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Beethoven occupies a central position in the history of
Western classical music. When one thinks of classical
music, Ludwig van Beethoven remains one of the most
well-known of the classical masters. It is not just his
music that enthrals us but his life story. His music is
well-known for its exhilarating power and expressiveness
while his life story reads like one of a tragic hero.
Beethoven was born in Bonn in 1770. Both his father and
grandfather were musicians in the court of a German
prince. Thus Beethoven received his musical training
from childhood. At en early age, he preferred to play on
his instrument alone and liked to improvise despite his
father's objections. Though not as impressive as Mozart
in his early development, he was clearly talented enough
as a young boy of 8 years old to impress the prince to
underwrite his musical training. The prince appointed
his finest court musicians to teach Beethoven in
learning to play the piano, organ and violin. By 14, he
was already proficient enough on the organ to receive a
professional appointment.
His family life was chaotic; his father surrendered
increasing to his taste for wine as Beethoven progressed
in his musical career. He was sent to Vienna in 1787 to
study under Mozart but returned home just after two
weeks after arriving when his mother suddenly died. His
father became a complete alcoholic disgrace and the
young Beethoven had to assume responsibility for his
family.
In 1792, Joseph Haydn, a well-known composer offered
to take Beethoven as a pupil and the young led was on
his way to Vienna again. Beethoven took up residence in
the home of Prince Lichnowsky who was a close friend of
Mozart who had died a year earlier. The prince often
organized chamber music performances in his home.
Beethoven eventually became frustrated with the greet
composer's teaching methods and decided to take lessons
in secret from other composers. The subsequent conflict
that resulted cut off his funds from Bonn. However, he
survived by giving performances in salons and piano
lessons.
At the age of 25, he gave his first solo performance
in public as a composer. He was embraced by the
aristocracy as well as the middle class in Vienna. Soon,
he gave himself completely to composition and combined
with lucrative publishing arrangements, he managed to
live relatively well. Around this time, Beethoven began
to realize that he was losing his hearing. By 31, he
could no loner hear high pitched vocal and instrumental
sounds. This woeful affliction threw the greet composer
into deep depression and he began to withdrew from
society. He wrote :
'....my painful misfortune pains me doubly, in as
much as it leads to my being misjudged. For me there can
be no relaxation in human society; no refined
conversations, no mutual confidences. I must live quite
alone ............'
Beethoven curtailed his public appearances and
eventually resorted to a notebook to communicate with
his friends. He continued to write music and produced
furious works that alarmed his contemporaries. By 1820,
he was completely deaf and had become a recluse. He
often visited taverns coming in by the back door and
sitting in a separate room. He would read the news and
then slip out by the back door again. He died seven
years later in deep resentment for the power that took
away his ability to enjoy his own genius. |
