New Illustrated Lives of Great Composers: Ludwig van Beethoven

Book excerpt: The New Illustrated Lives of Great Composers: Ludwig van Beethoven brings to life the works, the key performances and the personal story of one of the world’s greatest composers with rich illustrations. One of the most celebrated and influential composers of all time, Ludwig van Beethoven was a child prodigy, who, At 21, moved to Vienna to study with Joseph Haydn. He would subsequently create a monumental body of work including 9 symphonies, 5 piano concertos, 1 violin concerto, 32 piano sonatas, 16 string quartets, the Missa Solemnis and the opera Fidelio. Yet Beethoven was a troubled man, often intolerant of the intrusions of day-to-day life upon his work and a victim of both chronic abdominal pain and encroaching deafness. While his gradual loss of hearing did not affect his ability to compose, it did eventually caused him to abstain from performing and conducting. At his death in 1827 he was already a legendary figure. This illustrated biography is the best way to uncover the tragic life of one the most talented musicians to have ever walked the earth; see the man himself, the places where he lived and the people who swirled around him. This is an essential read for any classical music fan.