Beethoven's life became increasingly problem ridden in his last years. He had financial problems and he became dishonest with music publishers offering to sell his music when it is far from completion and trying to sell several publishers the same piece claiming they would have "exclusive rights."
His physical health was deteriorating and his liver was giving him serious problems. Sometimes his illnesses, including jaundice, last several months. Old personality problems become worse and he is harder than ever to deal with. He is often dirty and wears shabby clothes, once getting himself arrested for vagrancy when the constable refused to believe him that he was Beethoven.
Beethoven becomes more outspoken about the oppression leveled by the Austrian government, but is left alone by the police. This was probably because of his long relationship with Archduke Rudolph and because many people see Beethoven, because of his erratic behavior, as a "crazy old man" who is relatively harmless at this point.
Whatever Beethoven is going through, as far as his composing is concerned, he was as mentally clear as he can be. In his last decade he wrote the most profound music of his life, some of which was used as "evidence" throughout the 19th century that he was actually crazy in his last years. Many works, like the Hammerklavier piano sonata and the Grosse Fugue were rarely played before the 20th century. Today they are considered works of genius that foreshadowed 20th century music and have now have long been standards of the classical repertoire.
Beethoven died on March 26, 1827 after a several month illness when many friends came to visit him. At least 10,000 people turned out to watch Beethoven's funeral procession. His burial place was relocated to the Vienna Central Cemetery.
Major Late Period Works:
The Five "Late" Piano Sonatas (1816 - 1822)
Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major, Op. 101 (1816)
Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat major, Op. 106 ("Hammerklavier") (1818)
Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109 (1820)
Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-flat major, Op. 110 (1822)
Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111 (1822)
33 Variations on a waltz by Anton Diabelli ("Diabelli Variations"), Op. 120 (1823)
Along with J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations, the Diabelli Variations are considered the greatest
set of variations in classical music history. Written as a response to composer and music publisher
Anton Diabelli's request to multiple composers for variations on a theme from a waltz he wrote,
Beethoven returned 33 variations while other composers (including Franz Schubert and
11 year old Franz Liszt) responded with a tiny amount.
Missa solemnis in D major, Op. 123 (1824)
Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 (1824)
The Five "Late" String Quartets and The Grosse Fugue (1825 - 1826)
String Quartet No. 12 in E♭ major, Op. 127 (1825)
String Quartet No. 13 in B♭ major, Op. 130 (1825)
String Quartet No. 14 in C♯ minor, Op. 131 (1826)
String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132 (1825)
Große Fuge in B♭ major, Op. 133 (1826; originally the finale to Op. 130)
String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135 (1826)
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