Ludwig van Beethoven

There is no simple approach to the biography of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827): our image of him is clouded by countless clichés, untruths and unsubstantiated allegations. Beethoven’s life also presents us with numerous seemingly unanswerable questions such as the true identity of the “Immortal Beloved”.

The fundamental facts of his life are actually pretty sparse. Beethoven was born on 16 or 17 December 1770 in Bonn as the son of a simple musician in circumstances which we would today describe as precarious. He received initial musical tuition from his father who attempted to transform his son into a child prodigy. From 1780 onwards, the Bonn kapellmeister Christian Gottlob Neefe took charge of Beethoven’s musical education. His student made such swift progress that he was already playing in the Bonn Hofkapelle [court ensemble] by 1782.

In 1787, the young Beethoven was sent to Vienna to receive lessons from Mozart. Having however received news that his mother had become seriously ill only shortly after his arrival, he almost immediately embarked on the journey back to Bonn where his mother died soon after his return. His father subsequently succumbed fully to his alcohol affliction and Beethoven was forced to undertake responsibility for the family.

Thanks to a scholarship provided by the Elector, Beethoven was able to return to Vienna in 1792 where he took lessons from teachers including Joseph Haydn. When Bonn was occupied by the French in 1794, all funding from the Elector ceased and Beethoven resolved to settle in Vienna as a freelance musician. He was readily received in the city’s music-loving aristocratic circles and remained on amicable terms with many of these aristocrats for the remainder of his life. Initially, Beethoven gained his reputation as a pianist and improvisator before becoming increasingly well-known as a composer. During the central period of his creativity from around 1803, the bulk of his works were created for which he is particularly well-known, between the Third and the Eighth Symphonies. From this point onwards, Beethoven was considered the undisputedly most significant composer of his time.

Beethoven had noticed first signs of hearing problems towards the end of the 1790s and his condition steadily continued to deteriorate, ultimately leading to complete deafness by 1820. In his aural isolation from his surroundings, Beethoven developed the characteristics of an excentric misfit. His life was further soured by constant negotiations with his publishers and his chronically poor state of health. From 1815 onwards, these problems were additionally exacerbated by his concern for his nephew for whose education he had undertaken responsibility after his brother’s death. Despite these circumstances, his works from his late period can be counted among the absolute highlights in the entire history of music. Beethoven died on 26 March 1827.