Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was a German composer, conductor and pianist, regarded as one of the greatest composers in the history of Western music. Born in Bonn, he moved to Vienna as a young man and studied briefly with Joseph Haydn. His career bridged the Classical and Romantic periods; despite progressive deafness from his late twenties, he continued to compose landmark works including nine symphonies, thirty-two piano sonatas and numerous chamber works, expanding the scale and expressive range of instrumental music. His compositions remain among the most performed and studied in the Western classical repertoire.