Profile of Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven

December 16, 1770 in Bonn, Germany

March 26, 1827 in Vienna, Austria

Beethoven was a virtuoso pianist and a prolific composer. He studied with Haydn and supported himself through teaching, performing and sales of his music.

He started to go deaf at the early age of 28, but continued writing, conducting and performing right up until just before his death in 1827. It's thought that as many as 20,000 Viennese citizens attended the funeral out of respect for the man and his musical legacy.

Writing music that appeals to practically everybody. His 40-plus piano sonatas are the mainstay of the repertoire, and there can't be anyone alive who hasn't heard the tune to "Fur Elise" or the "Ode to Joy" from his 9th symphony.

As well as the 32 piano sonatas, Beethoven also wrote bagatelles, sonatinas, variations, chamber pieces and exercises, five concertos and one "triple" concerto for piano, vilin and cello.

So popular are his works that many of his piano pieces are known world-wide by their adopted names, such as the "Moonlight" sonata, the "Pathetique", the "Waldstein", the "Appassionata" and the "Hammerklavier" to name but a few.