( 1770 - 1827 )

Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany. He has a musical family
background. However Beethoven showed no real promise until
he was well in his teens. His life was comfortable until his grandfather
died in 1773. His father slid further into habits of dissipation which
drove the family steadily into poverty. At the age of 12, Beethoven,
as assistant to the Court organist, became the sole breadwinner. At
the age of 17, he was sent to Vienna, and soon, he became popular. In
Vienna, he took lessons from Mozart. Unfortunately, this golden
opportunity lasted two weeks, when Beethoven learned his mother
had died. In 1792, Beethoven was invited to Vienna by an Austrian
Composer, Haydn who admired Beethoven's works. By 1800, Beethoven
began to notice problems with his hearing. A succession of doctors
diagnosed a variety of complaints, but all agreed that the condition
was incurable. For a man who relied on sound for his living and for
the expression of his deepest feelings, it was the cruellest of blows.
His disability made him quick-tempered, and his life became that of
a crusty old bachelor. There were opportunities for marriage, but they
petered out due to his inability to make a decision. In 1815, his brother
died, leaving a joint guardianship of his son Karl to his widow and
Beethoven. There followed a three-year court battle for custody of the
nine-year-boy. The result was Beethoven won, but the affectionate
relationship he enjoyed with his nephew deteriorated. The emotional
pressure on Karl resulted in his attempting suicide in 1826 which upset
Beethoven deeply. Beethoven was completely deaf by 1919. He became
more anti-social due to his deafness, and often spent his time walking
in the country lanes around his village where many of his ideas came
to him. On on 26 of March, 1827, at the age of 57, the great composer
died of cirrhosis of the liver. His popularity was well demostrated three
days later when over 20000 people attended his funeral. Beethoven had
broken the mould of classical composition, where emotion was finely
balanced with music form. The depth of feeling he express in his work
paved a way for the Romantic style of music.