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Life of Beethoven

 

             For many people, Ludwig Van Beethoven is considered the greatest composer who ever lived and is the highest level of musical geniuses. His compositions are the expression of one of the most powerful musical personalities of all time in which he exceeded above average in both areas of Classical and Romantic labeling.
             Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany, December 16, 1770. His father, Johann, was a singer employed by the Elector of Cologne in Bonn. Johann married Maria Laym, a cook's daughter. Together they had seven children of which three sons survived, Beethoven was the oldest (Collier's Encyclopedia "Beethoven"). When Johann's career was threatened by alcoholism, he saw his chance to become rich by exploiting his son Beethoven as a child prodigy. He claimed Beethoven was years younger than he actually was, neglected his formal education, and made him practice his music endlessly (Collier's Encyclopedia "Beethoven"). His attempt to become rich was a disaster and probably encouraged the abrupt and withdrawing personality Beethoven developed. .
             Beethoven was a solo pianist and piano teacher when he was in his twenties. He was well known for his temperamental nature. He had to abandon his performing career of deafness. By this time, he was well known as a composer and was able to live by the profits of concerts and sale of his works to publishers. He was the most revered composer in all of Europe and regarded as the greatest living example of a Romantic, artistic genius .
             ( McLeish 18-19). .
             Beethoven had a powerful personality that awed everyone. His high-voltage personality coupled with his high-voltage genius, Beethoven was able to live his life on .
             his own terms in everything except his deafness. He was only five feet, four inches and very broad. He was clumsy, sullen and suspicious, touchy, forgetful, and prone to rages of temper. As a bachelor, he was incredibly messy and had no servants because they would not put up with him (Schonberg 110-111).


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