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The life of the world’s greatest musical genius - Ludwig van Beethoven

28 Mar 2021

By Patrick de Kretser I have always had a rather fond interest in the era of classical music, so much so that I even have a dedicated playlist for that genre. The compositions put together by the likes of Mozart and Beethoven are on a scale simply incomparable to anything we have ever seen before or since. That is why we, the patrons and admirers of the musical arts, need to remember and cherish the greatest minds that lived during the golden age of music. But when I thought about writing this, I only wanted to focus on one composer in particular. The life of Ludwig van Beethoven. After all, I did refer to him in the title of this article as the “greatest” musical genius of all time, a statement which might not resonate too well with every musical enthusiast reading this article. But I do not intend on taking away from the works of Wolfgang Mozart or Johann Bach by not featuring them much in this piece, because my fondness for Beethoven goes beyond the work that he has produced during his lifespan. As many of you might be aware, I have a particular fondness for showcasing inspirational stories from famous individuals in this magazine. And with that being said, Beethoven is yet another inclusion to that list. You do not have to be an enthusiast of classical music to draw inspiration from Beethoven’s story, which is why I decided to single him out as the most influential amongst all the composers who lived during that period. Did you know? Beethoven’s family has a deep history in the musical arts. In addition to his father being a court singer, his grandfather, Kapellmeister Ludwig van Beethoven, was the most prominent singer of his generation in Bonn. Discovering that you are a gifted prodigy in a particular field is usually quite a joyful experience, but the same cannot be said in the origin story of Ludwig van Beethoven. Born in Bonn, Germany in 1770, Beethoven was one of three children raised by Johann van Beethoven, his father. Johann was a musical instructor and was instrumental (pardon the pun) in helping Ludwig discover his talents for music, but it came at a steep cost. His father was extremely abusive and used draconian methods to teach his children day and night about music. Suffice it to say, the abuse probably played a key part in Ludwig developing a socially reclusive and relatively short-tempered demeanour. But still, the experiences he faced in his early years did not sway him from a path of musical success. Did you know? Beethoven had terrible handwriting throughout his life. It was so bad that there were times when the authenticity of his work was questioned because no one could make out if his signatures were genuinely his or not. But Beethoven’s childhood traumas were the least of his problems when he became a composer in his 20s. As it was commonly known, Beethoven began losing his hearing in his mid-20s and by the last decade of his life, he had lost the ability entirely. You would think that being deaf would mean the end of a musical career for anyone, but it did not stop Beethoven. Beethoven was famously remembered for being able to teach himself to hear music through his body, which was achieved by curling his body up against the keyboard and feeling the vibrations caused by the instruments. Did you know? Beethoven’s composition “Grosse Fuge, Op. 133” was written by Beethoven when he had completely lost his ability to hear. The summary of Beethoven’s life in this article is short but sweet, as it serves as a reminder about the importance of perseverance and overcoming adversity. Beethoven’s passion for music was so strong that he did not let his loss of hearing come in the way of his work as a composer, a trait of his which would leave him with an iconic legacy for his contributions towards classical music. At the end of the day, passion did not stop Beethoven, which is why it should not stop you as well. “To play a wrong note is insignificant. To play without passion is inexcusable.” Ludwig Van Beethoven Photos Wikipedia, EUDNE, The New York Times, Wallpaperflare, Pinterest


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