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Period: to
XVIIIth century
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The beggining of the story
Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, to Johann and Maria van Beethoven. -
Period: to
Beethoven’s life
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Period: to
Career
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A meeting with Mozart
He auditioned for Mozart, whom accepted him as his pupil. -
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A successful symphonic start
https://youtu.be/I1rA68yF4tM
The premiere of his first symphony: Symphony No.1, was described as “one of the most interesting concerts in a long time”. -
Period: to
XIXth century
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Difficult times
Beethoven found out that he was losing his hearing, and considered suicide, but couldn’t because he needed to make mor art. -
The Eroica
https://www.classical-music.com/article/five-best-lesser-known-beethoven-works-discover
With his third symphony, Beethoven decided to take a new path. -
Fidelio was not admired
https://youtu.be/64pN-0QnO_8
His first opera wasn’t liked by the expectants who watched it. Those being French soldiers during Napoleon’s invasion in Vienna. -
Falling out with Prince Lichnowsky
Lichnowsky forced Beethoven to play in front of the French military, buthe refused to do it and stormed out. Their friendship never mended. -
Beethoven’s rejection
He composed the three Op.31 piano sonatas for Josephine Deym, who rejected him. -
Four, five, six...and more
Over the course of a benefit concert in the Theater an der Wien, Beethoven conducted the world premieres of Symphonies Nos 5 and 6 plus the Piano Concerto No. 4 and the Choral Fantasia. -
The return of Napoleon
Napoleon’s second invasion of Vienna saw his army laying siege to the city; Beethoven, who lived beside the city walls in an apartment took shelter, pressing pillows to his ears to protect what remained of his hearing. -
Beethoven has a special encounter
https://www.cpr.org/2020/09/22/the-2-women-who-could-be-beethovens-immortal-beloved/
Beethoven’s ‘Letter to the Immortal Beloved’ was evidently written after an affair, but seemingly never sent. In Prague, Beethoven cancelled an evening appointment at short notice, possibly because of a surprise encounter. -
The triumph of the Seventh
At a giant concert at Vienna University, Beethoven conducted the world premieres of his Symphony No. 7 and the Battle Symphony, which celebrated the British defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Vitoria. Raising money for soldiers wounded at the Battle of Hanau, the concert was one of his most successful. -
The struggle for custody
https://interlude.hk/composers-in-the-court-roombeethoven-versus-beethoven/
Beethoven’s dying brother, Karl, named the composer in his will as joint guardian of his son together with Karl’s mother, Johanna. Beethoven detested Johanna, who had been imprisoned for embezzlement and calumny in 1811. He therefore attempted from the start to gain sole custody of his nephew. -
A gift from England
https://youtu.be/erD1Yy-4F5M
John Broadwood of London sent Beethoven a new fortepiano, the largest and strongest instrument he had yet owned, it helped him finish his largest piano work to date: the Sonata in B flat, Op. 106, the Hammerklavier. -
Arrested and unrecognisable
After falling in a depression, one autumn day he set out for a walk, and found himself far from home after dark. Local residents complained that a stranger had been peering in through their windows and the police arrested him. They refused to believe that he really was Ludwig van Beethoven until a university professor was summoned from a nearby tavern to identify him. -
Choral masterpieces
https://youtu.be/yf2rbcrZzDQ
The premiere of his ‘Choral’ Symphony No. 9 took place at the Theater am Kärntnertor, Vienna. The composer was conducting, but could not hear the performers in front of him and continued to conduct after they had finished. The contralto soloist, turned him round so that he could see the wild ovation taking place in the auditorium. -
Karl tries to end it all
https://www.jstor.org/stable/949001
Beethoven’s nephew Karl wished to go into the military. Beethoven was horrified by this choice, and a row ensued between the two. After many years Karl could take no more. He walked along the beautiful Helenental to the ruined castle of Rauhenstein and there attempted to shoot himself. He was not killed, and when he was found he asked to be taken to his mother, Johanna. -
Death
https://www.classical-music.com/features/works/five-unfinished-masterpieces-beethoven/
Beethoven died after a long illness. After Beethoven’s death his secretary, Anton Schindler, and his friends Stephan von Breuning and Karl Holz searched in his apartment. While doing so, they discovered a drawer containing miniature portraits of two unknown women, the Heiligenstadt Testament and the ‘Letter to the Immortal Beloved’.
