Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven was born in 1770 in Bonn, Germany. He was born into a musical family, learnt the piano and violin, and was performing publicly at the age of just 8.
Beethoven was a brilliant keyboard performer and composer. After much success as a young composer, he moved to Vienna to be taught music by composer Joseph Haydn. This did not work out for Beethoven because Haydn was not able to dedicate sufficient time to him.
Some of Beethoven鈥檚 best known works include his Symphony No.5, Symphony No.9 (Ode to Joy), Moonlight Sonata and F眉r Elise.
At the age of 28 Beethoven began to lose his hearing. In letters to his friends, Beethoven wrote that he led a miserable life and avoided social functions because he found it hard to tell people that he was deaf. Despite suffering from hearing loss, Beethoven continued to compose strong, heroic and groundbreaking music.
Beethoven is an important link in the movement from the 1750 - 1825. to the 1825 - 1900. in music. Music started to shift from balanced structures and clear Music in a conventional major or minor key. Adding melodic layers to a tune that usually sound pleasing when played together. to huge gestures of Symbols added to a score to indicate the composer鈥檚 musical intentions., complex harmony and fluid structures. Beethoven composed hugely expressive music that took performers and their instruments to the very limits of their capability.