could have made him hate music) he had a great talent which he nurtured.

Gifted Child • On the 26 th of march in 1778 Beethoven gave his first public performance. He was just seven and a half years old. • In 1782 gottlob neefe tutors the young Beethoven. Teaching him much more about music than his father could. Also teaching him about philosophy as well. About Beethoven neefe said " This young genius deserves to be supported in his artistic endeavors. If he continues in the same manner he started, he is sure to become a second Wolfgang-Amadeus Mozart ". • At 14 he was appointed organist of the court of Maximilian Franz, Elector of Cologne. • At the age of 17 Beethoven was sent to Vienna to meet Mozart and to further his musical education.

Vienna: The music capital of the world

Vienna: the music capital of the world • While in Vienna Beethoven took lessons from great musicians such as Franz Joseph Haydn, Johann Georg Albrechtsberger, and Antonio Salieri. • It was here in 1800 that Beethoven organized and played his first symphony. Which was thought of by the people as being strange and overly extravagant. But Beethoven was simply pushing the limits of the music of that time. • It was in Vienna that Beethoven first noticed and confessed his deafness. • He made a lot of rich friends and ended up getting paid 4, 000 florins per year to write music (about $2234. 79), as long as he stayed in Vienna. He was the first composer to get paid to make music. Most others became servants in wealthy aristocratic households.

His later years • Around 1812 his financial support was cut off. One of his benefactors died, another fell into financial difficulties, and another was called off to war. • Beethoven's deafness continued to get worse. • In 1815 Beethoven's brother Kaspar Karl died, leaving behind a wife and young child whom he requested his brother, Ludwig, and his wife to watch over. This proved very difficult for him.

Beethoven's last days • As time went on Beethoven's deafness continued to get worse. • Financial troubles still haunted Beethoven constantly. Most of the money he made he put aside to give to his nephew Karl when he passed.

March 26, 1827 • On March 24 th Beethoven signed his last will and testament, leaving everything he had to his nephew Karl. • Romain Rolland said in his biography of Beethoven "That day was tragic. There were heavy clouds in the sky… around 4 or 5 in the afternoon the murky clouds cast darkness in the entire room. Suddenly a terrible storm started, with blizzard and snow… thunder made the room shudder, illuminating it with the cursed reflection of lightning on snow. Beethoven opened his eyes and with a threatening gesture raised his right arm towards the sky with his fist clenched. The expression of his face was horrifying. His hand fell to the ground. His eyes closed. Beethoven was no more. “ • He died on march the 26 th, 1827.

The funeral • It is estimated that over 20, 000 people followed the casket of Ludwig Van Beethoven. This represented nearly one tenth of the population of Vienna. • All schools were closed in sign of mourning. • His belongings were sold at auction for incredibly cheap prices (his symphony number 5 was sold for only 6 florins equivalent of $3. 35). Most manuscripts were either lost or stolen.

Beethoven's music. • Beethoven wrote only nine symphonies during his career. While this may seem like a lot this is a miniscule amount when compared to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who wrote over 150 symphonies. • What set his music apart was his breaking the mold of the highly structured and refined rules on classical music of that time. • It is said that his most famous works are the symphonies 3, 5 and 9.

Symphony no. 3 (Eroica) • The symphony no. 3 has been one of the most discussed symphonies of all time. • It was composed as a sign of great admiration for Napoleon Bonaparte. • First public audition of “Eroica” took place on April 7 th 1807. It was viewed with skepticism because of its “innovative spirit” and “distance from the Viennese vision of symphonies”.

Symphony no. 5 • Considered a natural continuation of his symphony no. 3. • Is sometimes called the symphony of destiny. Mainly because Anton Felix Schindler, his biographer, stated: " So pocht das Schicksal an die Pforte! “ or in “English That’s how destiny knocks on your door”.

Symphony no. 9 • Sometime called the symphony of joy • Completed in 1824 when Beethoven was completely deaf. • First showing on May 7, 1824 in the Kärntnertortheater in Vienna. • When the piece ended, Beethoven, being deaf, was still conducting. The soprano soloist turned him around to accept his applause.

Beethoven, the disposition of. • Ludwig Van Beethoven has been described having a very “strong personality” and very hard to get along with. • While living in Prince Lichnowskis house in Vienna he is described as being very stubborn, purposely coming to dinner late. • He is one of the greatest composers of all times so he kind of has that right.

• Beethoven's Health.

Beethoven’s deafness. • Beethoven first admitted he was going deaf in 1801. He wrote to friends who were close to him yet geographically far. These were his friends in Bonn. • He felt it was unfair that he, a great composer, should have “his greatest faculty” taken from him. • But instead of taking his own life he kept on composing, teaching, and playing his music.

Beethoven’s deafness continued. • A number of studies have been done to find out the cause of Beethoven’s deafness. • The first was during his autopsy in 1827, the day after he died. It is said by the medical examiner “. . . The ear cartilage is of a huge dimension and an irregular form. The scaphoïde dimple, and above all the auricle, were vast and had one and a half times the usual depth. . . ”. • The subject was brought up again in 1928 when Doctor Marage theorized that the cause of his deafness was labrinthitis. • Again in 1986 Doctors agree that among other reasons, labrinthitis could be the cause. • While medical professionals are not 100% sure what caused Beethoven's deafness, most agree that it is labrinthitis.

Labrinthitis is described as “Inflammation of the labyrinth of the inner ear, which is a group of cavities and canals communicating between one another”. The symptoms include. Ø Vertigo ØNausea ØNystagmus (movement in the ocular globe) ØDeterioration of hearing ØWhistling sounds ØHumming / buzzing drones in the ear.

Possible cures. • There are different forms of labrinthitis some viral and some bacterial. • He was told by doctors to take almond oil, take cold baths, pills for his stomach, and herbs for his ears. All these succeeded in doing though was helping his upset stomach and diarrhea. His deafness remained the same. • Nowadays it is treated with antibiotics (if it’s a bacterial infection) and surgery (if necessary). • If it is a viral infection you will spontaneously get better.

Works cited. • http: //www. all-about-beethoven. com • http: //www. lvbeethoven. com • http: //www. beethoven. ws/personality. html • http: //classicalmusic. about. com/od/classicalmusic 101/a/beethovenguide. htm • http: //www. medicinenet. com/script/main/art. asp? articlekey=21685