Beethoven
Ludwig Van Beethoven was born December 17, 1770 in Germany and died of pneumonia on March 26, 1827. Beethoven is one of the world's most famous and influential composers of classical music. His music has been played all over the world for over 180 years. Beethoven, apart from his other works, only wrote nine symphonies. Compare that to Haydn and Mozart, who, combined, wrote over 150 symphonies! What made Beethoven special was his successful attempt to break the mold of the highly structured and refined rules of classical period composition. Many view Beethoven as the bridge connecting the classical period to the romantic period.
His early signs of musical talent were subjected to the impulsive discipline of his father, a singer in the court chapel. In 1789, the young Beethoven began supporting his family as a court musician. His early compositions under the tutelage of the German composer Christian Gottlob Neefe signaled an important talent, and it was planned that Beethoven study in Vienna with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Although Mozart's death prevented this, Beethoven went to Vienna in 1792 and became a pupil of the Austrian composer Joseph Haydn.
In Vienna, Beethoven dazzled the aristocracy with his piano improvisations; meanwhile, he entered into increasingly favorable arrangements with Viennese music publishers. The broadening market for published music enabled him to succeed as a free-lance composer, a path that Mozart a decade earlier had found unnerving and full of frustration.
His early signs of musical talent were subjected to the impulsive discipline of his father, a singer in the court chapel. In 1789, the young Beethoven began supporting his family as a court musician. His early compositions under the tutelage of the German composer Christian Gottlob Neefe signaled an important talent, and it was planned that Beethoven study in Vienna with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Although Mozart's death prevented this, Beethoven went to Vienna in 1792 and became a pupil of the Austrian composer Joseph Haydn.
In Vienna, Beethoven dazzled the aristocracy with his piano improvisations; meanwhile, he entered into increasingly favorable arrangements with Viennese music publishers. The broadening market for published music enabled him to succeed as a free-lance composer, a path that Mozart a decade earlier had found unnerving and full of frustration.