August Composer of the Month

Ludwig van Beethoven

1770-1827

Ludwig van Beethoven was one of the most famous musicians in history, and his music is still loved all over the world. He was born in Germany and started playing piano when he was very young. Beethoven was so good that people noticed right away he had something special. When he grew older, he moved to Vienna, Austria, where he learned from great teachers and started writing music of his own.

What makes Beethoven really amazing is that even though he began to lose his hearing in his twenties, he never gave up on music. In fact, he wrote some of his greatest works when he could barely hear at all! Instead of letting his struggles stop him, he poured all his feelings—joy, sadness, and strength—into his music. That’s why so many people feel moved when they listen to him.

Beethoven wrote all kinds of music: pieces for big groups of musicians called symphonies, smaller works for instruments like the piano and violin, and even music for quartets (four instruments playing together). You might already know his famous “da-da-da-DAAA” beginning from Symphony No. 5, or the beautiful “Moonlight Sonata,” which is soft and dreamy on piano. His Ninth Symphony even has a choir singing in it, which was something no one had done before!

Beethoven’s music changed the way people thought about what music could do. It could tell a story, show emotions, and make people feel inspired. Even today, more than 200 years later, his music is played in concerts, movies, and even cartoons.