Obituary of Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven, the greatest composer and musician was died on March 26, 1827 in Vienna.

Beethoven was regarded as one of the most contributive people in the whole music history. His most famous works were the nine symphonies, which including Eroica, and other one hundred and thirty eight songs with opus number. At total, he had created more than three hundred masterpieces of music in his entire life, and even kept working since he was deaf.

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in 1770 in Bonn. Ludwig had proved he was extremely talented and even a genius in music category. When he was eight, his first concert was arranged by his father. In 1784, Ludwig entered the Electoral court of Bonn and played as a violinist. A few years later, He moved to study at Vienna where he had met Haydn and Mozart, the other two great composers in the resent age. In 1803, Beethoven’s most famous and greatest symphony, “Composed to celebrate the memory of a great man”, was once called Eroica, was completed and performed. In 1798, Beethoven first found his hearing was deteriorating; however, he kept writing music until he could not hold his pen.

Ludwig had contributed his whole life to music; therefore he did not get married and his own child. On the day he had passed away, the entire Beethoven family members were already died except Carl Beethoven, Ludwig’s brother’s child, Karl Beethoven. Ludwig adopted him when Carl was died; however, they both did not get well with each other, which was a sad thing.

Now, the great composer was buried under Vienna, the city where he liked the most. In Ludwig van Beethoven’s whole life, he had never abandoned composing music because of anything. His enthusiasm and contribution to music should never be forgot.

Focus Assignment

Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the greatest composers, and musicians in the whole music history. Beethoven was also well known as a deaf who kept working on music after he had lost his hearing. He had created the opera, Fidelio, and more than three hundred and forty pieces of music in his whole life. Many people think that Beethoven’s whole life was shiny and successful; however, he had been struggled by many things that most people don’t know.

When Ludwig was eight years old, his father, who was extremely hoping his son became the next Mozart, arranged the first concert for him, and so the great composer started his music career. In the first few years, he played as a violist in the court until 1787 when he moved to Vienna. Beethoven had met Haydn and Mozart when he lived in Vienna. During the years, Beethoven had gone back to Bonn only once because his mother was dying. On the way back, Beethoven had run out of money and he borrowed from Councilor von Schaden; however, he did not have money to give back to Schaden. He wrote a letter to Schaden, said, ”I shall hope to receive your forgiveness for my long silence. You showed me extreme kindness and friendship by lending me three Carolins in Augsburg, but I must entreat your indulgence for a time”, he concluded as “ your most obedient servant and friend”. From the words Beethoven had written, it described that he was a responsible person and had put a great value on friendship when he was only sixteen years old.

Ludwig van Beethoven had shown his genius in music when he was young. He was a famous composer and musician when everyone else in his same age was still wondering around and doing nothing. Beethoven had an impolite hobbit, which was when an average musician was performing, Beethoven often talked aloud or walked about the room or flipped the pages of his own score loudly enough for all to hear. These actions were extremely inappropriate while someone was performing.

Beethoven first found his hearing was deteriorating in 1798. It seemed getting worse and worse everyday, Beethoven had even made a suicide since he had written the Heiligenstadt Testament. The testament fully explained that his hearing problem had been bothering him so hard and he did not want to live anymore since there was no way that a composer was also a deaf. However, Beethoven had got it over because he believed it was a shame to let the music in his mind to die with him.

In 1815, Carl Beethoven, the great composer’s brother, had died. He asked Ludwig and his widow, Johanna, be made joint guardians of his son, Karl. Unfortunately, Beethoven and Johanna did not get well with each other. As soon as Carl was dead, Beethoven informed his brother was poisoned by Johanna. During the inquest, Beethoven took care of Karl. When the poisoning charge was proved groundless, he filed suit, Johanna was unfit mother and that he should be the child's sole legal guardian. Beethoven was a poor guardian. Karl escaped the house as often as possible and sometimes ran to see his mother, which was totally not allowed by Beethoven.

In Beethoven’s whole life, the relationship with other people was not completely perfect. When he was young, he had been invited to many fashionable or music parties. But since his hearing problem was bothering him, he sometimes turned to a grumpy and lonely man. Beethoven often condemned and banished his closest friends, yet expected them to be available and utterly devoted to him a moment later. Beethoven had even made many proposals of marriage in his life; however most of them were refused by two reasons, the huge age difference and he nearly a deaf.

Ludwig van Beethoven’s life was not totally perfect. Even though he had some special talents that people should be admired; however, he had lost his hearing. His achievement was based on the opinion of never give up.

10th Entry

• In 1820, Johanna van Beethoven appealed to the Emperor to return her son to her, but the Emperor refused.


• Beethoven did love Karl, but it appears that he occasionally was conscience-stricken about the boy's mother.


• The composer no longer attempted to conceal his deafness, but he refused to admit that it limited him.


• In 1822, he insisted on conducting a rehearsal of Fidelio, until orchestra and singers were totally confused. None of the players had the courage to stop him. Eventually, Schindler passed him a not: "Please do not go on; more at him."


• In 1824, Beethoven was ready to present his Missa Solemmis adn his hinth syphony to the public at the Court Theater at Berling.


• The applause at the end was tumultuous-although Beethoven could not hear it. Untill one of the singers turned him around, knowing that he was deaf, the audience stamped and shouted, hoping to show him his triumph.


• In December, 1826, Beethoven returned to Vienna.


• On March 26, 1827, a snowy, stormy day, Beethoven lifted his hand-some say that he was shaking his fist at heaven, and died.

9th Entry

• In 1810, Beethoven fell in love with Therese Malfatti who he had met several years befor in Vienna. But after three months, Therese had turned him down because Beethoven was thirty-one and nearly deaf.


• During the winter of 1813, Beethoven's brother fell gravely ill of comsumption and Ludwig lent him money, although he really could not afford to do so.


• Beethoven always had admired the British (without ever visit there), therefore, when Malzel asked to write for the Panharmonicon, a sort of music box that reproduced the sounds of a military band, he readily agreed to collaborate with Malzel.


• In 1815, Carl Beethoven died. He asked Ludwig, his brother, and his widow, Johanna, be made joint guardians of his nine-year-old son, Karl. Carl also made a plea that the two guardians forget their past differences.


• However, as soon as Carls was dead, Beethoven informed his brother had been poisoned. During the inquest, Beethoven took care of Karl. When the poisoning charge was proved groundless, he filed suit, Johanna was unfit mother and that he should be the child's sole legal guardian.


• Beethoven used the one proven instance as a precedent for all sorts of charges.


• Beethoven was a poor guardian. Karl escaped the house as often as possible and sometimes ran to see his mother, which was totally not allowed by Beethoven.

8th entry

• Some people believe Fidelio to be Beethoven's noblest work but others think that it fails to justify the long hours and many years that Beethoven spent working on it.


• All agrees the Fidelio reveal s much about the mind of Beethoven.


• Fidelio, p.99-102


• Beethoven had face financial problem. Prince Lobkowitz, Archduke Rudolph, and a Prince Ferdinand Kinsky signed a long document promising Beethoven every thing he had asked and guaranteeing that each would contribute a share of the annuity.


• However, two of the helpers died and had gone bankrupt after a few years.


• Only Rudolph kept up his payments but he left with the rest of the imperial family on May 4, 1809. Because Austria took up arms against Napoleon.

7th Entry

• 1799, Napoleon was named First Counsul of France. However, the First Consul of France neither rose to power nor governed by democratic process.


• In May, 1804, the First Consul had declared himself Emperor of France.


• Beethoven had one tore his third symphony and flung it on the floor, because that Napoleon, for Beethoven, was dead. Replace the title to "Composed to celebrate the memory of a great man".


• Beethoven was a genius only as a composer and muscian.


• "Often I write the answer in my head; yet when I want to set it down I usually throw away my pe, because I am not capable of writing exactly what I feel", said Beethoven.


• Beethoven wrote in bits and snatches, working on several pieces at once. He kept elaborate notebokes of musical ideas, labored over the scoring and elements of notation, and did a great deal of experimenting at the piano. The he would repreatedly revise completed manuscripts until the day they went to the printer.


• Major difference between Mozart and Beethoven was Mozart could and often did write out his works at the dinner table easily.


• Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio.

6th Entry

• 1785-1820, Classic period (music history)
• During the Classic period the large public concert became increasingly popular.
• The Classic sonata was divided into three of four parts, called movement
• First movement was fast (allegro), althought it might begin slowly. Theme was presented in this movement p.73
• Second movement was usually slow (adagio or andante)
• Third movement was generally a minuet (also allegro)
• Last movement was the fastest of all (allegro, assai or presto).
• If a sonata only has three movements , the minuet would be omitted.
• April 2,1800, Beethoven's first symphony was performed
• Eroica, Beethoven's third symphony.
• Beethoven spent 1802-1803 working on Eroica.
• Eroica v.s Nepoleon