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Ludwig van BEETHOVEN

17 December 1770 - 26 March 1827 (age 56)

Click on the above portrait of Beethoven for more information about it.

German 19th century composer and virtuoso pianist. One of the most influential composers of all time and one of the most popular.

Family

Born: December 1770, Bonn, Germany
Grandfather: Ludwig van Beethoven, Flemish. In 1733 emigrated from Flanders to Germany. Became Kappelmeister at Bonn.
Father: Johann, a musician at the Court of Bonn. A weakness for alcohol.
Mother: Maria Magdalena. Quiet, gentle, kind woman.
Siblings: There were 7 children but only 3 boys survived. Ludwig was the eldest.
Partners: None
Children: None. Co-guardian of his nephew Karl
Death: 26 March 1827, Vienna, Austria. Cause: cirrhosis, jaundice, liver failure.
Grave: Zentralfriedhof, Vienna

Temperament

Grumpy old man. Irritable, manic depressive, disdainful of authority and social rank. Short and stocky with a paunch, dishevelled. Red face, small piercing eyes, bushy eyebrows.

A Video Documentary

An interesting documentary on the life and music of Beethoven by 'How Stuff Works'.
It lasts about 35 minutes and opens in a new window.
Click on the image.

make custom gifts at Zazzle

Ludwig on Amazon

Books and CDs on Amazon.com (USA)

for UK go to Amazon.co.uk

Works

9 Symphonies
5 Piano Concertos
1 Violin Concerto
16 String Quartets
1 Opera
32 Piano Sonatas

Beethoven Symphony No.9 - Bernstein 1989 (part 1)

Giftware

Beethoven Cafepress shop

Treasures on eBay

On eBay you will find bargains galore but more interestingly there is a treasure chest of old items. Out of print books, old recordings no longer available, memorabilia and goods no longer sold on the High Street.To see what is currently on offer take a look at:

in the UK go to eBay.co.uk