author
Ludwig van Beethoven
1770–1827
A towering figure in music history, this German composer reshaped the symphony, piano sonata, and string quartet while bridging the Classical and Romantic eras. Even as hearing loss overtook him, he created works of remarkable force, tenderness, and ambition that still define the concert hall.
3 Audiobooks
Beethoven's Letters 1790-1826, Volume 1
by Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven, the Man and the Artist, as Revealed in His Own Words
by Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven's Letters 1790-1826, Volume 2
by Ludwig van Beethoven
About the author
Born in Bonn in December 1770 and later based in Vienna, Ludwig van Beethoven became one of the most influential composers in Western music. He first gained attention as a pianist and went on to transform major musical forms, expanding the emotional and structural range of the symphony, concerto, sonata, and quartet.
His life was marked by struggle as well as achievement. Beethoven began to lose his hearing while still a relatively young man, yet he continued composing some of his most celebrated works, including many of the pieces that made his reputation enduring. That determination has become a central part of his story.
He died in Vienna on March 26, 1827, but his music never left the stage. From the Eroica Symphony and the Fifth Symphony to the Moonlight Sonata and the Ninth Symphony, his work remains famous for its energy, drama, and deep humanity.