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The Beethoven biography starts
with his baptism. He was baptized on December 17th 1770 at Bonn.
His family originated from Brabant, in Belgium. His father was a musician at
the court of Bonn, with a definite weakness for alcohol. His mother was
always described as a gentle, retiring woman, with a warm heart. Beethoven
referred to her as his “best friend.” The Beethoven family consisted of seven
children, but only the three boys survived, of whom Ludwig was the eldest.
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Beethoven's childhood
At an early age, van Beethoven, took
an interest in music and his father taught him day and night, on returning to
the house from music practice or the tavern. Without a doubt, the child was
gifted and his father Johann envisioned creating a new Mozart, a child prodigy.
On March 26th 1778, at
the age of 7 ½, Ludwig Van Beethoven gave his first public performance at
Cologne. His father announced that he was 6 years-old. Because of this
Beethoven always thought that he was younger than he actually was. Even much
later, when he received a copy of his baptism certificate, he thought it
belonged to his brother Ludwig Maria, who was born two years before him and
died as a child.
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The musical and teaching talents
of Johann were limited. Soon Ludwig learned music, notably the organ and
composition by renowned musicians such as Gottlob Neefe. Neefe recognized how
extraordinarily talented Beethoven was and not only did Neefe teach him
music, but he made the works of philosophers, ancient and modern, known to
Beethoven as well.
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In 1782, before the age of 12,
Beethoven published his first work, 9
Variations in C Minor for piano on a march by Earnst Christoph
Dressler (WoO 63). The following year, in 1783, Neefe wrote in the Magazine
of Music, about his student. “If he continues like this, he will be,
without a doubt, the new Mozart.”
In June 1784, on Neefe’s
recommendations Ludwig Van Beethoven was appointed organist of the court of
Maximillian Franz, the Elector of Cologne. Beethoven was 14 years old. This
post enabled him to frequent new social circles, other than those of his father
and family. Here he met people who were to remain his friends for the rest of
his life: The Ries family, the Von Breuning family, and the charming Elenore,
Karl Amenda—the violinist, Franz Gerhard Wegeler—a doctor, and a dear friend
who also went to Vienna.
At home, little by little, Ludwig
replaced his father. First of all financially, because Johann, who was often
under the influence of alcohol, was less and less capable of keeping up his
role at the court. The young Beethoven felt responsible for his two younger
brothers, an idea he kept for the rest of his life, sometimes to the extent of
being excessive.
Ludwig van Beethoven Music
Prince Maximillian Franz was also
aware of Beethoven's music and so he sent Beethoven to Vienna, in 1787, to meet
Mozart and further his musical education. Vienna was, after all, the capital
city in terms of culture and music. There exist only texts of disputable
authenticity on the subject of this meeting between Mozart and Beethoven.
Mozart is thought to have said “don’t forget his name – you will hear it spoken
often!”
A letter called Beethoven back to
Bonn—his mother was dying. The only person in his family with whom he had
developed a strong and loving relationship with, passed away on July 17th
1787.
Five years later, in 1792, Ludwig
Van Beethoven went back to Vienna, benefiting from another grant, for two
years, by the Prince Elector, again to pursue his musical education. He never
went back to the town of his birth. His friend Waldstein, wrote to him, “you
shall receive Mozart’s spirit from Haydn’s hands…”
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At Vienna, the young musician took
lessons with Haydyn, then with Albrechtsberger and Salieri. He captured the
attention of, and astonished Vienna with his virtuosity and his
improvisations on piano. In 1794, Beethoven composed Opus 1, the Trios for Piano. The following year,
Ludwig Van Beethoven made his first public performance at Vienna (an
“Academy”) where each musician played his own work. Then followed a tour:
Prague, Dresden, Leipzig, and Berlin, before leaving for a concert in
Budapest.
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Beethoven made numerous
acquaintances at Vienna. Everybody in the musical and aristocratic world
admired the young composer. These music-lovers were Beethoven’s greatest
supporters. He became angry regularly with one or another of them, often making
honorable amends soon afterwards. His talent excused his excessive, impulsive
behavior.
In 1800, Beethoven organized a new
concert at Vienna including, notably, the presentation of his first symphony.
Although today we find this work classical, and close to the works of Mozart
and Haydn, at the time certain listeners found the symphony strange, overly
extravagant, and even risqué’. This genius, Beethoven, who was still a young,
new composer, was already pushing the established boundaries of music.
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In 1801 Beethoven confessed to his
friends at Bonn that he was afraid he was slowly going deaf. At Heiligenstadt
in 1802 he wrote a famous text expressing his disgust at the unfairness of
life: that he, a musician, could become deaf was something he did not want to
live through. However, music made him carry on and he wrote that he knew that
he still had many other musical domains to explore, discover, and to pass on.
Beethoven did not commit suicide. Knowing that his handicap was getting worse
and worse, he threw himself into his greatest Beethoven music; Sonatas for Piano (notably The Storm,
Opus 31), the second and the third symphonies–
The Eroica and of course many more.
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Beethoven wrote his third symphony
in honor of a great man, Bonaparte. He was seen as the liberator of the people,
opening a door to hope during the French Revolution. When the First Consul
declared himself Emperor, Beethoven became enraged and scowled out Bonaparte’s
name from the score.
On April 7th, 1805, the Eroica symphony
was played for the first time.
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Meanwhile, Beethoven had finally
finished his opera, Leonore, the only opera he ever wrote. He
wrote and re-wrote four different overtures. The name of the opera therefore,
changed to Fidelio, against the wishes of the
composer. November 20th 1805 was the date of the opening performance
before a small audience of French officers. This was because Napoleon, head
of the army, had captured Vienna for the first time. This happened again in
1809.
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In the years that followed, the
creative activity of the composer became intense. He composed many symphonies,
amongst which were the Pastoral, the Coriolan Overture, and the
famous Letter for Elise. He took on many students that he found young and
attractive, and he therefore fell in love with several of them. The Archbishop,
Rudolph, brother of the emperor, also became his student, his friend, and
eventually one of his benefactors.
In 1809, Beethoven wanted to leave
Vienna, at the invitation of Jerome Bonaparte. His long-standing friend, the
Countess Anna Marie Erdody, kept him at Vienna with the help of his wealthiest
admirers: the Archbishop Rudolph, the Prince Lobkowitz, and the Prince Kinsky.
These men gave Beethoven and annual grant of 4,000 florins, allowing him to
live without financial constraint. The only condition was that Beethoven was
not to leave Vienna. Beethoven accepted. This grant made him the world's first
independent composer. Before this contract musicians and composers alike (even
Bach, Mozart, and Haydn), became servants in the houses of wealthy aristocratic
families. They were thus part of the domestic staff, with no more rights than
any other, but with the added task of composition and performance. Thus, for
the musician of the day, Beethoven had outstanding circumstances and he was
free to write what he wanted, when he wanted, under command or not, as he
pleased.
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In 1812, Beethoven went for
hydrotherapy at Teplitz, where he wrote his ardent letter to “The Immortal
Beloved.” This letter was found in a secret drawer with the Heiligenstadt
Testament, and has led to theories and speculation by researchers and
biographers ever since. Numerous women amongst his students and friends have
been proposed as the recipient of this letter. Unless a new document is
discovered (perhaps within the possessions of a private collector) it is
likely that the truth about this mysterious woman will remain unknown.
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At the end of July 1812, Beethoven
was introduced to Goethe by Bettina Brentano. These two great men admired each
other, but didn’t understand each other. The composer found the poet too
servile, and the poet thought that Beethoven was “completely untamed.”
Beethoven admired Goethe; he put music to several of his poems. There will
always be regret that Beethoven was not better understood by Goethe.
Then one of his benefactors, the
Prince Lobkowitz, fell into financial difficulty and the Prince Kinski died
from falling off his horse. Kinski’s descendant decided to put an end to the
financial obligations towards Beethoven. This started one of the composer’s
many attempts at saving his financial independence.
The Czech, Johann Nepomuk Maelzel,
contacted Beethoven. Genius inventor and probable inventor of the metronome,
Maelzel had already met Beethoven and had created various devices to help
Beethoven with his hearing: acoustic cornets, a listening system linking up to
the piano, etc. In 1813, Beethoven composed “The Victory of
Wellington,” a work written for a mechanical instrument made by
Maelzel, the “pan harmonica” (or “pan harmonicon”). But it was above all the
metronome, which helped evolve music and Beethoven, who had taken interest
straight away, noted scrupulously the markings on his scores, so that his music
could be played how he wished.
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The academy of 1814 regrouped his
work, as well as the seventh and eighth symphonies. This was also the time of
the re-writing of Lenore as Fidelio, Beethoven’s only opera. This work
eventually became successful with the public.
Then the Congress of Vienna met,
which brought together all the heads of state to decide the future of Europe
after Napoleon. This was one of Beethoven’s moments of glory. He was invited
to play many times, bringing him recognition and admiration which made him
very proud.
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Beethoven Bio – Dramatic Life
Changes
On November 15th 1815,
Kaspar Karl, Beethoven’s brother, died. He left behind his wife, whom Ludwig
referred to as “The queen of the night” due to her activities, as well as a 9
year old son, Karl. Here Beethoven’s life was to change dramatically. His
brother had written that he wished Karl’s guardianship to be exercised by both
his wife and his brother, Ludwig. Beethoven took this role very seriously, but
the 45 year-old celibate, who could no longer hear, found it difficult to live
with and understand a child and then a young man. This cohabitation was the
cause of a new trial against the mother of the child, a generation conflict and
numerous troubles.
In 1816, Carl Czerny (future teacher
of Franz Liszt and once Beethoven’s student) became Karl’s music teacher, but
didn’t find as much talent in the boy as Beethoven hoped he would possess. At
this time he ended his cycle of lieder “To the distant loved one, and drafted
the first theme for his ninth symphony.
Two years later, the Archduke
Rudolph became Cardinal and Beethoven began composing his mass in D. It was
never ready for the intonation, but the work was rich beyond compare.
Gioachino Rossini triumphed in
Vienna in 1822, where he met Beethoven again. The language barrier and
Beethoven’s deafness meant that they could only exchange brief words. The
Viennese composer tolerated Italian opera only in moderation—he found it lacked
seriousness.
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The ninth symphony was practically
finished in 1823, the same year as the Missa Solemnis. Liszt, who was 11, met
Beethoven who came to his concerto on April 13th. He congratulated
the young virtuoso heartily who, years later, transcribed the entirety of
Beethoven’s symphonies for piano.
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How many symphonies did Beethoven
write?
May 7th 1824 was the date
of the first playing of the ninth symphony and despite the musical
difficulties, and problems in the sung parts, it was a success. Unfortunately
it was not financially rewarding. Financial problems constantly undermined the
composer. He always had money saved, but he was keeping it for his nephew.
Then began the period of the last
quartets of Beethoven music, which are still difficult even for today’s
audience, who knows how to interpret his other works. He started to compose his
tenth symphony.
Biography of Beethoven – His Final
Year
In 1826, Beethoven caught a cold
coming back from his brother’s place, with whom he had argued again. The
illness complicated other health problems that Beethoven had suffered from all
his life. He passed away surrounded by his closest friends on March 26th
1827, just as a storm broke out.
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The funeral rites took place at
the church of the Holy Trinity. It is estimated that between 10,000 and
30,000 people attended. Franz Schubert, timid and a huge admirer of
Beethoven, without ever having become close to him, was one of the coffin
bearers, along with other musicians. Schubert died the next year and was
buried next to Beethoven.
The actor, Heinrich Anschutz, read
the funeral prayer written by Franz Grillparzer, a great writer, in front of
the doors of the Wahring cemetery, now Schubert Park.
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