Ludwig van Beethoven

Why did he have a hard

life? What was the hardest thing for him to overcome? Why is his music still so important and loved today, so many

Birth and childhood

Born in Bonn, Germany in 1770. His father was Ludwigs first music teacher. Ludwig had to practice many nights when his father came home drunk. Ludwig showed an interest in composing when he was a child.

Young adulthood
Beethoven went to Vienna, Austria to learn more about composing when he was 17. He had to return home when his mother died, and help raise his brothers.

Return to Vienna
When Beethoven was 22, he moved to Austria and never returned to Germany. He learned from Haydn, another great composer, ...and played for Mozart before he died.

Losing his hearing

Beethoven began hearing buzzing in his ears. At first he tried to hide his loss of hearing from his friends. He continued to write music when he was deaf.

Beethoven tried many hearing devices, but none of them worked. He could watch peoples lips to understand what they were saying, or have them write in a notebook.

Medical methods back then...

Doctors poured warm milk and crushed nuts in Beethovens ears, telling him that this would help restore his hearing! Doctors rubbed Beethovens arms with an ointment until they blistered, then punctured and drained the blisters telling him that this would help restore his hearing!

His Later Years

He still composed when he was deaf.. how could he do this?

the music inside his head.and he wasnt bothered with other noises around him. He wrote some of his best music during this time.

His temperament
Beethoven was not easy to be around. He had a temper, and he was very demanding. He would get lost in his own thoughts and would get impatient with others when they didnt do what he thought they should do.

He criticized other musicians when they didnt perform his pieces the way he wanted them to sound. His whole life was very stormy there were many sad and discouraging times.

Some of his Works

32 Piano Sonatas
Moonlight Sonata Sonata Pathetique

Fur Elise Fidelio (his only opera) 9 Symphonies

Choral Symphony #9 (Ode to Joy) Beethovens Fifth #5 Symphony #7 (the one well hear at the concert) Pastorale ..#6

Beethovens death
Beethoven died in Vienna, Austria in 1827. It was storming when he died. (There was thundering during a snow storm!) Beethoven raised his fist toward the storm and fell back on his bed, dying. 50,000 lined the streets at his funeral to pay tribute to this great man.

Ludwig van Beethoven

Because his music was so fiery, powerful, and different from the music that came before him, his music marks the beginning of a new era of music in history, the ROMANTIC ERA.

Truly a great Composer !!!

Books and films about Beethoven

video

book films

Ludwig van Beethoven

Why did he have a hard
life? What was the hardest thing for him to overcome? Why is his music still so important and loved today, 181

Beethoven
PowerPoint based on the wonderful work of Sue White with editing by Meredith Inserra