Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven was one of the greatest classical composers of all time, as well as a formidable pianist. He was born in Bonn, Germany in 1770, and received his early music training from his father, who was a court musician. In the early 1790s, Beethoven moved to Vienna and studied with Haydn, before embarking on a career as a pianist and composer. In the early 1800s, he began to notice his hearing loss, but it did not prevent him from composing a series of groundbreaking works, most famously including his symphonies, string quartets, and piano sonatas. Beethoven’s work was a huge influence on other 19th century symphonic composers such as Brahms and Wagner, as well as on Romantic song composers such as Schubert. Although Beethoven’s music was revolutionary, it has very broad appeal due to its very human and dramatic qualities.

Recommended listening:

• Piano Sonata No. 14 (“Moonlight”) in C sharp minor, Opus 27/2.
• Piano Sonata No. 23 (“Appassionata”) in F minor, Opus 57.
• Piano Concerto No. 5 (“Emperor”) in E flat major, Opus 73.