Beethoven: A Short Introduction

Ludwig van Beethoven was born December 16, 1770 in Bonn, Germany.

He grew up in the Enlightenment and the Classical era of classical music (Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart were the two most important composers of the era).

At age 16, Beethoven went to Vienna to try to get lessons from Mozart.  But his mother got sicj and he returned home in a fre months.  His mother died and because his father was a severe alcoholic, Beethoven stayed in Bonn for six more years to care for his two younger brothers until they turned 18.

Beethoven returned to Vienna around his 16th birthday in December of 1792 just one year after Mozart had died.  Beethoven then took music lessons from Haydn and a couple other important composers of the time.

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