Ludwig van Beethoven: “He couldn’t hear the world, but the world still listens to him.” The article begins by a powerful line aligning completely with the life history of Ludwig van Beethoven. One can easily understand how the initial line of the paragraph relates by going through the life history of Ludwig Van Beethoven through this article.
The greatest composers of all time whose music, despite being deaf, touched millions of hearts. The perfect blend of resilience with brilliance is seen in the life of Beethoven. Despite having enormous personal and health struggles, he continued to compose timeless music, turning him a legend over time.
Moreover, the life history of Beethoven demonstrates the importance of resilience, patience and hard work in our lives. With his popularity, he earned name and fame in the music industry and on the global grounds as well. But despite these popular foundations, the bigger reality revolves around his death and life struggle. If the greatest minds like him struggle with life threatening diseases, what are we truly running after? This article is a bigger revelation about Beethoven’s life and deeper spiritual truths which are often ignored by many. Let’s unpack these bigger revelations in this article.
The Early Life of Ludwig Van Beethoven
- Ludwig van Beethoven was born on 16th December, 1770 in Bonn, Germany and was officially baptised on the following day as well.
- His family originated from the Flemish region. He held the same name as his grandfather, Ludwig. He (his grandfather was a famous musician) used to work for the court of the Elector of the Cologne im Borne.
- Like everyone, Beethoven was deeply attached to her mother, Maria Magdelena Keverich. She used to take a lot of care of Ludwig after her troubled marriage. When Ludwig was 10 years old, her mother expired.
- Ludwig had six other siblings as well but they all died except three. He and his younger brother were the ones who survived infancy.
- His father Johann wanted to take advantage of her musical skills by turning him into a child prodigy. Ludwig got aggressive upbringing from her father, often beating him, even neighbours noticed it as well.
Early Life in Music
- Beethoven’s father Johann was his first teacher, but unfortunately his aggressive approach was very tough to deal with. Beethoven then met Christian Gottlob Neefe, a court organist who helped Beethoven and introduced composition to him at a very early age.
- He delivered his first public performance as a pianist by the age of 8. By the age of 12, he started earning a living as a court organist and composer as well. In 1782, his first work was published, marking a significant milestone in his career.
- In 1783, he became the court orchestra’s harpsichordist. In the Bonn opera orchestra, he even played viola.
- In 1787, at the age of 17, he travelled to Vienna with Mozart for the first time. Mozart was the one who used to appreciate his skills at a very young age. But the trip ended early because of her mother’s illness.
Moved to Vienna
- In 1792, Beethoven moved permanently to Vienna, the musical capital of Europe. He studied and learned with the likes of Joseph Haydn, Johann Georg Albrechtsberger and various others.
- In 1795, Beethoven launched himself as a virtuoso pianist and improvisor. The Three Piano, his first mature work, was published in the same year, marking the beginning of his career.
- Beethoven was not like others, he longed for creativity rather than financial support. Therefore, unlike others, he avoided court positions and started working through private patrons, giving him more exposure.
- The Pathétique Sonata (1798) and the Moonlight Sonata (1801) were his two one-of-a-kind symphonies. These symphonies gave a blend of classical and innovative music together, and it was innovative in itself.
- He also started to experience the problem of deafness by then.
The Rise of Ludwig Van Beethoven
- Beethoven rose to greater heights in the period between 1801 to 1814. He started composing innovative compositions, making it his heroic phase.
- His key works included Symphony No. 3 (Eroica 1803-1804), Symphony No. 5 (1808), Symphony No. 6 (Pastoral, 1808), Fidelio (1805-1814), Piano Concertos Nos. 4 and Nos. 5 (Emperor, 1809)
- Over the years, he started suffering more particularly because of his deafness, faced many one sided love challenges and eventually financial struggles as well.
- Although it was the era of rise of Beethoven, it ended as a fall to him.
The Problem of Deafness
- Beethoven started experiencing hearing loss during the period between 1796-1798. He thought that it would damage his career and therefore, he kept it a secret.
- In 1802, while living in the village Heiliegenstadt, currently a part of Austria, he wrote the Heiliegenstadt testament to both his younger brothers. He expressed concerns over his increasing deafness and his perspective of commiting suicide. However, the letter was not sent, and was found after his death.
- By 1815, he completely abandoned himself from giving performances. He started using conversation books to communicate by 1818. Still, he didn’t stop, and went to produce masterpiece compositions.
Late Period: Innovation and Introspection
- Beethoven turned completely deaf and stayed ill for most of the time. He produced some complex and innovative compositions at that point of time also.
- His major works during those periods of struggle are — Ninth Symphony (1824), Missa Solemnis (1823), Late String Quartets (1825-1826), Hammerklavier Sonata (1818).
- He was surrounded by multiple personal failures from the beginning. After the death of his brother in 1815, he got the guardianship of his nephew Karl. And when Karl attempted suicide in 1826, it completely broke him.
Beethoven’s Personal Traits & Behaviour
- Personality: Beethoven was a strong man who followed his career passionately despite societal pressures. Some people believed that after his deafness, he didn’t like others, but it was not true. Further, his letters also revealed that he was a very strong man backed by strong values.
- Beliefs: Beethoven was a strong believer of spirituality and the existence of God. His belief for freedom, equality and respect for all people was also highlighted through his major works like the Ninth Symphony and the Fidelio. He didn’t follow the catholic Church strictly, in fact he respected and believed the cultures of other religions as well, including the hindu religion also.
- Martial Status: Beethoven never got married. He fell in love quite a few times but it was all one sided as the women never loved him back. The women were Giulietta Guicciardi and Josephine Deym. He further revealed the true identity of the woman in his compositions, which he called “Immortal Beloved”, and its identity is still a mystery.
Health Problems and Death
Although Beethoven was a renowned man in the music industry, his life doesn’t define his greatness. He was surrounded by family and health related issues from the beginning.
Health Issues
Beethoven was encircled by many health related issues. He has liver disease which may be caused by drinking alcohol or lead poisoning. Further, he was also suffering from stomach and digestion problems. He took cold water baths for treating these issues but it may have made his hearing even more worse.
Death
Beethoven remained in bed during his last times in Vienna. People say he was very sick because of multiple diseases and may have possibly left during a thunderstorm. However, there are many theories about his last words. The common thing was he was positive during his last time too.
Funeral
Beethoven was very popular among the people because of his skills and his strong character. He gathered huge respect at his funeral also. On the day of his funeral, approximately 10,000 to 20,000 people arrived to pay the last homage to him. It is indeed a large number itself.
Also Read: From Selling Newspaper to Disneyland Empire: Biography of Walt Disney
Legacy of Ludwig Van Beethoven
Beethoven left an unending legacy behind him in different aspects of life. His works are still remembered today and played by people across the globe.
Musical Creativity
Beethoven brought a revolution in the music industry by transforming the way music was written earlier. He made symphonies, sonatas, and quartets in a very unique blend of romantic and classical style. His works were considered to be more powerful and full of emotions. He even inspired the likes of Brahms and Schubert.
Cultural Influence
Beethoven’s music was so powerful that it even inspired millions to stay strong during tough times. He tried to strengthen the inner self of the human spirit. His creation of “Ode to Joy” was very relatable to this concept. The European Union adopted it as their anthem as well.
His Music Is Still Popular
Beethoven’s music is still popular today. Some of his famous works like Symphony No. 5 and Moonlight Sonata are even heard today. His works were always admired by the people and played by many across the globe.
Studies About his Life
There have been many attempts in studying his life. Earlier, writers like Anton Schindler wrote books about him but didn’t reveal much information. But writers like Maynard Solomon and Jan Stafford revealed the true story behind his journey.
The Symphony of Sorrow: What Beethoven’s Life Teaches About Karma
Beethoven is always remembered as one of the prime geniuses in the world of music composition. His orthodox approach gave inspiration to millions and presented a unique blend of music to the globe. But as we have seen, behind these curtains of appreciation and applause, his life had been surrounded by illness, loneliness, emotional sufferings and deep sorrow. Despite his fame, he battled diseases of deafness, liver and stomach diseases and even heartbreaks. It is a testament in itself that no success can escape the trap of karmas.
It exposes the brutal reality of Satan’s world where even the brightest stars are not spared from the web of karmic bondage. The deep pain in the life of Beethoven can be realised after he passed away. People often find comfort in music, considering it as a refuge from stress and sorrow. But the reality is – music may heal temporary stress but it cannot erase destiny.
When Music Becomes Meaningless – Because Human Life Isn’t A Celebration
Today, Jagatguru Tatvdarshi Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj asks a piercing question — “Can you truly enjoy music when some tragedy strikes your life?” The honest answer would be no. When life falls apart and the atrocities of karmic bondage fall, no melody can release life’s biggest suffering.
It is because this world belongs to Satan (Kaal Brahm). Here suffering is the only reality. No matter how much we earn or chase success, the uncertainty of death always looms above our head every other moment. The real solution lies not in listening to music and attaining temporary reliefs, rather it is attained by feeding our souls with the power of true devotion to Supreme God Kabir.
Beethoven’s music touched millions of hearts, but failed to heal its own. Let this rare chance of human life be a reminder — only true devotion to Supreme God Kabir will stay with the soul after death and can end the suffering of birth and death forever.
Manush janam paye kar jo nahi rate Hari Naam |
Jaise kuua jal bina fir banwaya kya kaam ||
Today, Jagatguru Tatvdarshi Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj, the sole representative of Supreme God Kabir has made us realise about this harsh reality of life. His countless devotees have made their lives better by following the method of worship given by Him (Sant Rampal Ji). In today’s scenario, He is the only one Who is imparting the worship of one Supreme God Who holds supremacy over everything by extracting sources from our sacred scriptures. Listen about the power of divine mantras given by Him in the following video –
For more deeper insights, visit –
- Website: www.jagatgururampalji.org
- YouTube channel: Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj
- Facebook Page: Spiritual Leader Saint Rampal Ji
- X handle: @SaintRampalJiM
Biography of Ludwig van Beethoven FAQs
At what age did Beethoven go deaf?
He was completely deaf the age of 45 (in the year 1815).
What was Beethoven’s cause of death?
Liver diseases because of consumption of alcohol. Alcohol consumption is prohibited in the constitution of God Kabir.
