Ludwig van Beethoven 1

Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven (English pronunciation: /ˈlʊdvɪɡ
væn ˈbeɪtoʊvɨn/ (US), /ˈlʊdvɪɡ væn ˈbeɪthoʊvɨn/ (UK);
German: [ˈluːt.vɪç fan ˈbeːt.hoːfən]  ( listen); baptised
[1]
17 December 1770 – 26 March 1827) was a German
composer and pianist. He was a crucial figure in the
transitional period between the Classical and Romantic
eras in Western classical music, and remains one of the
most acclaimed and influential composers of all time.

Born in Bonn, of the Electorate of Cologne and a part

of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation in
present-day Germany, he moved to Vienna in his early
twenties and settled there, studying with Joseph Haydn
and quickly gaining a reputation as a virtuoso pianist.
His hearing began to deteriorate in the late 1790s, yet
he continued to compose, conduct, and perform, even
after becoming completely deaf.

A portrait by Joseph Karl Stieler, 1820

Biography

Background and early life

Beethoven was the grandson of a musician of southern Dutch origin
named Lodewijk van Beethoven (1712–1773).[2] Beethoven was
named after his grandfather, as Lodewijk is the Dutch counterpart of
Prince-Elector's Palace (Kurfürstliches Schloss) Ludwig. Beethovens grandfather was employed as a bass singer at the
in Bonn, where the Beethoven family had been
court of the Elector of Cologne, rising to become Kapellmeister (music
active since the 1730s
director). He had one son, Johann van Beethoven (1740–1792), who
worked as a tenor in the same musical establishment, also giving
lessons on piano and violin to supplement his income.[2] Johann married Maria Magdalena Keverich in 1767; she
was the daughter of Johann Heinrich Keverich, who had been the head chef at the court of the Archbishopric of
Trier.[3]
Ludwig van Beethoven 2

Beethoven was born of this marriage in Bonn, probably on 16 December

1770, and baptized in a Roman Catholic service the next day.[4] Children of
that era were usually baptized the day after birth; since only his baptismal
record survives, there is no documentary evidence for the exact date of his
birth.[5] It is known that Beethoven's family and his teacher Johann
Albrechtsberger celebrated his birthday on 16 December. Thus, while the
evidence supports the probability that 16 December 1770 was Beethoven's
date of birth, this cannot be stated with certainty.[6] Of the seven children
born to Johann Beethoven, only second-born Ludwig and two younger
brothers survived infancy. Caspar Anton Carl was born on April 8, 1774, and
Nikolaus Johann, the youngest, was born on October 2, 1776.[7]

Beethoven's first music teacher was his father. A traditional belief concerning
Johann is that he was a harsh instructor, and that the child Beethoven, "made
to stand at the keyboard, was often in tears".[2] However, the New Grove
indicates that there is no solid documentation to support it, and asserts that
"speculation and myth-making have both been productive."[2] Beethoven had
other local teachers as well: the court organist Gilles van den Eeden (d. 1782),
Tobias Friedrich Pfeiffer (a family friend, who taught Beethoven piano), and
a relative, Franz Rovantini (violin and viola).[2] His musical talent manifested
itself early—apparently he was advanced enough to perform at the age of
nine, not seven as popularly believed. Johann, aware of Leopold Mozart's
successes in this area, attempted unsuccessfully to exploit his son as a child House of birth, Bonn, Bonngasse 20,
prodigy. It was Johann who falsely claimed Beethoven was six (he was now the Beethoven-Haus museum

seven) on the posters for Beethoven's first public performance in March

1778.[8]

Some time after 1779, Beethoven began his studies with his most important teacher in Bonn, Christian Gottlob
Neefe, who was appointed the Court's Organist in that year.[9] Neefe taught Beethoven composition, and by March
1783 had helped him write his first published composition: a set of keyboard variations (WoO 63).[7] Beethoven
soon began working with Neefe as assistant organist, first on an unpaid basis (1781), and then as paid employee
(1784) of the court chapel conducted by the Kapellmeister Andrea Luchesi. His first three piano sonatas, named
"Kurfürst" ("Elector") for their dedication to the Elector Maximilian Frederick, were published in 1783. Maximilian
Frederick, who died in 1784, not long after Beethoven's appointment as assistant organist, had noticed Beethoven's
talent early, and had subsidized and encouraged the young Beethoven's musical studies.[10]

Maximilian Frederick's successor as the Elector of Bonn was Maximilian Franz, the youngest son of Empress Maria
Theresa of Austria, and he brought notable changes to Bonn. Echoing changes made in Vienna by his brother Joseph,
he introduced reforms based on Enlightenment philosophy, with increased support for education and the arts. The
teenage Beethoven was almost certainly influenced by these changes. He may also have been strongly influenced at
this time by ideas prominent in freemasonry, as Neefe and others around Beethoven were members of the local
chapter of the Order of the Illuminati.[11]
In March 1787 Beethoven traveled to Vienna (it is unknown at whose expense) for the first time, apparently in the
hope of studying with Mozart. The details of their relationship are uncertain, including whether or not they actually
met.[12] After just two weeks there Beethoven learned that his mother was severely ill, and he was forced to return
home. His mother died shortly thereafter, and the father lapsed deeper into alcoholism. As a result, Beethoven
became responsible for the care of his two younger brothers, and he spent the next five years in Bonn.[13]
Ludwig van Beethoven 3

Beethoven was introduced to a number of people who became important in his life in these years. Franz Wegeler, a
young medical student, introduced him to the von Breuning family (one of whose daughters Wegeler eventually
married). Beethoven was often at the von Breuning household, where he was exposed to German and classical
literature, and where he also gave piano instruction to some of the children. The von Breuning family environment
was also less stressful than his own, which was increasingly dominated by his father's strict control and descent into
alcoholism.[14] It is also in these years that Beethoven came to the attention of Count Ferdinand von Waldstein, who
became a lifelong friend and financial supporter.[15]
In 1789, he obtained a legal order by which half of his father's
salary was paid directly to him for support of the family.[16] He
also contributed further to the family's income by playing viola in
the court orchestra. This familiarized Beethoven with a variety of
operas, including three of Mozart's operas performed at court in
this period. He also befriended Anton Reicha, a flautist and
violinist of about his own age who was the conductor's nephew.[17]

Establishing his career in Vienna

With the Elector's help, Beethoven moved to Vienna in 1792.[18]
He was probably first introduced to Joseph Haydn in late 1790,
when the latter was traveling to London and stopped in Bonn
around Christmas time.[19] They definitely met in Bonn on
Haydn's return trip from London to Vienna in July 1792, and it is
likely that arrangements were made at that time for Beethoven to
A portrait of the thirteen-year-old Beethoven by an
study with the old master.[20] In the intervening years, Beethoven
unknown Bonn master (c. 1783)
composed a significant number of works (none were published at
the time, and most are now listed as works without opus) that
demonstrated a growing range and maturity of style. Musicologists have identified a theme similar to those of his
third symphony in a set of variations written in 1791.[21] Beethoven left Bonn for Vienna in November 1792, amid
rumors of war spilling out of France, and learned shortly after his arrival that his father had died.[22] [23] Count
Waldstein in his farewell note to Beethoven wrote: "Through uninterrupted diligence you will receive Mozart's spirit
through Haydn's hands."[23] Beethoven responded to the widespread feeling that he was a successor to the
recently-deceased Mozart over the next few years by studying that master's work and writing works with distinctly
Mozartean flavor.[24]

Beethoven did not immediately set out to establish himself as a composer, but rather devoted himself to study and to
piano performance. Working under Haydn's direction[25] he sought to master counterpoint, and he also took violin
lessons from Ignaz Schuppanzigh.[26] Early in this time he also began receiving occasional instruction from Antonio
Salieri, primarily in Italian vocal composition style; this relationship persisted until at least 1802, and possibly
1809.[27] With Haydn's departure for England in 1794, Beethoven was expected by the Elector to return home. He
chose instead to remain in Vienna, continuing the instruction in counterpoint with Johann Albrechtsberger and other
teachers. Although his stipend from the Elector expired, a number of Viennese noblemen had already recognized his
ability and offered him financial support, among them Prince Joseph Franz Lobkowitz, Prince Karl Lichnowsky, and
Baron Gottfried van Swieten.[28]
By 1793, Beethoven established a reputation in Vienna as a piano virtuoso and improviser in the salons of the
nobility, often playing the preludes and fugues of J. S. Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier.[29] His friend Nikolaus
Simrock had also begun publishing his compositions; the first are believed to be a set of variations (WoO 66).[30]
Beethoven spent much of 1794 composing, and apparently withheld works from publication so that their publication
in 1795 would have greater impact.[28] Beethoven's first public performance in Vienna was in March 1795, a concert
Ludwig van Beethoven 4

in which he debuted a piano concerto. It is uncertain whether this was the First or Second, as documentary evidence
is unclear, and both concertos were in a similar state of near-completion (neither was completed or published for
several years).[31] [32] Shortly after this performance he arranged for the publication of the first of his compositions to
which he assigned an opus number, the piano trios of Opus 1. These works were dedicated to his patron Prince
Lichnowsky,[31] and were a financial success; Beethoven's profits were nearly sufficient to cover living expenses for
a year.[33]

Wider publicity
In 1796 Beethoven embarked on a tour of central European cultural
centers that was an echo of a similar tour by Mozart in 1789.
Accompanied by Prince Lichnowsky (who also accompanied Mozart
on his tour), Beethoven visited Prague, Dresden, Leipzig, and Berlin,
composing and performing to acclaim. He spent the most time in
Prague, where his reputation had already preceded him through
Lichnowsky's family connections, and Berlin, where he composed two
cello sonatas (Op. 5) dedicated to King Friedrich Wilhelm II, a lover of
music who played that instrument. These works are notable for
successfully combining virtuoso cello and piano parts, a difficult task
considering the differing natures of the two instruments.[34] The king
presented Beethoven with a snuffbox full of gold coins; Beethoven
observed that the trip earned him "a good deal of money".[35]
Beethoven returned to Vienna in July 1796, and embarked on another Beethoven in 1803

tour in November, heading east instead of north, to the cities of

Pressburg (present-day Bratislava) and Pest. At Pressburg he performed on a piano sent from Vienna by his friend
Andreas Streicher,[36] a piano he joked was "far too good for me..because it robs me of the freedom to produce my
own tone".[37]

Beethoven spent most of 1797 in Vienna, where he continued to compose (apparently in response to an increasing
number of commissions) and perform, although he was apparently stricken with a serious disease (possibly typhus)
in the summer or autumn. It is also around this time (although it may have been as early as 1795) that he first became
aware of issues with his hearing.[38] While he traveled to Prague again in 1798, the encroaching deafness led him to
eventually abandon concert touring entirely.[39]

Musical maturity
Between 1798 and 1802 Beethoven finally tackled what he considered the pinnacles of composition: the string
quartet and the symphony. With the composition of his first six string quartets (Op. 18) between 1798 and 1800
(written on commission for, and dedicated to, Prince Lobkowitz), and their publication in 1801, along with premieres
of the First and Second Symphonies in 1800 and 1802, Beethoven was justifiably considered one of the most
important of a generation of young composers following after Haydn and Mozart. He continued to write in other
forms, turning out widely-known piano sonatas like the "Pathétique" sonata (Op. 13), which Cooper describes as
"surpass[ing] any of his previous compositions, in strength of character, depth of emotion, level of originality, and
ingenuity of motivic and tonal manipulation".[40] He also completed his Septet (Op. 20) in 1799, which was one of
his most popular works during his lifetime.
For the premiere of his First Symphony Beethoven hired the Burgtheater on April 2, 1800, and staged an extensive
program of music, including works by Haydn and Mozart, as well as the Septet, the First Symphony, and one of his
piano concertos (the latter three works all then unpublished). The concert, which the Allgemeine musikalische Zeiting
described as "the most interesting concert in a long time", was not without difficulties; among other criticisms was
Ludwig van Beethoven 5

that "the players did not bother to pay any attention to the soloist".[41]
While Mozart and Haydn were undeniable influences (for example, Beethoven's quintet for piano and winds bears a
strong resemblance to Mozart's work for the same configuration, albeit with his own distinctive touches),[42] other
composers like Muzio Clementi were also stylistic influences. Beethoven's melodies, musical development, use of
modulation and texture, and characterization of emotion all set him apart from his influences, and heightened the
impact some of his early works made when they were first published.[43] By the end of 1800 Beethoven and his
music were already much in demand from patrons and publishers.[44]

Teaching
In May of 1799, Beethoven gave piano lessons to the
daughters of Hungarian Countess Anna Brunsvik.
While this round of lessons lasted less than one month,
Beethoven formed a relationship with the older
daughter Josephine that has been the subject of much
speculation ever since. Shortly after these lessons she
married Count Josef Deym, and Beethoven was a
regular visitor at their house, giving lessons and
playing at parties. While her marriage was by all
accounts unhappy, the couple had four children, and
her relationship with Beethoven did not intensify until
after Deym died in 1804.[45]

Beethoven had few other students. From 1801 to 1805,

Ludwig van Beethoven: detail of an 1804 portrait by W.J. Mähler
concerto (the "Emperor") in 1812.
he tutored Ferdinand Ries, who went on to become a
composer and later wrote Beethoven remembered, a
book about their encounters. The young Carl Czerny
studied with Beethoven from 1801 to 1803. Czerny
went on to become a renowned music teacher himself,
taking on Franz Liszt as one of his students, and also
gave the Vienna premiere of Beethoven's fifth piano

Beethoven's compositions between 1800 and 1802 were dominated by two works, although he continued to produce
smaller works, including the Moonlight Sonata. In the spring of 1801 he completed The Creatures of Prometheus, a
ballet. The work was such a success that it received numerous performances in 1801 and 1802, and Beethoven
rushed to publish a piano arrangement to capitalize on its early popularity.[46] In the spring of 1802 he completed the
Second Symphony, intended for performance at a concert that was eventually cancelled. The symphony received its
premiere at a subscription concert in April 1803 at the Theater an der Wien, where Beethoven had been appointed as
composer in residence. In addition to the Second Symphony, the concert also featured the First Symphony, the Third
Piano Concerto, and the oratorio Christ on the Mount of Olives. While reviews were mixed, the concert was a
financial success; Beethoven was able to charge three times the cost of a typical concert ticket.[47]

Beethoven's business dealings with publishers also began to improve in 1802 when his brother Carl, who had
previously assisted him more casually, began to assume a larger role in the management of his affairs. In addition to
negotiating higher prices for recently-composed works, Carl also began selling some of Beethoven's earlier
unpublished works, and encouraged Beethoven (against the latter's preference) to also make arrangements and
transcriptions of his more popular works for other instrument combinations. Beethoven acceded to these requests, as
he could not prevent publishers from hiring others to do similar arrangements of his works.[48]
Ludwig van Beethoven 6

Loss of hearing
Around 1796, Beethoven began to lose his hearing.[49] He suffered a severe form of tinnitus, a "ringing" in his ears
that made it hard for him to perceive and appreciate music; he also avoided conversation. The cause of Beethoven's
deafness is unknown, but it has variously been attributed to syphilis, lead poisoning, typhus, auto-immune disorder
(such as systemic lupus erythematosus), and even his habit of immersing his head in cold water to stay awake. The
explanation, from the autopsy of the time, is that he had a "distended inner ear" which developed lesions over time.
Due to the high levels of lead found in samples of Beethoven's hair, that hypothesis has been extensively analyzed.
While the likelihood of lead poisoning is very high, the deafness associated with it seldom takes the form that
Beethoven exhibited.
As early as 1801, Beethoven wrote to friends describing his symptoms and the difficulties they caused in both
professional and social settings (although it is likely some of his close friends were already aware of the
problems).[50] Beethoven, on the advice of his doctor, lived in the small Austrian town of Heiligenstadt, just outside
Vienna, from April to October 1802 in an attempt to come to terms with his condition. There he wrote his
Heiligenstadt Testament, which records his resolution to continue living for and through his art.[51] Over time, his
hearing loss became profound: there is a well-attested story that, at the end of the premiere of his Ninth Symphony,
he had to be turned around to see the tumultuous applause of the audience; hearing nothing, he began to weep.[52]
Beethoven's hearing loss did not prevent his composing music, but it made playing at concerts—lucrative sources of
income—increasingly difficult. After a failed attempt in 1811 to perform his own Piano Concerto No. 5 (the
"Emperor"), he never performed in public again.
Beethoven used a special rod attached to the soundboard on a piano
that he could bite—the vibrations would then transfer from the piano to
his jaw to increase his perception of the sound. A large collection of
his hearing aids such as special ear horns can be viewed at the
Beethoven House Museum in Bonn, Germany. Despite his obvious
distress, Carl Czerny remarked that Beethoven could still hear speech
and music normally until 1812.[53] By 1814 however, Beethoven was
almost totally deaf, and when a group of visitors saw him play a loud
arpeggio of thundering bass notes at his piano remarking, "Ist es nicht
schön?" (Is it not beautiful?), they felt deep sympathy considering his
courage and sense of humor.[54]

As a result of Beethoven's hearing loss, a unique historical record has

been preserved: his conversation books. Used primarily in the last ten
or so years of his life, his friends wrote in these books so that he could
Beethoven in 1815 know what they were saying, and he then responded either orally or in
the book. The books contain discussions about music and other issues,
and give insights into his thinking; they are a source for investigation into how he felt his music should be
performed, and also his perception of his relationship to art. Unfortunately, 264 out of a total of 400 conversation
books were destroyed (and others were altered) after Beethoven's death by Anton Schindler, in his attempt to paint
an idealized picture of the composer.[55]
Ludwig van Beethoven 7

Patronage
While Beethoven earned income from publication of his works and from public
performances, he also depended on the generosity of patrons for income, for
whom he gave private performances and copies of works they commissioned for
an exclusive period prior to their publication. Some of his early patrons,
including Prince Lobkowitz and Prince Lichnowsky, gave him annual stipends in
addition to commissioning works and purchasing published works.
Perhaps Beethoven's most important aristocratic patron was Archduke Rudolph,
the youngest son of Emperor Leopold II, who in 1803 or 1804 began to study
piano and composition with Beethoven. The cleric (Cardinal-Priest) and the
composer became friends, and their meetings continued until 1824. Beethoven
dedicated 14 compositions to Rudolph, including the Archduke Trio (1811) and
his great Missa Solemnis (1823). Rudolph, in turn, dedicated one of his own
compositions to Beethoven. The letters Beethoven wrote to Rudolph are today Beethoven's patron, Archduke
kept at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna. Rudolph

In the fall of 1808, after having been rejected for a position at the royal theatre,
Beethoven received an offer from Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte, then king of Westphalia, for a well-paid
position as Kapellmeister at the court in Cassel. To persuade him to stay in Vienna, the Archduke Rudolph, Count
Kinsky and Prince Lobkowitz, after receiving representations from the composer's friends, pledged to pay Beethoven
a pension of 4000 florins a year. Only Archduke Rudolph paid his share of the pension on the agreed date. Kinsky,
immediately called to duty as an officer, did not contribute and soon died after falling from his horse. Lobkowitz
stopped paying in September 1811. No successors came forward to continue the patronage, and Beethoven relied
mostly on selling composition rights and a small pension after 1815. The effects of these financial arrangements
were undermined to some extent by war with France, which caused significant inflation when the government
printed money to fund its war efforts.

The Middle period

Beethoven's return to Vienna from Heiligenstadt was marked by a change in
musical style, now recognized as the start of his "Middle" or "Heroic" period.
According to Carl Czerny, Beethoven said, "I am not satisfied with the work I
have done so far. From now on I intend to take a new way".[56] The first
major work of this new way was the Third Symphony in E flat, known as the
"Eroica". While other composers had written symphonies with implied
programs, or stories, this work was longer and larger in scope than any
previously written symphony. It made huge demands on the players, because
at that time there were few orchestras devoted to concert music that were
independent of royal or aristocratic patrons, and hence performance standards
at concerts were often haphazard. When it premiered in early 1805 it received
a mixed reception, with some listeners objecting to its length or failing to Beethoven in 1814. Portrait by
understand its structure, while others viewed it as another masterpiece.[57] Louis-René Létronne

Beethoven composed highly ambitious works throughout the Middle period, often heroic in tone, that extended the
scope of the classical musical language Beethoven had inherited from Haydn and Mozart. The Middle period work
includes the Third through Eighth Symphonies, the string quartets 7–11, the "Waldstein" and "Appassionata" piano
sonatas, Christ on the Mount of Olives, the opera Fidelio, the Violin Concerto and many other compositions. During
Ludwig van Beethoven 8

this time Beethoven earned his living from the sale and performance of his work, and from the continuing support of
wealthy patrons. His position at the Theater and der Wien was terminated when the theater changed management in
early 1804, and he was forced to move temporarily to the suburbs of Vienna with his friend Stephan von Breuning.
This slowed work on Fidelio, his largest work to date, for a time. It was delayed again by the Austrian censor, and
finally premiered in November 1805 to houses that were nearly empty due to French occupation of the city. In
addition to being a financial failure, this version of Fidelio was also a critical failure, and Beethoven began revising
it.[58]
The work of the Middle period established Beethoven's reputation as a great
composer. In a review from 1810, he was enshrined by E. T. A. Hoffman as one
of the three great "Romantic" composers; Hoffman called Beethoven's Fifth
Symphony "one of the most important works of the age". A particular trauma for
Beethoven occurred during this period in May 1809, when the attacking forces of
Napoleon bombarded Vienna. According to Ferdinand Ries, Beethoven, very
worried that the noise would destroy what remained of his hearing, hid in the
basement of his brother's house, covering his ears with pillows.[59] He was
composing the "Emperor" Concerto at the time.

Personal and family difficulties

Life mask made in 1812
Beethoven was introduced to Giulietta Guicciardi in about 1800 through the
Brunsvik family. His mutual love-relationship with Guicciardi is mentioned in a
November 1801 letter to his boyhood friend, Franz Wegeler. Beethoven dedicated to Giulietta his Sonata No. 14,
popularly known as the "Moonlight" Sonata. Marriage plans were thwarted by Giulietta's father and perhaps
Beethoven's common lineage. In 1803 she married Count Wenzel Robert von Gallenberg (1783-1839), himself an
amateur composer. Though she revisited Beethoven in 1822 when this unhappy marriage was over, he rebuffed her
and did not resume a relationship.

Beethoven's relationship with Josephine Deym notably deepened after the death of her first husband in 1804. There
is some evidence that Beethoven may have proposed to her, at least informally. While the relationship was
apparently reciprocated, she, with some regret, turned him down, and their relationship effectively ended in 1807.
She cited her "duty", an apparent reference to the fact that she was born of nobility and he was a commoner.[60] It is
also likely that he considered proposing (whether he actually did or not is unknown) to Therese Malfatti, the
dedicatee of "Für Elise" in 1810; his common status may also have interfered with those plans.
In the spring of 1811 Beethoven became seriously ill, suffering headaches and bad fevers. On the advice of his
doctor, he spent six weeks in the Bohemian spa town of Teplitz. The following winter, which was dominated by
work on the Seventh symphony, he was again ill, and decided to spend the summer of 1812 at Teplitz. It is likely that
he was at Teplitz when he wrote three love letters to an "Immortal Beloved".[61] While the intended recipient of these
letters is an ongoing subject of debate, the most likely candidate, based on what is known about people's movements
and the contents of the letters, is Antonie Brentano, a married woman with whom he had begun a friendship in
1810.[62] [63] Beethoven traveled to Karlsbad in late July, where he stayed in the same guesthouse as the Brentanos.
After traveling with them for a time, he returned to Teplitz, where after another bout of gastric illness, he left for
Linz to visit his brother Johann.[64]
Beethoven's visit to his brother was made in an attempt to end the latter's immoral cohabitation with Therese
Obermayer, a woman who already had an illegitimate child. He was unable to convince Johann to end the
relationship, so he appealed to the local civic and religious authorities. The end result of Beethoven's meddling was
that Johann and Therese married on November 9.[64]
Ludwig van Beethoven 9

In early 1813 Beethoven apparently went through a difficult emotional

period, and his compositional output dropped for a time. Historians
have suggested a variety of causes, including his lack of success at
romance. His personal appearance, which had generally been neat,
degraded, as did his manners in public, especially when dining. Some
of his (married) desired romantic partners had children (leading to
assertions among historians of Beethoven's possible paternity), and his
brother Carl was seriously ill. Beethoven took care of his brother and
his family, an expense that he claimed left him penniless. He was
unable to obtain a date for a concert in the spring of 1813, which, if
successful, would have provided him with significant funds.
Beethoven was finally motivated to begin significant composition
again in June 1813, when news arrived of the defeat of one of
Napoleon's armies at Vitoria, Spain by a coalition of forces under the
Duke of Wellington. This news stimulated him to write the battle
symphony known as Wellington's Victory. It was premiered on 8
December at a charity concert for victims of the war along with his Beethoven in 1818 by August Klöber
Seventh Symphony. The work was a popular hit, likely due to its
programmatic style which was entertaining and easy to understand. It received repeat performances at concerts
Beethoven staged in January and February 1814. Beethoven's renewed popularity led to demands for a revival of
Fidelio, which, in its third revised version, was also well-received when it opened in July. That summer he also
composed a piano sonata for the first time in five years (No. 27, Opus 90). This work was in a markedly more
Romantic style than his earlier sonatas. He was also one of many composers who produced music in a patriotic vein
to entertain the many heads of state and diplomats that came to the Congress of Vienna that began in November
1814. His output of songs included his only song cycle, "An die ferne Geliebte", and the extraordinarily expressive,
but almost incoherent, "An die Hoffnung" (Opus 94).

Custody struggle and illness

Between 1815 and 1817 Beethoven's output dropped again. Part of this Beethoven attributed to a lengthy illness (he
called it an "inflammatory fever") that afflicted him for more than a year, starting in October 1816.[65] Biographers
have speculated on a variety of other reasons that also contributed to the decline in creative output, including the
difficulties in the personal lives of his would-be paramours and the harsh censorship policies of the Austrian
government. The illness and death of his brother Carl from consumption likely also played a role.
Carl had been ill for some time, and Beethoven spent a small fortune in 1815 on his care. When he finally died on 15
November 1815, Beethoven immediately became embroiled in a protracted legal dispute with Carl's wife Johanna
over custody of their son Karl, then nine years old. Beethoven, who considered Johanna an unfit parent due to
questions of morality (she had a child born out of wedlock by a different father before marrying Carl, and had been
convicted of theft) and financial management, had successfully applied to Carl to have himself named sole guardian
of the boy, but a late codicil to Carl's will gave him and Johanna joint guardianship. While Beethoven was successful
at having his nephew removed from her custody in February 1816, the case was not fully resolved until 1820, and he
was frequently preoccupied by the demands of the litigation and seeing to the welfare of the boy, whom he first
placed in a private school. The custody fight brought out the very worst aspects of Beethoven's character; in the
lengthy court cases Beethoven stopped at nothing to ensure that he achieved this goal, and even stopped composing
for long periods.
The Austrian court system had one court for the nobility, The R&I Landrechte, and another for commoners, The
Civil Court of the Magistrate. Beethoven disguised the fact that the Dutch "van" in his name did not denote nobility
Ludwig van Beethoven 10

as does the German "von",[66] and his case was tried in the Landrechte. Owing to his influence with the court,
Beethoven felt assured of a favorable outcome. Beethoven was awarded sole guardianship. While giving evidence to
the Landrechte, however, Beethoven inadvertently[66] admitted that he was not nobly born. The case was transferred
to the Magistracy on 18 December 1818, where he lost sole guardianship.
Beethoven appealed, and regained custody of Karl. Johanna's appeal for justice to the Emperor was not successful:
the Emperor "washed his hands of the matter". Beethoven stopped at nothing to blacken her name, as can be read in
surviving court papers. During the years of custody that followed, Beethoven attempted to ensure that Karl lived to
the highest of moral standards. His overbearing manner and frequent interference in his nephew's life, especially as
he grew into a young man, apparently drove Karl to attempt suicide on 31 July 1826 by shooting himself in the head.
He survived, and was brought to his mother's house, where he recuperated. He and Beethoven reconciled, but Karl
was insistent on joining the army, and last saw Beethoven in early 1827.
The only major works he produced during this time were two cello sonatas, a piano sonata, and collections of folk
song settings. He began sketches for the Ninth Symphony in 1817.

Late works
Beethoven began a renewed study of older music,
including works by J. S. Bach and Handel, that were
then being published in the first attempts at complete
editions. He composed the Consecration of the House
Overture, which was the first work to attempt to
incorporate his new influences. But it is when he
returned to the keyboard to compose his first new piano
sonatas in almost a decade, that a new style, now called
his "late period", emerged. The works of the late period
are commonly held to include the last five piano
sonatas and the Diabelli Variations, the last two sonatas
for cello and piano, the late quartets (see below), and
two works for very large forces: the Missa Solemnis
and the Ninth Symphony.

By early 1818 Beethoven's health had improved, and

his nephew had moved in with him in January. On the
downside, his hearing had deteriorated to the point that
conversation became difficult, necessitating the use of
conversation books. His household management had
Beethoven in 1823; copy of a destroyed portrait by Ferdinand Georg
also improved somewhat; Nanette Streicher, who had Waldmüller
assisted in his care during his illness, continued to
provide some support, and he finally found a decent cook.[67] His musical output in 1818 was still somewhat
reduced, with song collections and the Hammerklavier Sonata his only notable compositions, although he continued
to work on sketches for two symphonies (that eventually coalesced into the enormous Ninth Symphony). In 1819 he
was again preoccupied by the legal processes around Karl, and began work on the Diabelli Variations and the Missa
Solemnis.

For the next few years he continued to work on the Missa, composing piano sonatas and bagatelles to satisfy the
demands of publishers and the need for income, and completing the Diabelli Variations. He was ill again for an
extended time in 1821, and completed the Missa in 1823, three years after its original due date. He also opened
discussions with his publishers over the possibility of producing a complete edition of his works, an idea that was
Ludwig van Beethoven 11

arguably not fully realized until 1971. Beethoven's brother Johann began to take a hand in his business affairs around
this time, much in the way Carl had earlier, locating older unpublished works to offer for publication and offering the
Missa to multiple publishers with the goal of getting a higher price for it.
Two commissions in 1822 improved Beethoven's financial prospects. The Philharmonic Society of London offered a
commission for a symphony, and Prince Nikolay Golitsin of St. Petersburg offered to pay Beethoven's price for three
string quartets. The first of these spurred Beethoven to finish the Ninth Symphony, which was premiered, along with
the Missa Solemnis, on 7 May 1824, to great acclaim at the Kärntnertortheater. The Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung
gushed "inexhaustible genius had shown us a new world", and Carl Czerny wrote that his symphony "breathes such a
fresh, lively, indeed youthful spirit [...] so much power, innovation, and beauty as ever [came] from the head of this
original man, although he certainly sometimes led the old wigs to shake their heads."[68] Unlike his earlier concerts,
Beethoven made little money on this one, as the expenses of mounting it were significantly higher.[68] A second
concert on 24 May, in which the producer guaranteed Beethoven a minimum fee, was poorly attended; nephew Karl
noted that "many people have already gone into the country".[69] It was Beethoven's last public concert.[69]
Beethoven then turned to writing the string quartets for Golitsin. This series of quartets, known as the "Late
Quartets", went far beyond what either musicians or audiences were ready for at that time. One musician commented
that "we know there is something there, but we do not know what it is." Composer Louis Spohr called them
"indecipherable, uncorrected horrors", though that opinion has changed considerably from the time of their first
bewildered reception. They continued (and continue) to inspire musicians and composers, from Richard Wagner to
Béla Bartók, for their unique forms and ideas. Of the late quartets, Beethoven's favorite was the Fourteenth Quartet,
op. 131 in C# minor, upon hearing which Schubert is said to have remarked, "After this, what is left for us to write?"
Beethoven wrote the last quartets amidst failing health. In April 1825 he was bedridden, and remained ill for about a
month. The illness—or more precisely, his recovery from it—is remembered for having given rise to the deeply felt
slow movement of the Fifteenth Quartet, which Beethoven called "Holy song of thanks ('Heiliger dankgesang') to the
divinity, from one made well". He went on to complete the (misnumbered) Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Sixteenth
Quartets. The last work completed by Beethoven was the substitute final movement of the Thirteenth Quartet,
deemed necessary to replace the difficult Große Fuge. Shortly thereafter, in December 1826, illness struck again,
with episodes of vomiting and diarrhea that nearly ended his life.

Illness and death

Beethoven was bedridden for most of his remaining months, and many
friends came to visit. He died on 26 March 1827, during a thunderstorm. His
friend Anselm Hüttenbrenner, who was present at the time, claimed that there
was a peal of thunder at the moment of death. An autopsy revealed significant
liver damage, which may have been due to heavy alcohol consumption.[70]
Unlike Mozart, who was buried anonymously in a communal grave (such
being the custom at the time), 20,000 Viennese citizens lined the streets for
Beethoven's funeral on 29 March 1827. Franz Schubert, who died the
following year and was buried next to Beethoven, was one of the
torchbearers. After a Requiem Mass at the church of the Holy Trinity
(Dreifaltigkeitskirche), Beethoven was buried in the Währing cemetery,
north-west of Vienna. His remains were exhumed for study in 1862, and
moved in 1888 to Vienna's Zentralfriedhof.[70] Beethoven's grave site, Vienna
Zentralfriedhof
Ludwig van Beethoven 12

Friends and visitors before and after his death clipped locks of his hair, some of which have been preserved and
subjected to additional analysis, as have skull fragments removed during the 1862 exhumation.[71] Some of these
analyses have led to controversial assertions that Beethoven was accidentally poisoned to death by excessive doses
of lead-based treatments administered under instruction from his doctor.[72] [73] [74]

Character
Beethoven's personal life was troubled due to his encroaching deafness which led him to contemplate suicide
(documented in his Heiligenstadt Testament). Beethoven was often irascible and may have suffered from bipolar
disorder[75] and irritability brought on by chronic abdominal pain beginning in his twenties that has been attributed
to possible lead poisoning.[76] Nevertheless, he had a close and devoted circle of friends all his life, thought to have
been attracted by his reputed strength of personality. Toward the end of his life, Beethoven's friends competed in
their efforts to help him cope with his incapacities.[77]
Sources show Beethoven's disdain for authority, and for social rank. He stopped performing at the piano if the
audience chatted among themselves, or afforded him less than their full attention. At soirées, he refused to perform if
suddenly called upon to do so. Eventually, after many confrontations, the Archduke Rudolph decreed that the usual
rules of court etiquette did not apply to Beethoven.[77]

Beliefs and their musical influence

Beethoven was attracted to the ideals of the Enlightenment. In 1804, when Napoleon's imperial ambitions became
clear, Beethoven took hold of the title-page of his Third Symphony and scratched the name Bonaparte out so
violently that he made a hole in the paper. He later changed the work's title to "Sinfonia Eroica, composta per
festeggiare il sovvenire d'un grand'uom" ("Heroic Symphony, composed to celebrate the memory of a great man"),
and he rededicated it to his patron, Prince Joseph Franz von Lobkowitz, at whose palace it was first performed.
The fourth movement of his Ninth Symphony features an elaborate choral setting of Schiller's Ode An die Freude
("Ode to Joy"), an optimistic hymn championing the brotherhood of humanity.
Scholars disagree about Beethoven's religious beliefs, and about the role they played in his work. It has been
asserted, but not proven, that Beethoven was a Freemason.[78]
Ludwig van Beethoven 13

Music
Beethoven is acknowledged as one of the giants of classical music;
occasionally he is referred to as one of the "three Bs" (along with Bach
and Brahms) who epitomize that tradition. He was also a pivotal figure
in the transition from 18th century musical classicism to 19th century
romanticism, and his influence on subsequent generations of
composers was profound.[77]

Overview
Beethoven composed in several musical genres, and for a variety of
instrument combinations. His works for symphony orchestra include
nine symphonies (the Ninth Symphony includes a chorus), and about a
dozen pieces of "occasional" music. He wrote nine concerti for one or
more soloists and orchestra, as well as four shorter works that include
soloists accompanied by orchestra. His only opera is Fidelio; other
vocal works with orchestral accompaniment include two masses and a
number of shorter works.
A bust based upon Beethoven's death mask.
His large body of compositions for piano includes 32 piano sonatas and
numerous shorter pieces, including arrangements of some of his other
works. Works with piano accompaniment include 10 violin sonatas, 5 cello sonatas, and a sonata for French horn, as
well as numerous lieder.
Beethoven also wrote a significant quantity of chamber music. In addition to 16 string quartets, he wrote five works
for string quintet, seven for piano trio, five for string trio, and more than a dozen works for a variety of combinations
of wind instruments.

The three periods

Beethoven's compositional career is usually divided into Early, Middle, and Late periods.[77] In this scheme, his
early period is taken to last until about 1802, the middle period from about 1803 to about 1814, and the late period
from about 1815.
In his Early period, Beethoven's work was strongly influenced by his predecessors Haydn and Mozart. He also
explored new directions and gradually expanded the scope and ambition of his work. Some important pieces from
the Early period are the first and second symphonies, the set of six string quartets Opus 18, the first two piano
concertos, and the first dozen or so piano sonatas, including the famous Pathétique sonata, Op. 13.
His Middle (Heroic) period began shortly after Beethoven's personal crisis brought on by his recognition of
encroaching deafness. It includes large-scale works that express heroism and struggle. Middle-period works include
six symphonies (Nos. 3–8), the last three piano concertos, the Triple Concerto and violin concerto, five string
quartets (Nos. 7–11), several piano sonatas (including the Moonlight, Waldstein and Appassionata sonatas), the
Kreutzer violin sonata and Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio.
Beethoven's Late period began around 1815. Works from this period are characterized by their intellectual depth,
their formal innovations, and their intense, highly personal expression. The String Quartet, Op. 131 has seven linked
movements, and the Ninth Symphony adds choral forces to the orchestra in the last movement.[77] Other
compositions from this period include the Missa Solemnis, the last five string quartets (including the massive Große
Fuge) and the last five piano sonatas.
Ludwig van Beethoven 14

Beethoven on screen
Eroica is a 1949 Austrian film depicting life and works of Beethoven (Ewald Balser), which also entered into the
1949 Cannes Film Festival.[79] The film is directed by Walter Kolm-Veltée, produced by Guido Bagier with Walter
Kolm-Veltée and written by Walter Kolm-Veltée with Franz Tassié.[80]
In 1994 a film about Beethoven (Gary Oldman) titled Immortal Beloved was written and directed by Bernard Rose.
The story follows Beethoven's secretary and first biographer, Anton Schindler (portrayed by Jeroen Krabbé), as he
attempts to ascertain the true identity of the Unsterbliche Geliebte (Immortal Beloved) addressed in three letters
found in the late composer's private papers. Schindler journeys throughout the Austrian Empire, interviewing women
who might be potential candidates, as well as through Beethoven's own tumultuous life. Filming took place in the
Czech cities of Prague and Kromeriz and the Zentralfriedhof in Vienna, Austria, between May 23 and July 29, 1994.
A movie titled Copying Beethoven was released in 2006, starring Ed Harris as Beethoven. This film was a
fictionalized account of Beethoven's last days, and his struggle to produce his Ninth Symphony before he died.

Sources
• Clive, Peter (2001). Beethoven and His World: A Biographical Dictionary. Oxford University Press. ISBN
0-19-816672-9.
• Cooper, Barry (2008). Beethoven. Oxford University Press US. ISBN 9780195313314.
• Cross, Milton; Ewen, David (1953). The Milton Cross New Encyclopedia of the Great Composers and Their
Music. Garden City, NJ: Doubleday. OCLC 17791083 [81].
• Landon, H C Robbins; Göllerich; August (1970). Beethoven: a documentary study. Macmillan. OCLC 87180 [82].
• Lockwood, Lewis (2005). Beethoven: The Music And The Life. W. W. Norton. ISBN 9780393326383.
• Solomon, Maynard (2001). Beethoven (2nd revised ed.). Schirmer Books. ISBN 0-8256-7268-6.
• Stanley, Glenn (ed) (2000). The Cambridge Companion to Beethoven. Cambridge University Press. ISBN
0-521-58074-9.
• Thayer, A. W.; Krehbiel, Henry Edward (ed, trans); Deiters, Hermann; Riemann, Hugo (1921). The Life of
Ludwig Van Beethoven, Vol 1 [83]. The Beethoven Association. OCLC 422583 [84].
• Kerman, Joseph; Tyson, Alan; Burnham, Scott G. "Ludvig van Beethoven", Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy
(accessed 29 November 2006), grovemusic.com [85] (subscription access).

Further reading
• Albrecht, Theodore, and Elaine Schwensen, "More Than Just Peanuts: Evidence for December 16 as Beethoven's
birthday." The Beethoven Newsletter 3 (1988): 49, 60–63.
• Bohle, Bruce, and Robert Sabin. The International Cyclopedia of Music and Musicians. London: J.M.Dent &
Sons LTD, 1975. ISBN 0-460-04235-1.
• Davies, Peter J. The Character of a Genius: Beethoven in Perspective. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2002.
ISBN 0-313-31913-8.
• Davies, Peter J. Beethoven in Person: His Deafness, Illnesses, and Death. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press,
2001. ISBN 0-313-31587-6.
• DeNora, Tia. "Beethoven and the Construction of Genius: Musical Politics in Vienna, 1792–1803." Berkeley,
California: University of California Press, 1995. ISBN 0-520-21158-8.
• Geck, Martin. Beethoven. Translated by Anthea Bell. London: Haus, 2003. ISBN 1-904341-03-9 (h), ISBN
1-904341-00-4 (p).
• Hatten, Robert S (1994). Musical Meaning in Beethoven. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. ISBN
0-253-32742-3.
• Kropfinger, Klaus. Beethoven. Verlage Bärenreiter/Metzler, 2001. ISBN 3-7618-1621-9.
Ludwig van Beethoven 15

• Martin, Russell. Beethoven's Hair. New York: Broadway Books, 2000. ISBN 978-0767903509
• Meredith, William. "The History of Beethoven's Skull Fragments." The Beethoven Journal 20 (2005): 3-46.
• Morris, Edmund. Beethoven: The Universal Composer. New York: Atlas Books / HarperCollins, 2005. ISBN
0-06-075974-7.
• Rosen, Charles. The Classical Style: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven. (Expanded ed.) New York: W. W. Norton, 1998.
ISBN 0-393-04020-8 (hc); ISBN 0-393-31712-9 (pb).
• Solomon, Maynard. Late Beethoven: Music, Thought, Imagination. Berkeley: University of California Press,
2003. ISBN 0-520-23746-3.
• Thayer, A. W., rev and ed. Elliot Forbes. Thayer's Life of Beethoven. (2 vols.) Princeton: Princeton University
Press. ISBN 0-691-09103-X

External links

General reference
• Mad About Beethoven [86] by British television and radio announcer John Suchet
• Beethoven Depot [87]. Contains all of his works in midi format.
• Beethoven's Letters 1790–1826, Volume 1 [88], Volume 2 [89]. In English at Gutenberg.org.
• Beethoven: The Immortal [90]. Introduction and detailed account of the composer's life. Articles include his
deafness, demeanor, daily routine, medical history, final days, and letters.
• Beethoven-Haus Bonn [91]. Official website of Beethoven-Haus in Bonn, Germany. Links to extensive studio and
digital archive, library holdings, the Beethoven-Haus Museum (including "internet exhibitions" and "virtual
visits"), the Beethoven-Archiv research center, and information on Beethoven publications of interest to the
specialist and general reader. Extensive collection of Beethoven's compositions and written documents, with
sound samples and a digital reconstruction of his last house in Vienna.
• Webcam pic from the Beethoven-Haus [92] showing the rear of the building as photographed within the last
minute.
• Raptus Association for Music Appreciation site on Beethoven [93]
• One Stop Beethoven Resource [94] — articles and facts about Beethoven from Aaron Green, guide to Classical
Music at About.com.
• All About Ludwig van Beethoven [95]
• Beethoven’s Personality and Music: The Introverted Romantic [96]
• Beethoven Billy Bragg Ninth Concert in Los Angeles, August 2009 [97]

Specific topics
• Pictures of "Beethoven in Vienna and Baden" [98]. In French.
• Beethoven's Hair [99] — trace the journey of Beethoven's Hair.
• The Guevara Lock of Beethoven's Hair [100], from The Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies.
• Hair analysis says Beethoven died of lead poisoning [101]. CBC News, 18 October 2000.
• Researchers confirm lead as cause of Beethoven's illness [102] Argonne, Ill. (6 December 2005)
• Beethoven's last apartment in Vienna [103], digitally reconstructed 2004, on Multimedia CD-ROM edited by
Beethoven-Haus Bonn
Ludwig van Beethoven 16

Lists of works
• University of Quebec [104] In French. Contains links to the works arranged according to various criteria, and to a
concordance of the various catalogues.
• Comprehensive lists of works by opus, WoO, Hess, Biamonti [105]

Scores
• Free scores by Ludwig van Beethoven in the International Music Score Library Project
• Free sheet music [106] from Kreusch-sheet-music.net
• Free scores by Ludwig van Beethoven in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Works by Ludwig van Beethoven [107] at Project Gutenberg
• Free scores [108] by Ludwig van Beethoven in the Werner Icking Music Archive (WIMA)
• Beethoven scores [109] from Mutopia Project
• Sibley Music Library resources [110]
• Beethoven manuscripts at the British Library [111]

Recordings
• Musopen.com [112] Free Public Domain MP3 Files, Including the Complete Piano Sonatas
• MP3 Creative Commons recordings [113] from Magnatune
• Beethoven [114] on the Internet Archive. Free, public domain/out of copyright, mp3 files, including the Violin
Concerto with Jascha Heifetz.
• Kunst der Fuge: hundreds of MIDI files [115]
• The Unheard Beethoven [116] — MIDI files of hundreds of Beethoven compositions never recorded and many
that have never been published.
• Beethoven cylinder recordings [117], from the Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project at the University of
California, Santa Barbara Library.
• Ludwig van Beethoven discography [118] at MusicBrainz, a collection of information about commercial
recordings.
• Ludwig van Beethoven [119] at Discogs
• Performances of works by Beethoven in MP3 and MIDI formats at Logos Virtual Library [120]
• The British Library Archival Sound Recordings [121] online audio service includes 100 years of String Quartets.
ckb:‫نڤۆهتێب ناڤ گیودول‬

References
[1] Beethoven was baptised on 17 December. His date of birth was often, in the past, given as 16 December, however this is not known with
certainty; his family celebrated his birthday on that date, but there is no documentary evidence that his birth was actually on 16 December.
[2] Grove Online, section 1
[3] Thayer, Vol 1, p. 49
[4] Thorne, J. O. & Collocott, T.C., ed (1986). Chambers Biographical Dictionary. Edinburgh: W & R Chambers Ltd. p. 114. ISBN
0550180222.
[5] Thayer, Vol 1, p. 53
[6] This is discussed in depth in Solomon, chapter 1.
[7] Stanley, p. 7
[8] Thayer, Vol 1, p. 59
[9] Thayer, Vol 1, p. 67
[10] Thayer, Vol 1, pp. 71–74
[11] Cooper (2008), p. 15
[12] Cooper (2008), p. 23
[13] Cooper (2008), p. 24
[14] Cooper (2008), p. 16
Ludwig van Beethoven 17

[15] Thayer, Vol 1, p. 102

[16] Thayer, Vol 1, p. 104
[17] Thayer, Vol 1, pp. 105–109
[18] Thayer, Vol 1, p. 124
[19] Cooper (2008), p. 35
[20] Cooper (2008), p. 41
[21] Cooper (2008), pp. 35–41
[22] Thayer, Vol 1, p. 148
[23] Cooper (2008), p. 42
[24] Cooper (2008), p. 43
[25] Grove Online, section 3
[26] Cooper (2008), pp. 47,54
[27] Thayer, Vol 1, p. 161
[28] Cooper (2008), p. 53
[29] Cross (1953), p. 59
[30] Cooper (2008), p. 46
[31] Cooper (2008), p. 59
[32] Lockwood (2005), p. 144
[33] Cooper (2008), p. 56
[34] Cooper (2008), pp. 62–65
[35] Cooper (2008), p. 68
[36] Cooper (2008), p. 69
[37] Beethoven, Ludwig (19 November 1796). " Letter to Andreas Streicher in Vienna, Preßburg (http:/ / www. beethoven-haus-bonn. de/
sixcms/ detail. php?id=5119& template=dokseite_digitales_archiv_en& _eid=5055& _ug=Musicians& _dokid=b88& _mid=Written
documents by Ludwig van Beethoven and others& _seite=1)" (in German). Beethoven-Haus Bonn Digital Archives. . Retrieved 2009-06-28.
[38] Cooper (2008), p. 72
[39] Cooper (2008), pp. 75–76
[40] Cooper (2008), p. 82
[41] Cooper (2008), p. 90
[42] Cooper (2008), p. 66
[43] Cooper (2008), p. 58
[44] Cooper (2008), p. 97
[45] Cooper (2008), p. 80
[46] Cooper (2008), pp. 98–103
[47] Cooper (2008), pp. 112–127
[48] Cooper (2008), pp. 112–115
[49] Grove Online, section 5
[50] Cooper (2008), p. 108
[51] Cooper (2008), p. 120
[52] White, Felix (1 April 1927). "Some Tributes to Beethoven in English Verse". The Musical Times Vol. 68 (No. 1010).
[53] Ealy, George Thomas (Spring 1994). " Of Ear Trumpets and a Resonance Plate: Early Hearing Aids and Beethoven's Hearing Perception
(http:/ / www. jstor. org/ pss/ 746569)". 19th-Century Music Vol. 17 (No. 3): 262–273. .
[54] Solomon (2001)
[55] Clive, p. 239
[56] Cooper (2008), p. 131
[57] Cooper (2008), p. 148
[58] Cooper (2008), p. 150
[59] Cooper (2008), p. 185
[60] Cooper (2008), pp. 146,168
[61] Beethoven's Immortal Beloved Letters (http:/ / www. all-about-beethoven. com/ immortalbeloved. html)
[62] Oakley Beahrs, Virginia: The Immortal Beloved Riddle Reconsidered, Musical Times, Vol. 129, No. 1740 (Feb., 1988), pp. 64-70
[63] Cooper (2008), pp. 194, 208–210. Cooper cites Solomon among other sources, and provides compelling evidence that it was neither
Josephine Deym nor Marie Erdödy.
[64] Cooper (2008), p. 212
[65] Cooper (2008), p. 254
[66] On 18 December 1818, The Landrechte, the Austrian court for the nobility, handed over the whole matter of guardianship to the
Stadtmagistrat, the court for commoners " It .... appears from the statement of Ludwig van Beethoven, as the accompanying copy of the court
minutes of 11 December of this year shows, that he is unable to prove nobility: hence the matter of guardianship is transferred to an honorable
magistrate" Landrechte of the Magisterial tribunal.
Ludwig van Beethoven 18

[67] Cooper (2008), p 260

[68] Cooper (2008), p. 317
[69] Cooper (2008), p. 318
[70] Cooper (2008), p. 349
[71] Meredith, William (Spring & Summer 2005). " The History of Beethoven's Skull Fragments (http:/ / www2. sjsu. edu/ depts/ beethoven/
skull/ skullstory. pdf)". The Beethoven Journal Volume 20, numbers 1 & 2: 2–3. . Retrieved 2009-03-27.
[72] Jahn, George (28 August 2007). " Pathologist: Doctor Killed Beethoven (http:/ / www. washingtonpost. com/ wp-dyn/ content/ article/ 2007/
08/ 28/ AR2007082800980_pf. html)". The Washington Post. . Retrieved 29 December 2008.
[73] Eisinger, Josef (1 January 2008). "The lead in Beethoven's hair". Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry Volume 90: 1–5.
[74] Lorenz, Michael: 'Commentary on Wawruch’s Report: Biographies of Andreas Wawruch and Johann Seibert, Schindler’s Responses to
Wawruch’s Report, and Beethoven’s Medical Condition and Alcohol Consumption', The Beethoven Journal, Winter 2007, Vol. 22, No 2, (San
Jose: The Ira Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies, 2007), 92-100.
[75] Beethoven bipolar? http:/ / www. gazette. uottawa. ca/ article_e_1529. html
[76] Cold Case in Vienna: Who Killed Beethoven? (http:/ / www. cbsnews. com/ stories/ 2007/ 08/ 29/ world/ main3216201.
shtml?source=RSSattr=SciTech_3216201) — CBS News
[77] Grove Online
[78] Ludwig van Beethoven — Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon (http:/ / freemasonry. bcy. ca/ biography/ beethoven_l/
beethoven_l. html)
[79] " Festival de Cannes: Eroica (http:/ / www. festival-cannes. com/ en/ archives/ ficheFilm/ id/ 4138/ year/ 1949. html)". festival-cannes.com. .
Retrieved 2009-01-09.
[80] Eroica (http:/ / www. imdb. com/ title/ tt0041335/ ) at the Internet Movie Database
[81] http:/ / worldcat. org/ oclc/ 17791083
[82] http:/ / worldcat. org/ oclc/ 87180
[83] http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=VQw5AAAAIAAJ
[84] http:/ / worldcat. org/ oclc/ 422583
[85] http:/ / www. grovemusic. com/
[86] http:/ / www. madaboutbeethoven. com/
[87] http:/ / www. edepot. com/ beethoven. html
[88] http:/ / www. gutenberg. org/ etext/ 13065
[89] http:/ / www. gutenberg. org/ etext/ 13272
[90] http:/ / lucare. com/ immortal
[91] http:/ / www. beethoven-haus-bonn. de/ sixcms/ detail. php/ / portal_en
[92] http:/ / www. beethoven-haus-bonn. de/ sixcms/ detail. php?template=popup_webcam& _img=/ webcam/ beetcam/ current. jpg
[93] http:/ / www. raptusassociation. org/
[94] http:/ / classicalmusic. about. com/ od/ onestopbeethoven/
[95] http:/ / www. all-about-beethoven. com
[96] http:/ / www. wagele. com/ Beeth-personality. html
[97] http:/ / BeethovenBillyBragg. com
[98] http:/ / pagesperso-orange. fr/ crampman/ album_cris/ musiciens_2. html
[99] http:/ / www. beethovenshair. ca
[100] http:/ / www2. sjsu. edu/ depts/ beethoven/ hair/ hair. html
[101] http:/ / www. cbc. ca/ health/ story/ 2000/ 10/ 18/ beethoven001018. html
[102] http:/ / www. anl. gov/ Media_Center/ News/ 2005/ news051206. html
[103] http:/ / www. marcus-frings. de/ beethoven/ index-en. htm
[104] http:/ / alambix. uquebec. ca/ musique/ / catal/ beethoven/ beelv. html
[105] http:/ / www. lvbeethoven. com/ Oeuvres/ ListOpus. html
[106] http:/ / kreusch-sheet-music. net/ eng/ index. php?action=search& page=show& order=op& query=beethoven
[107] http:/ / www. gutenberg. org/ author/ Ludwig_van_Beethoven
[108] http:/ / icking-music-archive. org/ ByComposer/ Beethoven. php
[109] http:/ / www. mutopiaproject. org/ cgibin/ make-table. cgi?Composer=BeethovenLv
[110] https:/ / urresearch. rochester. edu/ handle/ 1802/ 291/ simple-search?query=Beethoven
[111] http:/ / www. bl. uk/ onlinegallery/ themes/ music/ beethoven. html
[112] http:/ / www. musopen. com/ view. php?type=composer& id=23
[113] http:/ / magnatune. com/ collections/ beethoven
[114] http:/ / www. archive. org/ search. php?query=beethoven%20AND%20collection%3Aopensource_audio
[115] http:/ / www. kunstderfuge. com/ beethoven. htm
[116] http:/ / www. unheardbeethoven. org
[117] http:/ / cylinders. library. ucsb. edu/ search. php?query=beethoven& queryType=%40attr+ 1%3D1
[118] http:/ / musicbrainz. org/ artist/ 1f9df192-a621-4f54-8850-2c5373b7eac9. html
Ludwig van Beethoven 19

[119] http:/ / www. discogs. com/ artist/ Ludwig+ van+ Beethoven

[120] http:/ / www. logoslibrary. org/ classical/ beethoven/ index. html
[121] http:/ / www. bl. uk/ sounds
Article Sources and Contributors 20

Article Sources and Contributors

Ludwig van Beethoven  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=322980753  Contributors: !melquiades, -- April, 10.26, 10metreh, 128.122.176.xxx, 24fan24, 2fruition, 2wingo,
A-giau, ABF, Aaron Warrior Lion, Abaddon, Ace Telephone, Acrinius, Adashiel, Adrian.benko, Ads109, Aeusoes1, Agamemnon2, AgarwalSumeet, Ahoerstemeier, Ajaafar08, Aka042,
Akhilleus, AladdinSE, Alan Millar, Alandeus, Alansohn, Albany NY, Albemarle, AlbertSM, AlbrechtSchwarzschild, Aldoperani, Alegreen, Alexfusco5, Algocu, Alison, Alla tedesca,
AllyndNoir, Almost-instinct, Along1, Alphabetagamnma, Alpy, Alton, Amy96053, Anaxial, Andicat, Andrew Kelly, Andrew Nutter, Andrew16, Andrewlp1991, Andrewpmk, Andrewski,
Anger22, Anglius, Angr, Ann O'nyme, Anonymous anonymous, Anonymous from the 21st century, AnotherSolipsist, Anouymous, Antandrus, Anthonyj2007, Archaeopteryx, ArielGold,
Arjun01, Armstrg47, ArnoLagrange, Arnon Chaffin, Art LaPella, Asim Led, Asmeurer, Assasin Joe, Astorknlam, AstroNomer, Attys, Aunt Entropy, Avb, Avs5221, AwsomeA3, AzaToth,
BMF81, Badradiation, BanyanTree, BastianOfArt, Bdesham, Beefyhash, Beetfarm Louie, Belovedfreak, Ben Tibbetts, Benwedge, Besidesamiracle, Bibliomaniac15, Big pin, BigDogGraphics,
Bigbutbertha, Bikechampion, Biohazard21, Biŋhai, Blackjag, Blbond96, Bleh fu, Bluemask, BlurTento, Bngoal, Bob Castle, Bobbaxter, Bobnotts, Bobo192, Bobobobobobo, Bongwarrior,
Boooooooooo, Boothy443, BooyakaDell, Bosmon, BovineBeast, Bowlhover, Bozman78, Bpeps, Branddobbe, Brian Crawford, Brilliburger, Brocefferv, BrownHairedGirl, Bug in a nutcase,
C0N6R355, CFCF, CSWarren, Cabbage2020, Cactus.man, Caiaffa, Calliopejen1, Calmer Waters, Caltas, CambridgeBayWeather, Camembert, CamperStrike, Can't sleep, clown will eat me,
Cantus, Cardboardlanky, CardinalDan, Carnivac, Carptrash, Casper2k3, Caspinniles, Castromonteiro, Catapult, Causa sui, Cdg1072, Cenarium, CenturionZ 1, Ceoil, Cfortunato, Cgilbert76,
Cgingold, CharlieRCD, Chavo gribower, Chchan1995, Chicago god, Chicheley, Chinju, Cholmes75, Chris 73, Chris K, Chris1072, Chrislk02, Chrisportelli, Cielomobile, Citicat, Classiko,
ClaudeReigns, Clavecin, Cleo123, CloudNine, Clowngod, Clowns789, Clq, Cmpkillyourslf5, Cohesion, CommonsDelinker, Confiteordeo, Contrapuntal, Conversion script, Coronellian, Corpx,
Cosmic Latte, Cosprings, Cpl Syx, Cptukbo, Crackosarus, Crazytales, Cris041, Cryo75, Crzycheetah, Cworls, CyberSkull, Cybermonsters, CzarNick, D6, D913010, DJ Clayworth, DVD R W,
DaQuirin, Daderot, Dan m90, Dan100, DanaUllman, DannyMuse, Dantesqueman, Darev, Darkage1232, Dave A, Dave101, DavidRF, Dbachmann, Dbolton, Deadworm222, Dean Wormer,
Death2, Deathgleaner, Deb, December21st2012Freak, Deepthought4200, Defrosted, Dejvid, Delirium, Delldot, Deor, DerGolgo, DerHexer, DerbertBeak, Deschreiber, Design, Didgeman, Dina,
Dinosaur puppy, Dionysos1, Dipics, Discospinster, Dismas, Dlslider, Doc glasgow, Docu, Dogomad, Donarreiskoffer, Dottoreso, Double Dickel, Doulos Christos, Dr Dec, Dr who1975, Dr.
Blofeld, Dr. Friendly, Dr.Szląchedzki, Dragon-fire96, Drini, Drumsac, Drungarios, Drunkenmonkey, Drwolffenstein, Dsp13, Dualldual, Duncan.france, Dunkelweizen, Durova, Dust Filter,
Dustin89, ESkog, Earldu, Ed g2s, Edward, Edward130603, Edwy, Eeblefish, Eeesh, Efharvey, Ehelling, Eleassar, EliasAlucard, Elinnea, Ellisjudd, Ellywa, Elockid, Eloquence, Elysander, Emc2,
Emerson7, Emhoo, Emilio 14, EmilyGreene1984, Emoelvis, Emre D., Enam Esru, Encephalon, Eomi, Epbr123, Ericszhao1, Erik9, EronMain, Esilverberg, Esprit15d, EugeneZelenko,
Eurystheus, Eusebeus, Eusebius12, Everyking, F.Karels, Fabiom, FactChecker, FayssalF, Fbv65edel, Fcueto, FeanorStar7, Feldmahler, Feliath, Ferhengvan, Findel, Finlux, FlavrSavr, Flcelloguy,
Florentino floro, Fluri, Flying tiger, Folantin, FordPrefect42, FourthAve, FrancesTaylor, Francesco interman, Francis Schonken, Frank Romein, FrankCostanza, Frankenab, Freakofnurture,
Frecklefoot, Fred Bradstadt, Fredrik, FreplySpang, Frosted14, Funnkypotat0, Furrykef, Fuzheado, Fvw, GTBacchus, Gabbe, Gakmo, Galassi, Galoubet, Gamer007, Gareth E Kegg, Gareth Wyn,
Gary King, GaryW, Gatewaycat, Gauravsundar, GavinTing, Gborman, Gdiddy, Germandemat, Gilliam, Gioto, Gmaxwell, Gnowor, Gogo Dodo, Golbez, Gonzonoir, Goochelaar, Gordonrox24,
Gotox, Gpit2286, Gracenotes, Grade7, GraemeS, Graham87, GrandfatherJoe, Greatal386, Greenman, GregAsche, GregorB, Gregorik, Griffinofwales, Grinner, Grover cleveland, Grstain, Gssq,
GuggiePrg, Gune, Gurch, Gurubrahma, Gyan, H@r@ld, HaeB, Haiduc, Hajor, Hans yulun lai, HanzoHattori, Harris7, HarryAlffa, Haverpopper, Haza-w, HeathenWild, Heimstern, Hello29292,
Hello32020, Henry Flower, HenryLi, Herschelkrustofsky, Hersfold, Hockeycraze12000, Hokanomono, Hornandsoccer, Hu12, Hurricane111, Hut 8.5, Hyacinth, Iames, Ianleow7, Icairns,
Icedude999, Icelandic Hurricane, Icylightning, Ideyal, Ilia Kr., Imsohot, InTheFlesh?, Indosauros, Infinity0, InfoDesk, Infrogmation, Innovationeer, Inwind, Iraqii, Iridescent, Island, Ittan,
Ivan423, Ixfd64, Izehar, J.delanoy, J04n, J2THAROME, JAF1970, JASpencer, JBsupreme, JCarriker, JYOuyang, JaGa, Jacek Kendysz, JackofOz, Jajhill, Jakegrucci, Janderk, Janetteheffernan,
Jannex, JasonSalem, Jaxl, Jdoniach, Jdrewitt, Jeff G., JehoshaphatJIJ, Jemammie, Jeremiahkjones, Jeroenl, Jetman, Jguk, Jiang, JimLiddle, Jimladen, Jira123, Jirka19, Jj137, Jjjsixsix, Jjron,
Jjshapiro, Jk31213, Jm307, Jmac800, JoanneB, JoeBlogsDord, Joffrey, John Kjos, John254, JohnEldridge, JohnOwens, Johnd 7, Johnleemk, Johnuniq, Johnwhite79, Jold101, Jonnyhexenpl,
Jordanattheoldschool, Jordz, JoshHolloway, Joshua 70448, Jossi, Jpgordon, Jugbo, Jughead.z, Julian Mendez, JulieRudiani, Just plain Bill, Jvhertum, K. Lastochka, KD5TVI, KPH2293,
Kablammo, Kaldari, Karl Stas, Kasaalan, Katefan0, Katieh5584, Kbdank71, Kchishol1970, Ken Kerrison, Kenax, Keron Cyst, Kerrio, Kesara, Kf4bdy, Kfc1864, Kibiusa, Kimdkim, King of
Hearts, King of Hearts (old account 2), KingRyanIX, Kingpin13, Kingturtle, Kinneyboy90, Kipala, Kittybrewster, Kizor, Kleinzach, KnowledgeOfSelf, Knutux, Koavf, Kobefan002,
KobraKommander, KoolKatz, Koyaanis Qatsi, Kraken5665, Kralias, Kralizec!, Krankenhaus, Kret12, Krutendeen, Ksnow, Kubigula, Kukini, Kungfuadam, Kurtcobain321, Kuru, Kurykh,
Kwamikagami, Kwertii, Kylepiano, L'Aquatique, LPChang, LaMenta3, Labrynthia9856, Lahosken, Lamentation, Larry V, Leandrod, Lectonar, Leithp, Lemkebrent, Leon7, Leonard Vertighel,
Leopoldhausen, Leuko, Liamdaly620, Liberal Freemason, LibraryLion, Lightdarkness, Lightmouse, Lil'E skizzzle, Linuxbeak, LizardJr8, Lohengrin1991, Lookingforgroup, Looxix, Lord
Emsworth, Lostintherush, Lošmi, Lpgeffen, Lukemw, Lumber Jack second account, Lusitanian, MD87, MER-C, MJBurrage, Mad Greg, Maduskis, Maeglin Lómion, Magic5227, Magiclite,
Magicpiano, Magnus Manske, Mahdiislam, Mailer diablo, Mais oui!, Makeemlighter, Makemi, Malafaya, Malcolmxl5, Malo, Mandel, Mangojuice, Manticore126, Mapetite526, Mapsax, MarSch,
Marcus2, Marcuskreusch, Mark y, MarkGallagher, Marquez, MartinDK, Martinwilke1980, Martpol, Matthead, Matthew wishart, Maurice Carbonaro, Mav, Mayumashu, Mbc362, Meaghan,
Megahmad, Megapedia200, Melsaran, Mentifisto, Merchbow, Mets501, Mgummess, MiLo28, Michael Bednarek, Michael Devore, Midisynth, Miguel.mateo, Mike Teavee, MikeCapone,
Mikejamesftw, Mikker, MillerClapp, Millionsandbillions, Milton Stanley, Mindspillage, Mingato, Mintguy, Missmarple, Mister macphisto, Mitya1, Mixcoatl, Mkid4500, Momusufan,
Monegasque, Mongaltune, Monz, Moomoomoo, Moonside, Moreschi, Morwen, Moulder, Mountdeer, Moyogo, Mozart Loves Llamas, Mr. Billion, Mr.4,000, Mr.Z-man, MrFizyx, Mravinszky,
Mscuthbert, Msleeman, Muad, Muggwort17, Munford, MusicaBaroque, MutantFriend, Mwhs, Myrvin, N-true, N.sathyaseelan, N5iln, NHRHS2010, NSLE, Nacuta1983, Nameneko, Nationalism
Patrol, Natl1, NawlinWiki, Neddyseagoon, NeilN, Nemers, Nevilley, NiTenIchiRyu, Nibblus, Nick123, Nightmusic, Nihiltres, Nivix, Nixeagle, Nkour, Nlu, No substitute for you, Node ue,
Noetica, Nonagonal Spider, Noothername, Numbo3, Nunh-huh, Nznewsguy, O Violinista, Oakesy, Of7271, Ohnoitsjamie, Oklahistorybuff, Olessi, Olorin28, Olve Utne, Omicronpersei8,
Onorem, Opelio, Opus33, Opus88888, Oticon6, Outerlimits, Outriggr, OverlordQ, OwenX, Oysterguitarist, PGEORGAS, PGWG, PJfixesit, PamD, Pandora, Parable1991, Parksguard, Partitur,
PatrikR, Paul Erik, Paul Weaver, Paulatim, Paulito, Paxsimius, Peeperman, Pegship, Pengo, Penlan, PerTeng, Persian Poet Gal, Peter Ellis, Peterheis, Pethr, Pfalstad, Pfistermeister, Pgk,
Phaedriel, Pharaoh of the Wizards, Philip Trueman, Phuongy90, Phyte, Pi72, PiCo, Piano non troppo, Pianoguy, Picaroon, PierreAbbat, Pietdesomere, PietyaMyshkin, Pilotguy, Piquant00,
Pizza1512, Pjliu, Pjmpjm, Pladask, Plasticup, Poeloq, Poindexter Propellerhead, Poli, Polylerus, Porky33, Porqin, Postglock, Prattlement, PrestonH, Princia100, Proabivouac, Prodego, Profjim,
Progassman, PseudoSudo, Psy guy, Psyche825, Puddyglum, PuzzletChung, Quadell, Qwertyus, R.S.Vilkas, R42, RJaguar3, RSido, Rackshea, Radman 99 1999, Ragib, Rainwarrior,
Ramonthomas, RandallRScott, Rasmus Faber, Rastamapalace, Raul654, Raymondwinn, Rcaught, Rculatta, Rdsmith4, Realm of Shadows, Red Director, Redlentil, Reece Llwyd, RekishiEJ,
Renesis, Rettetast, Rex Germanus, RexNL, Reywas92, Riana, Rich Farmbrough, Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ), Richard001, Richard75, RichardBlaikie, Richfife, Richy111, RickK, Ridernyc,
Rigaudon, RiseAbove, Rizzleboffin, Rjwilmsi, Rl, Rlevse, Rmrfstar, Robauz, Robert P. O'Shea, RobertG, RobertG II, Robtat, Rod Corkin, RodC, Rodemont2, Rodhullandemu, Roffel, Romcat,
Ron baroqueviolin, Ronaldo Guevara, RoyBoy, Rpab, Rparucci, Rpeh, Rubbishbook, Rudjek, Rumpelstiltskin223, Ruzulo, Ryan Postlethwaite, Ryulong, SEWilco, SGGH, SJP, SMC, ST47, SU
Linguist, SURIV, SYSS Mouse, Sabedon, Sairen42, Saluyot, Sam Korn, Sam Weller, Sandahl, Sango123, Sannse, Sautiller, Sburke, Sca, Scarecroe, Schissel, SchnitzelMannGreek, Schzmo,
Scohoust, Scores4free, Scuiqui fox, Scythre, Sdream93, Seamus the Leprechaun, Seinfreak37, Sek51186, Semperf, Sengkang, Ser Amantio di Nicolao, Sesquialtera II, Seth Ilys, Sfahey,
ShaneA.H, ShaneCavanaugh, Shanes, Sharonlees, SheeEttin, Shii, Shimgray, Shirimasen, Shizhao, Shoemaker's Holiday, Shyam, Sibref, Sicilianmandolin, SidP, Sigma 7, SimonP, Sir James D,
Sir Lewk, Sk516, Skanking, Sketchee, SkyBoxx, Skyman123, Skyring, Skysmith, Sloman, Slp1, Smalljim, Smerus, Snailwalker, Sneller2, Someoneinmyheadbutit'snotme, Sophruhig
Vita@comcast.net, Soupisgoodfood, Sp3000, SpNeo, SpikeMolec, Spontini, Springeragh, SqueakBox, Ssolbergj, Stahlbrand, Starwiz, Stefania.saccani, Steinbach, Stemonitis, Stephantom,
Stephen B Streater, Stephen Burnett, Stephenb, Stepshep, StewartMH, Stifle, Stirling Newberry, Storm8105, Stubblyhead, Studerby, Stumps, Sub-life, Suessmayr, Suisui, Sukolsak, Superlybored,
Suspenlute, Susurrus, Swan258, SwordSmurf, Sysy, Szopen, TMaster, TNTfan101, TVC 15, Taco325i, Tad Lincoln, Tagishsimon, Tana0528, Taner1, Tangotango, TastyPoutine, Tatiana24,
Taubblindheit, Taurrandir, Tawker, Tdent, TeaDrinker, Techfiddle, Technopat, Tedneeman, Tempodivalse, TeresaC7, Tetracube, ThE YaNg, The Fellowship of the Troll, The Gonz, The
Librarian at Terminus, The Observer2, The Rambling Man, The Video Game Master, The1wolf, TheGrza, Theblitz07, Theblitz2007, Thegrandharp, Themanwithoutapast, Themfromspace,
Thesmurf85, Thesteve, Theyenine, Tikiwont, Timneu22, Timorose, Tingle, Tmopkisn, Tobim, Tom harrison, TomasBat, Tomaxer, Tomayres, Tony Corsini, Tony1, TonyClarke, TornVictor,
TotalSpaceshipGuy3, Translogic, Travelbird, TravisTX, Tresckow, Trevalyx, Treveraritz, Trevor MacInnis, Trishm, Triwbe, Trusilver, TrustTruth, Tswallner, Tttecumseh, Tttom, Turangalila,
Turnboughw, Tvoz, UED77, Ugen64, Ugur Basak, Ultratomio, UninvitedCompany, Until It Sleeps, Uogl, Upsiditus, Uranium grenade, Used2BAnonymous, User27091, Vald,
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Waggers, Wahabijaz, Wahkeenah, Wakkawakkawawa, Waldo, Wallie, Ward3001, Was Once, Wellington, Wemakeupstuff, WereSpielChequers, West Brom 4ever, Wetman, Whitneyalam,
Whpq, Wiki alf, Wiki-nightmare, Wiki0709, Wikibd, Wikibofh, Wikidudeman, Wikilogan, Wile E. Heresiarch, Williamrheameredith, Winters.circle, Wipe, Wknight94, Wmahan, WojPob,
Wolvesevolve, Womble, Woohookitty, Wookipedian, WordyGirl90, Work permit, Worlfel2007, WrathofHan, Ww2censor, Wōdenhelm, X1a4muse, XP1, XXSTITCHESXX23, Xerrijd1,
Xipheus865, Xunvala, Xurich, Y2H, Yamaguchi先生, Yamamoto Ichiro, Yamla, Yansa, YellowMonkey, Yosmil, Ytrewq67, Zaheen, ZanessaLuvinGurl, Zanimum, Zapvet, ZeldaWatchingBugs,
Zen611, Zenohockey, ZimZalaBim, Zone46, Zzyzx11, Zzzzzzz77778866, ^demon, Æbeli, Æthelwold, Île flottant, Александър, Україна2000, 2372 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

File:Beethoven.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Beethoven.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: ADGE, Butko, Codeispoetry, Herbythyme, Hotshot977, Howcheng,
Ies, Interpretix, Jappalang, Johney, Jusjih, Mattes, Pixel ;-), Thuresson, 3 anonymous edits
File:Signature Van Beethoven.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Signature_Van_Beethoven.svg  License: unknown  Contributors: User:Peeperman
File:Speaker Icon.svg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Speaker_Icon.svg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Blast, G.Hagedorn, Mobius, 2 anonymous edits
Image:Universität Bonn.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Universität_Bonn.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: User:Der Wolf im Wald
Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors 21

Image:Beethoven house of birth Bonn 2008.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Beethoven_house_of_birth_Bonn_2008.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: Sir James
Image:Thirteen-year-old Beethoven.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Thirteen-year-old_Beethoven.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: User:RobertG
Image:Beethoven Hornemann.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Beethoven_Hornemann.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Christian Hornemann
Image:Beethoven 3.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Beethoven_3.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: Jusjih, Michael Bednarek, Phrood, QwertyUSA, Yonatanh
Image:Beethoven Mähler 1815.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Beethoven_Mähler_1815.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Jusjih, Kokin, Opponent,
Андрей Романенко
Image:Rudolf-habsburg-olmuetz.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Rudolf-habsburg-olmuetz.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: Anathema, OsamaK, Polarlys,
Snek01
Image:Beethoven Letronne.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Beethoven_Letronne.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: Louis Letronne
Image:Masque de Beethoven.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Masque_de_Beethoven.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: User:Perky
Image:Beethoven 7.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Beethoven_7.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: Davepape, Johney, Jusjih, Phrood
Image:Beethoven Waldmuller 1823.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Beethoven_Waldmuller_1823.jpg  License: unknown  Contributors: Ferdinand Georg
Waldmüller (1793–1865)Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller (1793–1865)Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller (1793–1865)
Image:Zentralfriedhof Vienna - Beethoven.JPG  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Zentralfriedhof_Vienna_-_Beethoven.JPG  License: GNU Free Documentation License
 Contributors: Banana patrol, Eknuf, G.dallorto, Gaodifan
Image:Beethoven death mask4.jpg  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Beethoven_death_mask4.jpg  License: Public Domain  Contributors: W.J. Baker (held the expired
copyright on the photograph)

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