Ludwig van
BEETHOVEN
(1770-1827)
Moodiness and Moonlight
DID YOU KNOW...
• loved macaroni and cheese, strong coffee, had a loud
laugh and loved to spit?
• did not have good manners, was stubborn, arrogant, and
insulting?
• played piano for Mozart who was very impressed with
Beethoven’s abilities?
• was only 5 feet, 4 inches tall?
• began to lose his hearing at age 26 and by age 50, he was
completely deaf ?
• never heard his 9th Symphony?
• had many admirers of his music?
Born in Bonn, Germany, during the
Classical time period, Beethoven had a
huge impact on transitioning music into
the Romantic time period.
Music
not cooking, good manners, or fashion,
was Beethoven’s life.
This would be hard to
believe if you knew how
Beethoven was raised as a
child.
Beethoven’s Childhood
• 4 years old - Beethoven’s father forced
him to take piano lessons. His father
also told everyone that Beethoven was
2 years younger than he was, just to
make him seem more talented.
• Punished for not practicing enough.
• His mean, drunken father wanted
Beethoven to be as good as Bach or
Mozart.
Meeting Mozart
Beethoven quit school at
age 11. At age 16 he
took a trip to Vienna.
There he met and
played for Mozart.
Mozart was so
impressed that he
commented,
“Watch that young man. Someday he’ll give
the world something to talk about.”
Beethoven’s
AC
• Moody, stubborn, and
always had to have his
own way.
• At restaurants, he
sometimes wouldn’t pay
the bill. He would also
scribble music on napkins,
tablecloths, and menus. If
he was angry or didn’t like
the meal, he would dump
his plate all over the
waiter’s head.
L
F
O
KManners
BUT he was a great composer and
audiences LOVED his music!
Most known for his nine symphonies
Nin
hony
p
m
y
S
h”
Fifth -da-daaaa
a
“da-d
Sixth Symphony
Pastoral Symphony
th S
y
Ode mphon
to Jo
y
y
Handwriting of
Bach
Mozart
Beethoven
He was also
know to write
music for women
he loved.
l
Fur E
ise
And he was a
great
conductor!
He would leap into the
air during the loud
parts, waving his arms
toward the skies,
sometimes shouting
without being aware of
it! Then he would
crouch low during the
quiet parts, almost
creeping under the
music stand.
Beethoven’s Tragedy
He broke
more to
strings
on the
26 - began
lose his
• Age
piano from
theto
keys,
hearing.
Atpounding
first he tried
tryinghistoloss
hearofthe
sound.from
hide
hearing
Eventually
his
friends. he broke the legs off
the piano so he could feel the
vibrations
fromtothe
floor.
continued
write
music
• He
when he was deaf.
• He never heard his 9th
Symphony,tried
though
he insisted on
many
• Beethoven
conducting
the orchestra
hearing
devices,
but noneand
of
chorus.
them
worked. He could
watch people’s lips to
He was completely
deaf
by age
what they
were
• understand
50.
saying, or have them write in
a notebook.
Beethoven’s Tragedy
• He broke more strings on the
piano from pounding the keys,
trying to hear the sound.
Eventually he broke the legs off
the piano so he could feel the
vibrations from the floor.
• He never heard his 9th
Symphony, though he insisted on
conducting the orchestra and
chorus.
• He was completely deaf by age
50.
Beethoven’s Funeral
When Beethoven died, Mozart’s
Requiem was played at his funeral.
20,000 people lined the streets to pay
their last respects.
Said Beethoven of himself:
“There are, and
there will be,
thousands of
princes, but
there is only one
Beethoven.”