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Ludwig van Beethoven music biography continued...

in Western Classical music in both the Classical and Romantic eras.

He was born in Bonn, Germany around December 16, 1770. His father Johann van Beethoven was a musician at the Electoral court at Bonn and was the young Ludwig's first instructor. His incredible talent was evident at a young age. Christian Gottleb Neefe became his instructor and boss as Beethoven earned some money as his assistant as well. His mother died suffering from tuberculosis when he was 16 forcing him to care for his two younger brothers since his father was an unreliable alcoholic. He began to play the viola in various orchestras establishing relationships with other musicians Antoine Reicha, Nikolaus Simrock and Franz Ries.

He moved to Vienna in 1792 and studied with Joseph Haydn receiving additional instruction from Johann Georg Albrechtsberger and Antonio Salieri. He soon established his reputation as a pianist. He was a freelance composer earning a living through annual income, gifts from the aristocracy, concerts, lessons, and from the sales of his works.

His works are divided into the Early, Middle and Late periods. During the Early period, his major influences were Mozart and Haydn often emulating their works and later transforming their styles into his own signature method. Critical pieces created during this period are the first and second symphonies, the first six string quartets, the first two piano concertos, and the first twenty piano sonatas notably Pathétique and Moonlight.

Around 1800, Beethoven began to notice his increasing deafness which eventually led him to contemplate suicide at 28 years old, yet he continued to compose despite the hindrance. Throughout the Middle Period, his works displayed much heroism and strain, emotions which imitated his real life struggle. His most noteworthy works during this period were symphonies three to eight, the last three piano concertos, his triple concerto, his violin concerto, five string quartets, and seven piano sonatas particularly Waldstein (no 21) and Appassionata (no 23), and Fidelio his only opera. From 1812 to 1816, it is rumoured that Beethoven went through a depression which would explain his lack of productivity during this period.

His late works which began in 1816 are notably of more personal and intellectual quality. His major compositions of this period are Quartet in C Sharp Minor, the infamous ninth symphony, Missa Solemnis, the last five string quartets and the last five piano sonatas.

In 1826, he began to experience severe problems with his liver, gall bladder, spleen, and pancreas which eventually led to his death on March 26, 1827. Research from the Beethoven Center in San Jose, California shows that lead poisoning may have contributed to the composer's poor health.