Ludwig Van Beethoven

1. Ludwig Van Beethoven 1770 - 1827

2. Beethoven General Info: • Considered the highest level of musical genious (even over the prestigious Mozart) • Was the most influential composer to others in the nineteenth century • Born Dec. 16, 1770 • Bonn, Germany • Came from a family of musicians like Bach and Mozart • Grandfather was the music director at the church of Bonn – Father was a tenor singer / famous!!

3. Beethoven’s Childhood • Father was so intent on making his son the next prodigy, that he came home late nights from performing or touring (sometimes with musical friends), and would wake up Beethoven from his sleep to make him practice piano, singing, and violin from the wee hours of the morning to lunchtime; gave him lunchtime off, and continued his musical lessons until he began another tour!!!

4. At age 11, he was so trained in music he became the assistant to the church organist • At age 12, he had over a dozen piano compositions performed and published • When he was 16, he was sent to work WITH MOZART!!! • Mozart (while working with him on tour) stated “Everyone keep your eyes on this lad, someday soon he will give the entire world something to talk about!” • Worked with Mozart (got along fine with him as he overlooked his personality) until his mother became bed-ridden and very ill

5. Beethoven moves home… • Mozart moved home to take care and be with his mother • Never publicly diagnosed what she contracted and became ill from, but only stated that he was very close to his mother • She was always trying to give him more of a lifestyle of a “kid” instead of working in music day in and out so that he never had time to “play”

6. Mother passes….. • Beethoven had only been home in Bonn for 2 days when his mother deteriorated with health • Beethoven played the piano for her constantly for over 50 hours, where he was able to “play for her till her last breath” • Beethoven was distraught at his mothers passing and forbid the people to get her body from her apartment for over a week

7. Distress and Depression • Beethoven finally had to let the authorities inside her apartment, as the smell of her body was no longer bearable. She was still in the bed, positioned the same way, and Beethoven had continued to play off and on for her for a week following her passing, only to her corpse • Beethoven hit a huge depression, and again, locked himself inside her apartment with no contact to the outside world for another 2 weeks

8. Moving Ahead…. • When he felt he was driving himself to an early grave, and missed the life of performing, he came out of her apartment, and moved back to Vienna to try to get his life back on track • His father did not even attend his mother’s funeral, nor did he check on Beethoven during these pressing times! • He found his father in Vienna, as he was drunk in an alley– he had become an alcoholic over the past few weeks and had lost his job, and everything • His father “got into trouble” (no info..) and was imprisoned the next day after a bar fight (supposedly a stabbing occurred??

9. Beethoven begins to move forward • Beethoven became the legal guardian of his two younger brothers (8 and 10) at the age of 18 • With this new addition to his responsibilities, he obtained a job as a court composer, responsible for all performances and compositions in that area of the country • Shortly after his 22nd birthday, Beethoven left again to study with Haydn in Vienna, where he ended up spending the rest of his life

10. Beethoven and Haydn • In 1792, Haydn was very famous and too busy to keep Beethoven as a private student anymore, and began to overlook areas in his writing that were not correct; Beethoven became upset and searched for another teacher --- Haydn never heard about this! • Beethoven was a perfectionist with his music, and did not like confrontation…which seems to be the reason he never spoke of his disappointment with Haydn

11. Beethoven and his music • Beethoven would only play for those that “appreciated” the art of his music • One instance, Beethoven was in the middle of a concert performance when a gentleman left during the performance to use the restroom…Beethoven stopped and yelled out “I will not perform for someone with such disrespect!” … refunded the audience the money, and went home • People described Beethoven as having a “bizarre” reaction to those during his performances, but not necessarily in life

12. Guts and Glory for Many Years • He performed and continued to get students for the next 28 years • He refused to “settle down” for fear that the lady would take away from his one true love…the piano • He did have children, which was obviously frowned upon since he refused marriage, but he had plenty of fame and fortune to be one of the people to be able to get away with this

13. The Dark Years begin…. • In his 29th year, Beethoven began to sense his ears not “working to their full capacity…for some reason” • He went to five different doctors to try to help the process, but they could not help his situation • He began an emotional struggle and physically tormenting himself as he continued to go deaf

14. Continuing a downfall and depression, Beethoven wrote… • “For a year I have avoided almost every social gathering I have been invited to because I am ashamed to tell people…I am going deaf…if I belonged to any other profession or had passion for anything else, it would be easier, but this is a terrible handicap.. I am getting lost to myself and the world… please miss me when I am gone”

15. Beethoven’s End • By the time he was 45, he was no longer able to play, as he could not hear well enough to know if he was playing things correctly or not • He continued to direct music only, but many of his orchestras would get confused as Beethoven would only direct what he wanted to hear, and not actually what was being played. • “He would swing his arms around in front of thousands of people to a confused orchestra…many had not a clue what he was supposed to be conducting…not even the orchestra”

16. During his last 8 years, he would be talked to through an “ear trumpet” and still did not understand others • He was very emotionally disturbed due to his lack of hearing • His brothers both died, one leaving an 8 year old son…Beethoven wanted to care for his nephew… the 8 year old (Carl) had such a had time adjusting to a deaf uncle and losing his father, that he tried to commit suicide… this devastated Beethoven… • Beethoven never recovered from these 2 last incidences, and passed away the following month, leaving Carl to be an orphan

17. Crazy Facts about Beethoven • Beethoven never went to school, but only taught himself through books – except music • Beethoven loved reading Shakespeare • Was very weak in basic addition and subtraction • Was considered highly moral, but would cuss out publishers and critics in public when they would write bad things about his music or performances • At one point, he searched out a critic in a bar, and busted a bottle over his head, and left