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Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) |
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"Born to a drunkard father and an unhappy mother, the young Beethoven was subjected to a brutal training in music at the hands of his father, who hoped that the boy would prove to be another prodigy like Mozart. Failing in this, the young Beethoven nevertheless embraced music and studied for a short time in 1792 with Franz Joseph Haydn in Vienna. Hailed as a genius and a master of improvisation at the piano, Beethoven soon made a name for himself, and by 1794 was known throughout Europe." "By 1800, Beethoven had become aware of his advancing deafness -- surely a most horrible fate for a musician and unendurable to a composer. Agonizing over his fate, Beethoven contemplated suicide, but in the end embraced life, determined to go on composing, if no longer performing." "The idea of universal freedom, equality, and the brotherhood of man was one the composer cherished."1 Quote: "Every real creation of art is independent, more powerful than the artist himself and returns to the Divine through its manifestation. It is one with man only in this, that it bears testimony to the mediation of the Divine in him." -- Beethoven, in a letter to Goethe Resources text and audio files (links will open in a new window):
1 From Music History 102: a Guide to Western Composers and their music Designed, compiled and created by Robert Sherrane, Cataloging librarian The Juilliard School, New York. See the Internet Public Library entry.
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Born:
Bonn, (baptized December 17), 1770 - Died: Vienna, March 26, 1827