Ludwig van Beethoven

Birthplace
Ludwig van Beethoven - the greatest German composer, pianist, conductor. He was born in December, 1770 in Bonn in a musical family.

Musical childhood
Since his childhood, he began to learn to play the organ, harpsichord, violin and flute.
His first musical teacher was Nafe.

After his mother's death in 1787 he assumed the financial responsibilities of the family. Ludwig Beethoven started playing in an orchestra to earn money.

First fame
When he met Haydn in Bonn, Beethoven decided to take lessons from him, he moved to Vienna. Haydn said that Beethoven's music was dark and strange. However, in those years, his excellent playing on the piano brought him his first fame.

The peak of his career
From 1802 to1812 Beethoven wrote his sonatas, with a special desire and zeal. Then he created a whole series of works for piano and cello, the famous Ninth Symphony, Solemn Mass. Composer's popularity was very high. Even the government, despite of his candid thoughts, did not dare to limit the musician.

Strange tradition
Each time before sitting down and start to compose music, Beethoven dipped his head in a basin with cold water. This technique was so entered in his habit, so the composer could not get rid of it until the end of his life.

His works
9 symphonies: № 1 (1799-1800), № 2 (1803), № 3, "Eroica» (1803-1804), № 4 (1806), № 5 (1804-1808), № 6 "Pastoral" (1808) , № 7 (1812), № 8 (1812), № 9 (1824)
11 symphonic overtures
5 concerts for piano and orchestra
6 youth sonatas for piano
32 sonatas for piano, 32 variations and 60 pieces for piano
10 sonatas for violin and piano
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Concerto for Piano, Violin and Cello and Orchestra ("Triple Concerto")
5 sonatas for cello and piano
16 string quartets
6 trio
Ballet "The Creation of Prometheus"
Opera "Fidelio"
Solemn Mass
Song cycle "to a distant lover"
Songs on poems by different poets, and folk songs

Death
March 26, 1827 at the age of 57 Beethoven died.
It is unknown, but U.S. researchers, examining hair and skull fragments of Ludwig van Beethoven, came to the conclusion that the great German composer, probably died of a long lead poisoning.