Beethoven Biography
Ludwig van Beethoven
17 December 1770 – 26 March 1827
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Ludwig van Beethoven is perhaps the most famous and influential of all the pianist composers of his time. He was considered instrumental in the transition of between the classical and romantic eras in Western Art Music.
Beethoven was born on December 16th, 1770 in Bonn (now called Cologne, Germany) to parents of Belgian descent. His father, Johann, was a musician at the court of Bonn, and his mother, Maria, whom he later deemed as his “best friend”, was described as a warmhearted gentle women. There were seven children born into this family, only three survived, in which Ludwig was the oldest.
Johann supplemented his income by teaching piano and violin and so took an interest in teaching Ludwig from a very early age. He began to see Ludwig as prodigy, a young “Mozart”. Ludwig gave his first public performance at the age of 7-1/2, in Cologne, however, his father exploited his son, announcing that he was only 6. Because of this, Beethoven was always thought of as being younger than he actually was.
Ludwig soon outgrew the teachings of his father and began to study with Christian Gottlob Neefe, who was the Court’s organist. Neefe taught Ludwig about composition and by March of 1783, had helped him write his first published composition: a set of keyboard variations. He then began working with Neefe as an assistant organist and published three piano sonatas. By his teenage years, Beethoven had become influenced by the political philosophies of the time, such as freemasonry and Order of the Illuminati.
In 1787 Beethoven travelled to Vienna, as Vienna was becoming a beacon of culture and music. He had hoped to be able to study with Mozart. It is unclear if Beethoven actually met or studies with Mozart. After two weeks, Ludwig learned that his mother was dying and so went back home. His mother died shortly thereafter. His father
17 December 1770 – 26 March 1827
[pic]
[pic]
Ludwig van Beethoven is perhaps the most famous and influential of all the pianist composers of his time. He was considered instrumental in the transition of between the classical and romantic eras in Western Art Music.
Beethoven was born on December 16th, 1770 in Bonn (now called Cologne, Germany) to parents of Belgian descent. His father, Johann, was a musician at the court of Bonn, and his mother, Maria, whom he later deemed as his “best friend”, was described as a warmhearted gentle women. There were seven children born into this family, only three survived, in which Ludwig was the oldest.
Johann supplemented his income by teaching piano and violin and so took an interest in teaching Ludwig from a very early age. He began to see Ludwig as prodigy, a young “Mozart”. Ludwig gave his first public performance at the age of 7-1/2, in Cologne, however, his father exploited his son, announcing that he was only 6. Because of this, Beethoven was always thought of as being younger than he actually was.
Ludwig soon outgrew the teachings of his father and began to study with Christian Gottlob Neefe, who was the Court’s organist. Neefe taught Ludwig about composition and by March of 1783, had helped him write his first published composition: a set of keyboard variations. He then began working with Neefe as an assistant organist and published three piano sonatas. By his teenage years, Beethoven had become influenced by the political philosophies of the time, such as freemasonry and Order of the Illuminati.
In 1787 Beethoven travelled to Vienna, as Vienna was becoming a beacon of culture and music. He had hoped to be able to study with Mozart. It is unclear if Beethoven actually met or studies with Mozart. After two weeks, Ludwig learned that his mother was dying and so went back home. His mother died shortly thereafter. His father