Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven, baptised 17 December 1770 – 26 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He was a crucial figure in the transition between the classical and romantic eras in classical music and is considered to be one of the greatest composers of all time.

Beethoven was born in Bonn, the capital of the Electorate of Cologne, which was part of the Holy Roman Empire. His musical talent was obvious at an early age, and he was harshly and intensively taught by his father Johann van Beethoven, who thought this would enable him to become a child prodigy like Mozart. He was later taught by the composer and conductor Christian Gottlob Neefe and was relieved from his dysfunctional home life by his “second mother” Helene von Breuning, whose children he loved, befriended and taught piano. At age 21, he moved to Vienna and studied composition with Joseph Haydn. Beethoven then gained a reputation as a virtuoso pianist, and he was soon courted by Karl Alois, Prince Lichnowsky for compositions, which resulted in Opus 1 in 1795.

The piece was a great critical and commercial success and was followed by Symphony No. 1 in 1800. This composition was distinguished by its frequent use of sforzandi, sudden shifts in tonal centers (which were uncommon for traditional symphonic form), and the prominent, more independent use of wind instruments. In 1801, he also gained fame for his six String Quartets and for the ballet The Creatures of Prometheus. During this period, his hearing began to deteriorate, but he continued to conduct, premiering his third and fifth symphonies in 1804 and 1808, respectively. His condition worsened to almost complete deafness by 1811, and he then gave up performing and appearing in public

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