Ludwig van Beethoven

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Ludwig van Beethoven
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Early Life

• Ludwig was baptized on December 17, 1770 (his
  real birth-date is unknown but his parents
  celebrated his birthday on December 16)
• He was born in Bonn, Germany
• His parents were Johann van Beethoven and Maria
  Magdalena Keverich
• Of seven other children, he and two other
  siblings were the only ones who survived infancy

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Talent

• Beethovens first music teacher was his father
• He was a very harsh teacher
• Beethovens talent was recognized at a very early
  age
• By 1778 he was studying the organ, the viola, and
  the piano

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Expansion of his Career

• In 1787, Beethoven went to Vienna
• Count Waldstein became his teacher
• Here Beethoven met the great Mozart
• The death of his mother brought him back to Bonn

• Watch this lad. Some day he will force the
  world to talk about him.
• -Mozart

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Vienna

• In 1792, Beethoven moved to Vienna where he
  studied under Joseph Hayden
• His hope of studying under Mozart was demolished
  because of Mozarts death the previous year
• Rather than working for the church (as many
  composers had) he supported himself with his music

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Loss of Hearing

• Around 1796, Beethoven began to lose his hearing
• This was caused by a severe form of tinnitus (a
  ringing in his ears)
• This condition made it hard for him to perceive
  and enjoy music

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Effects of hearing loss

• Beethovens hearing loss became so extreme, that
  he had to be turned around to hear the thunderous
  applause after the premiere of his Ninth
  Symphony. When he heard nothing he began to
  weep.
• He even had to use a special rod that attached to
  his piano that he could bite that increased his
  perception of the sound

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Decline

• After the custody battle over his nephew,
  Beethoven fell into a decline
• During a thunderstorm on March 26, 1827,
  Beethoven died

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Facts

• Beethoven was attracted to the idea of
  enlightenment and romanticism
• He initially dedicated his third symphony to
  Napoleon Bonaparte
• Beethoven may have been a Freemason (this has not
  been proven)

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His Music

• Beethoven is known as one of the giants of
  Western Classical Music
• He is referred to as one of the three Bs
  (along with Bach and Brahms)
• He was also a major figure in the transition from
  18th Century musical classicism to 19th Century
  romanticism

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Summary

• Ludwig van Beethoven was one of the greatest
  figures in musical history
• He made innovations to every form of music he
  touched
• In my opinion he was the greatest composer ever
  to live in the history of the world

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Sources

• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_van_Beethoven
  music
• http//www.lucare.com/immortal/index.html
• http//home.swipnet.se/zabonk/cultur/ludwig/beetbi
  o.htm
• Presentation created by Alfons, funfte Stunde
  Deutsch 1