Briefly about Beethoven

by M. Hansen, last revised in 2024

The life of Ludwig van Beethoven represents a pinnacle of what has become stereotypical for the artistic genius story. Tough upbringing, adversity, plus a raw desire to create despite an environment where people chiefly misunderstand you. Sprinkle some failed romances on there and it all sounds familiar. Perhaps it has become such a trope because it's rooted in truth, or maybe these really are the ingredients to make introverted geniuses who master their arts so fully. They escape to the work for different reasons: relief, a sense of duty, or simply because it interests them in a world where little else does.

Beethoven did have a tough time as a child. In particular, the death of his mother marked a grim interruption of the first career move he tried to make as a teenager. Rather than pursuing studies with Mozart in Vienna, he instead had to return home and raise his younger brothers. For several years prior, Beethoven had already contributed signficantly to the family's income by playing in the string section of an orchestra, a pay needed in lieu of his father, an alcoholic singer who had previously attempted to exploit the young Beethoven's talents without success. Things got so bad that Beethoven eventually petitioned his father's employer to pay him part of the drunkard's salary directly, which he would then use to buy necessities for the family instead of booze.

When another chance to visit Vienna eventually presented itself, Mozart had already died young. Instead, Beethoven took lessons from other composers, all while establishing himself as a remarkable virtuoso at the keyboard. While no technology existed to record sound, there are suriving accounts of Beethoven's prowess, especially at improvisation. This flourish, along with several compositions throughout his twenties, gave hope that he would have a great career. However, while he did premiere many of his early works himself, Beethoven was also carrying a secret that encompasses the adversity ingredient: his hearing was deteriorating.

What caused this hearing loss is unknown, but it was gradual and extremely hard on the composer. After a bout with severe depression, Beethoven resolved to keep working despite his predicament and frequent illness. This immense drive to create lasted even after deafness required that people write down their conversation to him, and Beethoven's mastery of music was great enough that the quality of his output remained intact - many of the revered pieces we know today were created while he had no hearing. Pen, paper, imagination, and skill.