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When he was a kid
Of the seven children born to Johann van Beethoven, only Ludwig, the second-born, and two younger brothers survived infancy. When his father noticed his talent towards music he wanted for his son Ludwig to become like Mozart. He forced him to play, but he still wasn`t better than other kids his age so his childhood was hard. -
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All of his work
In total, Beethoven has composed: 9 symphonies, overtures for symphony orchestra (Leonora No. 1-3, Coriolan), concerts for various instruments and orchestra (5 for piano); 16 string quartets, 32 piano sonatas. He also wrote the opera Fidelius; oratorio "Christ on the Mount of Olives", ballet "Works of Prometheus", masses, songs... -
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Date of birth
17 December: Beethoven is baptised in the church of St Remigius, Bonn. The date of his birth is not recorded, but since it was customary for baptisms to take place within 24 hours of birth, it is likely he was born on 16 December. -
Meeting Mozart
April: Beethoven achieves his long-held ambition to travel to Vienna to meet Mozart, almost certainly thanks to the intervention of his patron Count Waldstein with the new Elector, Maximilian Franz. Two weeks after arriving, and having impressed Mozart so much he agrees to take him on as a pupil. -
Beethoven's mother, Maria Magdalena, dies
Barely two weeks after arriving, and having impressed Mozart so much he agrees to take him on as a pupil, Beethoven has to return to Bonn where his mother is dying of consumption. By the time he returns to Vienna nearly five years later, Mozart is dead. -
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Studying with Joseph Haydn
Since 1792 Beethoven lived in Vienna. At that time he began to study composition with Joseph Haydn (he studied only for about a year). -
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Deafness
When he was 26 he started to tealize that he is going deaf. The treatment failed, he was overwhelmed by heavy thoughts, despair. In 1802, October he writes to his brothers a particularly sad will of Heiligenstadt. However, the composer overcame the frustration and began writing music abundantly again. At that time, a large part of Beethoven's works were created. -
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Another crisis
Another creative crisis hit the composer in 1813–1815. He composed only a little during that time, but it was then that Beethoven gained great public recognition. -
Death
Beethoven died on March 26 1827 at the age of 56. Beethoven's funeral procession in Vienna on 29 March 1827 was attended by 10,000 people.