Like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven was a musical prodigy. His grandfather came from the Netherlands and was court conductor in Bonn, his father the driving force of the young talent. At the age of 7, Beethoven gave his first public piano concerto.
Ludwig van Beethoven first came to Vienna at the age of 16, where he was supposed to be taught by Mozart. Due to the death of his mother, the young Ludwig had to go back to Bonn. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was never able to get to know Ludwig personally, but he began studying at the University of Bonn in 1789, the year Mozart died.
Ludwig van Beethoven in Vienna
3 years later, in 1792, the time had come again and Ludwig van Beethoven went back to Vienna, where he was taught by Joseph Haydn and Antonio Salieri. Influenced by the French Revolution, Ludwig was not only interested in music, but also in social life and politics. This can also be found in his work “Fidelio”, whereby he paid homage to the principles of political freedom, justice and fraternity.
In his private life, however, he was a difficult, restless and perfectionist person. He didn’t find a woman by his side, just a few friendships. The housekeepers were under surveillance and did not last long with him. He spent around 35 years in and around Vienna, but he changed apartments at least 24 times.
At the age of 27, he noticed his hearing impaired for the first time. One tried to counteract the increasing deafness with a cure in Heiligenstadt. Unfortunately, there was no improvement. The musician therefore experimented with hearing tubes, but was completely deaf at the age of 48.
Beethoven museum and memorials
The Beethoven apartment Heiligenstadt is located in the 19th district, Probusgasse 6. It has been renovated in recent years and expanded to the “Beethoven Museum“. Next to it is another surviving apartment in the Pasqualati house.
The artist can be admired in the wax figure cabinet at Madame Tussauds as an almost real version. The very last memorial is located at the Vienna Central Cemetery.
