25
Jun 25
Did You Know?
Beethoven Composed some of His Greatest Works While Completely Deaf Despite losing his hearing in his 30s, Ludwig van Beethoven continued to create masterpieces like Symphony No. 5, Symphony No. 9 (“Ode to Joy”), and his Late String Quartets—all without being able to hear them. Born in 1770 and died in1827, Ludwig Van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist, often considered one of the greatest musicians in history. He is notable for helping to transition music from the Classical era (Mozart, Haydn) to the Romantic era (Chopin, Brahms). However, his life took a sudden turn when he began losing his hearing in his late 20s and became almost completely deaf by 40. While the exact cause of his deafness remains ambiguous, some probable causes include, Lead poisoning, Typhus, Autoimmune disease and Nerve damage. Now, the question is, how Did He Continue to Compose Without Hearing? Reports have it that Beethoven used to press his ear to the piano’s soundboard to feel vibrations. It is even rumoured that he tried attaching a metal rod to his jaw to pick up vibrations when playing piano. Many also believe that some of Beethoven’s greatest works were composed when he could no longer hear. Infact, during the Premiere of Symphony No. 9, Beethoven conducted and had to be turned around by one of the musicians so he could see the audience’s standing ovation—because he couldn’t hear their cheers, this moment is considered one of the most moving in music history. Beethoven is proof that creativity is not limited by physical conditions. Stay resilient, Stay unstoppable!
