One of the most famous musical works of the great Beethoven in history, called “ Moonlight Sonata", was dedicated to the young Juliet Guicciardi. The girl won the composer's heart and then cruelly broke it. But it is to Juliet that we owe the fact that we can listen to such deeply penetrating music of one of the best sonatas of the brilliant composer.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was born in the German city of Bonn. The childhood years can be called the most difficult in the life of the future composer. It was difficult for the proud and independent boy to cope with the fact that his father, a rude and despotic man, noticing his son’s musical talent, decided to use him for selfish purposes. Forcing little Ludwig to sit at the harpsichord from morning to night, he did not think that his son needed childhood so much. At the age of eight, Beethoven earned his first money - he gave a public concert. Along with success came isolation and unsociability to the young musician.

At the same time, Christian Gottlieb Nefe, his wise and kind mentor, appeared in the life of the future composer. It was he who instilled in the boy a sense of beauty, taught him to understand nature, art, and understand human life. Nefe taught Ludwig ancient languages, philosophy, literature, history, and ethics. Subsequently, being a deeply and broadly thinking person, Beethoven became an adherent of the principles of freedom, humanism, and equality of all people.

In 1787, young Beethoven left Bonn and went to Vienna. Beautiful Vienna - a city of theaters and cathedrals, street orchestras and love serenades under the windows - won the heart young genius. But that's where young musician He was struck by deafness: at first the sounds seemed muffled to him, then he repeated unheard phrases several times, then he realized that he was completely losing his hearing.

“I lead a bitter existence,” Beethoven wrote to his friend. - I'm deaf. With my profession, nothing could be more terrible... Oh, if I could get rid of this disease, I would embrace the whole world.”

But the horror of progressive deafness was replaced by happiness from meeting a young aristocrat, Italian by birth, Giulietta Guicciardi (1784-1856). Juliet, daughter of the rich and noble Count Guicciardi, arrived in Vienna in 1800. The young girl’s love of life and charm captivated the 30-year-old composer, and he immediately admitted to his friends that he had fallen in love passionately and ardently. He was sure that the same tender feelings arose in the heart of the mocking coquette.

In a letter to his friend, Beethoven emphasized: “This wonderful girl is so loved by me and loves me that I observe an amazing change in myself precisely because of her... My life has become more joyful, I meet people more often... The first happy moments in my life for the last two years."

Ludwig even thought about marriage, despite the fact that the girl belonged to an aristocratic family. But the composer in love consoled himself with the thought that he would give concerts, achieve independence, and then marriage would become possible.

A few months after their first meeting, Beethoven invited Juliet to take some from him. free lessons playing the piano. She happily accepted this offer, and in return for such a generous gift, she presented her teacher with several shirts embroidered by her. Beethoven was a strict teacher. When he didn’t like Juliet’s playing, frustrated, he threw the notes on the floor, pointedly turned away from the girl, and she silently collected the notebooks from the floor.

The passion, apparently, was indeed mutual. The composer impressed Juliet with his name and even his oddities. Moreover, as Beethoven’s contemporaries recalled, his personality had an irresistible effect on those around him. Despite the fact that smallpox disfigured Ludwig’s already ugly face, the unfavorable impression of his appearance quickly disappeared thanks to his beautiful radiant eyes and charming smile. Exceptional sincerity and genuine kindness balanced many of the shortcomings of his frantic, passionate character.

Six months later, at the peak of his feelings, Beethoven began creating a new sonata, which after his death would be called “Moonlight”. It is dedicated to Countess Guicciardi and was started in the state great love, delight and hope.

But soon everything changed... A rival appeared - the handsome young Count R. Gallenberg, who fancied himself a composer. Coming from an impoverished aristocratic family, Gallenberg decided to make musical career, although he did not have sufficient data for this. The press noted that the overtures of “a certain Count Gallenberg” so slavishly imitate Mozart and Cherubini that in each individual case it is possible to indicate exactly where he took this or that musical turn from. But the frivolous beauty was seriously carried away by the count and his writings, sincerely believing that Gallenberg’s “talent” was not recognized due to intrigue. According to other sources, her relatives hastened to marry her off as a count, having learned about her relationship with the composer...

Be that as it may, there was a cooling between Beethoven and Juliet. And even later, the composer received a letter. It ended with cruel words: “I am leaving a genius who has already won, to a genius who is still struggling for recognition. I want to be his guardian angel."

Beethoven, angry, asked the young countess not to come to him anymore. “I despised her,” Beethoven recalled much later. “After all, if I wanted to give my life to this love, what would be left for the noble, for the highest?”

In 1803, Giulietta Guicciardi married Gallenberg and left for Italy.

In mental turmoil in October 1802, Beethoven left Vienna and went to Heiligenstadt, where he wrote the famous “Heiligenstadt Testament”:

“Oh, you people who think that I am evil, stubborn, ill-mannered, how unfair you are to me; you do not know the secret reason for what seems to you. In my heart and mind, since childhood, I have been predisposed to a tender sense of kindness, I have always been ready to accomplish great things. But just think that for six years now I have been in an unfortunate state... I am completely deaf...”

But Beethoven gathered his strength and decided to start new life and in almost absolute deafness he created great masterpieces.

Several years passed, and Juliet returned to Austria and came to Beethoven’s apartment. Crying, she recalled the wonderful time when the composer was her teacher, talked about the poverty and difficulties of her family, asked to forgive her and help with money. Beethoven seemed indifferent and indifferent. But who knows what was going on in his heart, tormented by numerous disappointments. At the end of his life, the composer will write: “I was very loved by her and more than ever, I was her husband...”

When Giulietta Guicciardi, while still a student of the maestro, once noticed that Beethoven’s silk bow was not tied properly, tied it up and kissed his forehead, the composer did not take off this bow and did not change his clothes for several weeks, until friends hinted at his not quite fresh appearance his suit.

In the autumn of 1826, Beethoven fell ill. Grueling treatment and three complex operations could not get the composer back on his feet. All winter, without getting out of bed, completely deaf, he suffered because... he could not continue to work. On March 26, 1827, the great musical genius Ludwig van Beethoven died.

After his death, a letter “To the Immortal Beloved” was found in a desk drawer (as Beethoven himself titled the letter): “My angel, my everything, my self... Why is there deep sadness where necessity reigns? Can our love survive only at the cost of sacrifices and renunciation of completeness? Can’t you change the situation in which you are not entirely mine and I am not entirely yours? What a life! Without you! So close! So far! What longing and tears for you - you - you, my life, my everything...”

Many will then argue about who exactly the message is addressed to. But a small fact points specifically to Juliet Guicciardi: next to the letter was kept a tiny portrait of Beethoven’s beloved, made by an unknown master.

From: Anna Sardaryan. 100 great love stories

In the preview: a still from the film “Immortal Beloved” (1994)

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Beethoven was presumably born on December 16 (only the date of his baptism is precisely known - December 17), 1770 in the city of Bonn into a musical family. From childhood he was taught to play the organ, harpsichord, violin, and flute.

For the first time, composer Christian Gottlob Nefe began to work seriously with Ludwig. Already at the age of 12, Beethoven’s biography included his first musical job – assistant organist at court. Beethoven studied several languages ​​and tried to compose music.

The beginning of a creative journey

After his mother's death in 1787, he took over the family's financial responsibilities. Ludwig Beethoven began playing in an orchestra and listening to university lectures. Having accidentally encountered Haydn in Bonn, Beethoven decides to take lessons from him. For this he moves to Vienna. Already at this stage, after listening to one of Beethoven’s improvisations, the great Mozart said: “He will make everyone talk about himself!” After some attempts, Haydn sent Beethoven to study with Albrechtsberger. Then Antonio Salieri became Beethoven's teacher and mentor.

The rise of a musical career

Haydn briefly noted that Beethoven's music was dark and strange. However, in those years, Ludwig's virtuoso piano playing brought him his first fame. Beethoven's works differ from the classical playing of harpsichordists. There, in Vienna, the future famous works were written: Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, Pathétique Sonata.

Rude and proud in public, the composer was very open and friendly towards his friends. Beethoven's work in the following years is filled with new works: the First and Second Symphonies, “The Creation of Prometheus”, “Christ on the Mount of Olives”. However, Beethoven's further life and work were complicated by the development of an ear disease - tinitis.

The composer retires to the city of Heiligenstadt. There he works on the Third – Heroic Symphony. Complete deafness separates Ludwig from the outside world. However, even this event cannot make him stop composing. According to critics, Beethoven's Third Symphony fully reveals his greatest talent. The opera Fidelio is staged in Vienna, Prague, and Berlin.

Recent years

In the years 1802-1812, Beethoven wrote sonatas with special desire and zeal. Then entire series of works for piano, cello, the famous Ninth Symphony, and the Solemn Mass were created.

Let us note that the biography of Ludwig Beethoven in those years was filled with fame, popularity and recognition. Even the authorities, despite his frank thoughts, did not dare to touch the musician. However, strong feelings about his nephew, whom Beethoven took into custody, quickly aged the composer. And on March 26, 1827, Beethoven died of liver disease.

Many of Ludwig van Beethoven's works have become classics not only for adult listeners, but also for children.

There are about a hundred monuments to the great composer around the world.

Beethoven is remembered not only as one of the greatest composers in the history of mankind, but also for the fact that a significant part of his brilliant creations he created while completely deaf.

When and why did Beethoven begin to lose his hearing?

Let us immediately note that Ludwig wasn't born deaf. Moreover, he was also not blind or dumb (regarding “blindness” - Beethoven in this regard is often confused with Bach).

Like all other episodes of Beethoven's biography, his deafness (or rather, the reasons for its development) also raises questions and a lot of controversy from various biographers.

In particular, on the Internet you can find a significant amount hypothetical causes of deafness Beethoven. According to various biographers, everything influenced the great composer’s hearing loss: from neurological disorders and internal otitis (labyrinthitis) to lead poisoning and syphilis.

Probably, aliens alone were not involved in the development of this disease in the composer. In any case, all these hypothetical reasons are not don't matter, because in fact, no one, not even the best biographer or medical expert, knows what exactly caused Beethoven to become deaf.

Even today, hearing loss is huge problem not only for the patient, but also for the doctor treating him - after all, there can be a huge number of causes of the disease. The diagnostic stage alone can become a real puzzle for a doctor - and this is with current medical technologies. Well, at that time there was not even any talk about the correct diagnosis of the causes of hearing loss and, even more so, about methods of treating deafness!

Therefore the question "Why the great Beethoven Have you lost your hearing? does not and cannot have the correct answer and, most likely, will never get it.

If we still try to narrow down the range of hypothetical causes of Beethoven’s deafness, then the most “adequate” version is the abnormal growth of the bones of the inner ear in the composer ( otosclerosis), which, in turn, could be a consequence Paget's disease(however, this is also questionable).

In addition to the reason for the composer's deafness, doubts also affect approximate date, when exactly Beethoven began to realize that he was losing his precious hearing.

If we average the data of different biographers, we can accurately assume that Ludwig began to notice the first signs of hearing impairment in the period from 1795 to 1800 - then he was 24-29 years old, respectively. However, judging by the letters of Beethoven himself, we can say for sure that he began to notice the first signs of hearing loss at least since 1796.

Beethoven hid his deafness

By the age of 30, Ludwig had already won the recognition of the Viennese public, having already composed six string quartets, the first symphony, a couple of pianoconcerts, and also became famous as the strongest pianist in Vienna. Agree, not a bad prospect for a young musician!

However, at the same time, Ludwig was increasingly bothered by the strange ringing in his ears. Naturally, the increasingly popular composer was extremely worried about this phenomenon.

It is known that at first Beethoven hid this problem from people even from his closest circle. However, in the end he could not stand it and in a letter dated June 1, 1801, he told his very good old friend, the violinist, about his illness Karl Amende.

We will not quote the text verbatim, but the semantic content was something like this:

“The most precious thing I have is my hearing. And he completely deteriorated. When you were with me, I already felt the symptoms, but did not say anything about them. Now they have become much worse...».

It is worth noting that from the contents of the letter it was clear: the composer was still had hope for a cure from this illness. Beethoven also asked Amenda to keep it a secret.

Well, on the 29th of the same month, Ludwig sends a letter to another friend - Wegeler, who by that time was already a serious doctor. This letter was approximately similar in terms of content as the previous one. Ludwig also complained to Wegeler that he could not hear the high notes of the instruments and the voices of the vocalists.

Well, after a few months, November 16, 1801 year, the composer again wrote a letter to Wegeler, where he complained about the doctors who, in his opinion, did not try at all to stop the rapidly developing deterioration of his hearing. Some doctors, according to Ludwig, practiced some strange and outdated methods of treatment on him. Doctors, by the way, considered Beethoven’s illness not a separate disease, but a consequence of other illnesses of the composer, mainly associated with abdominal organs.

In turn, the latter began to seriously bother Ludwig after he suffered a serious illness (apparently typhus) in 1797. In general, Beethoven mentioned the first pains in the abdominal cavity and chest in that very letter to his friend Schaden, in which he complained about his mental and physical condition after the death of his mother, .

Indeed, Beethoven’s health was poor in several ways. Throughout his life he suffered a whole ensemble of diseases: gallstone disease, stomach disorders, lung diseases and so on. Most often, these diseases were considered by doctors to be the cause of hearing impairment. Therefore, their treatment methods mainly converged on the treatment of diseases of the abdominal organs without paying much attention to the main problem - hearing loss.

Although Beethoven himself apparently also believed in this cause-and-effect relationship, he stillHe was very skeptical about the very methods of the doctors treating him and from time to time sent letters to Professor Wegeler, consulting with him on various medical issues. Well, he constantly quarreled with the doctors who visited him.

The young composer could not even imagine that he would lose almost the most important thing - his own hearing. But eventually he began to realize the severity and obvious incurability of his illness and began to gradually admit this to himself.

For any person, such an illness would be a terrible blow, but given that Ludwig at that time had already “formed” as popular composer, for him it was a double blow.

Beethoven tried to keep his problem a secret even from his inner circle in Vienna. At first, he even had to avoid various social events where his presence would be very important. Ludwig was afraid that if the Viennese public found out about this, his career as a pianist would collapse (however, within a few years everyone would know about it).

It is worth noting that in the above letter, Ludwig also told his old friend, Wegeler, more pleasant news, where he spoke about his feelings for a cute girl. At this time, Beethoven's heart belonged to his beloved student - Julia Guicciardi.

It was to her that Ludwig dedicated probably the most famous of his sonatas for piano, which received the number “14” and was later nicknamed in society “Sonata moonlight" or " « .

Despite the fact that Giulia Guicciardi was higher in social status than Beethoven, the composer still dreamed of gaining fame, earning a lot of money and “rising” to his level in order to marry her.

However, the frivolous countess found herself another idol - an almost mediocre composer Gallenberg. And Beethoven himself, perhaps, already then began to understand that, even if, from a material point of view, he sooner or later “reaches” the social status of Giulia Guicciardi, it doesn’t matter why this girl needs a deaf husband...

Ludwig already understood then that deafness might not leave him for the rest of his life. Well, in 1803 the young countess will marry Gallenberg and leave for Italy.

Beethoven's Heiligenstadt Testament

In 1802, Ludwig, on the advice of his attending physician, professor Johann AdamSchmidt , lives in a stunningly picturesque area - Heiligenstadt, whichNowadays it is a suburb of Vienna, but then it was in the northern part of the city. From the windows of his house there was a stunning view of the fields and the Danube River.

Apparently, Professor Schmidt believed that Ludwig needed to be treated not only for his hearing, but also to put his mental state in order, and also to cure those same diseases of the abdominal organs. Most likely, he believed that in this way the composer’s hearing would cease to leave him.

Indeed, Beethoven loved to take long walks in the picturesque surrounding forests of Heiligenstadt. He really liked the local nature, he loved to relax in this calm rural atmosphere.

However, treatment may have helped normalize state of mind, but certainly did not stop the progressive deafness. One day Beethoven was walking through the forest near Heilischenstadt with his friend and student, Ferdinand Rees. Both musicians paid attention to the shepherd, who was playing a woodwind instrument (apparently a pipe).

Rhys had already noticed that Ludwig could not hear the melody that the shepherd was playing. At the same time, according to Ries himself, the music was very beautiful, but Beethoven did not hear it. Perhaps this was the first time that someone from Ludwig’s close circle learned about this problem on their own, not from the words of the composer himself.

The treatment, which lasted from April to October, unfortunately, did not help Beethoven forget about the problem of deafness. On the contrary, the further time passed, the more the composer realized that he could no longer get rid of this problem.

After Ludwig's death in 1827, his friends, Anton Schindler and Stefan Brüning, found on the table in his house a document similar to a letter to his brothers. This letter became known as Heiligenstadt Testament.

In this letter dated October 6, 1802 (with an addition dated October 10), left to his brothers - and (only instead of the name Johann he left spaces), Beethoven discussed the suffering caused by deafness. He also asks people to forgive themselves for not hearing their speech.

The original “Heiligenstadt Testament” cannot be read without deepest regret, for it is thoroughly saturated with pity and emotions of a desperate composer, who at that time may have been on the verge of suicide.

Indeed, some scholars considered the Heiligenstadt Testament almost a suicide note. In their opinion, Ludwig simply did not have the courage to commit suicide, and he simply did not have time to get rid of the letter itself.

But other biographers do not find any direct thoughts of Beethoven about attempting suicide, but see only the composer’s hypothetical thoughts about suicide as an escape from the suffering caused by deafness.

Beethoven himself in this letter made it clear that in his head at that time there was so much new and unknown music to the world that it was worth living for.

The deaf composer continues to create

Perhaps most striking is the fact that, despite his progressive deafness, Ludwig continued to compose simply stunning works.

Even when deafness completely defeats him, unfortunate Ludwig, stamping his feet and howling, will write the most beautiful music that he himself will not be able to hear physically, but this music will sound in his head. In many ways, he was helped at first by special ear tubes(1816-1818), which are now in his home museum in Bonn (they are depicted on the splash screen at the beginning of the article). But the composer did not use them for long, since as deafness progressed, the meaning in their use decreased.

We also do not know the exact time when Beethoven completely lost his hearing. Most biographers tend to believe Beethoven's student - the great composer Karl Cerny, who claimed that his teacher completely lost his hearing in 1814, and a couple of years before that he could still hear music and speech.

However, other evidence suggests that at this time Beethoven was still understanding sounds, just much worse than before, and therefore was forced to stop concert activities.

A more thorough analysis of biographical sources allows us to talk about the almost complete onset of deafness in Beethoven in 1823— the left ear then, apparently, heard very poorly, and the right ear practically no longer worked.

In any case, after writing the Heiligenstadt will, Ludwig continued to live and compose music.Despite his illness, as well as his unrequited love for Countess Giulia Guicciardi and subsequent disappointment in her (as well as other unsuccessful novels, which we will talk about in future issues), Beethoven continues his composing activity - in general, this creative period biographers call the composer "Heroic".

Well, in recent years Beethoven even used special "conversation notebooks"(starting from 1818), with the help of which he communicated with his friends. As a rule, they wrote some questions or remarks in these notebooks, and Ludwig answered them - either in writing or orally (remember that Beethoven was not dumb).

After 1822, Ludwig would generally refuse any kind of medical care to treat his hearing, because at that time he would have to treat completely different diseases.

Other periods of Beethoven's biography:

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All information about Beethoven's Biography

22.09.2018

Deaf musician. Deaf composer

Beethoven - Austrian-German musician and composer, the brightest representative period of transition from classicism to romanticism. Born December 16, 1770 in Bonn, died March 26, 1827 in Vienna. To this day, Beethoven's works are among the most frequently performed.

Anyone familiar with the history of music is well aware that Ludwig van Beethoven suffered from deafness for half of his short life. Hearing loss forced him to give up public performances, had an extremely negative impact on the composer’s already difficult character, and caused him to abuse alcoholic beverages.

Scientists and doctors are still arguing about the causes of hearing loss. But in fact, deafness was only one of a whole bunch of ailments plaguing the brilliant musician.

What was Beethoven's illness?

Medicine in the 18th and 19th centuries, although it began to emerge from the darkness of misconceptions and dense superstitions, left much to be desired. It was dangerous to get sick: if the disease was spared, incompetent healers could heal it to death. And there were no effective drugs yet.

Ludwig's father suffered from drunkenness, from which he died. Even earlier, Beethoven's mother left this world, having died. The same disease claimed the life of one of the brothers of the future composer, another brother died of heart disease. Ludwig himself was susceptible to colds from early childhood. There is also evidence that at the age of 5, Ludwig suffered several asthma attacks. Smallpox did not bypass him either, leaving marks on his face for the rest of his life.

At the age of 18, Beethoven began to suffer from abdominal pain and intestinal problems: severe constipation was followed by equally severe diarrhea. By 1810, the pain became so severe that Ludwig began to turn to alcohol to numb the terrible colic. Constant pain deprived the composer of his appetite, and he began to suffer from anorexia and dehydration.

Deafness first made itself felt at the age of 26. Then a high-pitched ringing began to appear in the ears, preventing the musician not only from working, but also from simply communicating with others. The deafness intensified, and by the age of 40, Ludwig became completely deaf.

What is hearing loss for a musician? A huge tragedy. Beethoven, suffering from depression, stomach pain, and losing the ability to hear, began to drink even more. Alcohol abuse only worsened his health: in 1822 he was joined to a bouquet of ailments, in 1823 - an inflammatory eye disease, in 1825 doctors diagnosed Beethoven with jaundice. The year 1826 brought with it a severe illness, and a little later ascites developed. By the spring of 1827, the composer was already very seriously ill. The doctor was forced to puncture the peritoneum to pump out the fluid accumulated in the abdominal cavity. On March 24, Beethoven fell into a coma and died two days later.

Post-mortem diagnoses

The causes of the illness and death of the brilliant composer remained a mystery to doctors. Beethoven's body was exhumed twice to conduct research and try to shed light on the mysteries of his medical history. There was controversy surrounding the causes of his deafness, and there was no consensus on the cause of his death.

There are several opinions regarding hearing loss:

• old inflammation caused by the habit of dipping your head in cold water for vigor;
• otosclerosis;
• Meniere's disease;
• syphilitic lesion and some others.

The most interesting hypothesis was recently published by American scientists in the journal PLoS Genetics. Studies have been conducted at the University of Southern California that suggest the likelihood of developing deafness in the presence of a specific mutation of the Nox3 gene. Damage to the gene makes the cochlea of ​​the ear extremely vulnerable to high-pitched sounds. A sound frequency of 8 kilohertz causes rapid destruction of the sensitive cells of the hearing organ, leading to deafness.

As for the premature death of the musician, the most convincing version is the combination of several fatal factors:

• chronic inflammatory bowel disease, possibly Crohn's disease;
• liver cirrhosis (by the way, the autopsy indicated non-alcoholic cirrhosis);
• lead poisoning from improper treatment: analysis of hair and body tissue showed high content lead

When you hear the familiar chords of the Moonlight Sonata or the powerful sounds of the Eroic Symphony, remember how the author of this music lived. How a lonely suffering genius worked, overcoming pain, struggling with elusive sounds. And bow to him mentally.

Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer, conductor and pianist born in December 1770 in Bonn. The exact date of birth has not been established; only the date of baptism is known - December 17. In 1796, Beethoven began to lose his hearing. He develops tinitis, an inflammation of the inner ear that leads to ringing in the ears. On the advice of doctors, he retires for a long time to the small town of Heiligenstadt. However, peace and quiet do not improve his well-being. Beethoven begins to understand that deafness is incurable. As a result of Beethoven's deafness, unique historical documents have been preserved: “conversation notebooks”, where Beethoven’s friends wrote down their remarks for him, to which he responded either orally or in a response note. Due to deafness, Beethoven rarely leaves the house and is deprived of sound perception. He becomes gloomy and withdrawn. It was during these years that the composer created his most famous works one after another. But the main creations of recent years have been Beethoven's two most monumental works - “Solemn Mass” and Symphony No. 9 with choir. The Ninth Symphony was performed in 1824. The audience gave the composer a standing ovation. It is known that Beethoven stood with his back to the audience and did not hear anything, then one of the singers took his hand and turned him to face the audience. People waved scarves, hats, and hands, greeting the composer. The ovation lasted so long that the police officials present demanded that it stop. Such greetings were allowed only in relation to the person of the emperor. Beethoven died on March 26, 1827. Deaf composers. *William Boyce (September 11, 1711 - February 7, 1779) - English composer. Beuys began to lose his hearing in 1768. *Dame Evelyn Elizabeth Ann Glennie DBE (born July 19, 1965 in Aberdeen, Scotland) is a Scottish percussionist and composer. By the age of 11 she had lost 90% of her hearing, but refused to give up her music studies and switched to percussion instruments. *Johann Matteson (September 28, 1681, Hamburg - April 17, 1764, Hamburg) - German composer, musician, music theorist, librettist. Since 1696 - singer, since 1699 also bandmaster in opera house Hamburg. In 1728, due to deafness, he stopped serving as a bandmaster. *Bedrich Smetana (March 2, 1824, Litomysl - May 12, 1884, Prague) - Czech composer, pianist and conductor, founder of the Czech national school of composers. In 1874, Smetana became seriously ill and due to almost complete hearing loss was forced to leave his post. After retiring from active social activities, he continued to compose music. *Gabriel Urbain Fauré (May 12, 1845, Pamiers, France - November 4, 1924, Paris, France) - French composer and teacher. Towards the end of his life, Fauré lost his hearing; he resigned as director in 1920 and lived on a modest pension, devoting himself exclusively to composition. (link)

Ludwig Beethoven was born in 1770 in the German town of Bonn. In a house with three rooms in the attic. In one of the rooms with a narrow dormer window that let in almost no light, his mother, his kind, gentle, meek mother, whom he adored, often fussed about. She died of consumption when Ludwig was barely 16, and her death was the first great shock in his life. But always, when he remembered his mother, his soul was filled with a gentle warm light, as if the hands of an angel had touched it. “You were so kind to me, so worthy of love, you were my best friend! ABOUT! Who was happier than me when I could still say the sweet name - mother, and it was heard! Who can I tell it to now?..”

Ludwig's father, a poor court musician, played the violin and harpsichord and had a very beautiful voice, but suffered from conceit and, intoxicated by easy success, disappeared into taverns and led a very scandalous life. Having discovered his son's musical abilities, he set out to make him a virtuoso, a second Mozart, at all costs, in order to solve financial problems family. He forced five-year-old Ludwig to repeat boring exercises for five to six hours a day and often, coming home drunk, woke him up even at night and, half asleep and crying, sat him down at the harpsichord. But despite everything, Ludwig loved his father, loved and pitied him.

When the boy was twelve years old, a very important event happened in his life - fate itself must have sent Christian Gottlieb Nefe, court organist, composer, and conductor, to Bonn. This extraordinary man, one of the most advanced and educated people of that time, immediately recognized a brilliant musician in the boy and began to teach him for free. Nefe introduced Ludwig to the works of the greats: Bach, Handel, Haydn, Mozart. He called himself “an enemy of ceremony and etiquette” and “a hater of flatterers,” these traits later clearly manifested themselves in Beethoven’s character. During frequent walks, the boy eagerly absorbed the words of the teacher, who recited the works of Goethe and Schiller, talked about Voltaire, Rousseau, Montesquieu, about the ideas of freedom, equality, fraternity that freedom-loving France lived at that time. Beethoven carried the ideas and thoughts of his teacher throughout his life: “Talent is not everything, it can perish if a person does not have devilish perseverance. If you fail, start again. If you fail a hundred times, start again a hundred times. A person can overcome any obstacle. Talent and a pinch are enough, but perseverance requires an ocean. And in addition to talent and perseverance, you also need self-confidence, but not pride. God bless you from her."

Many years later, Ludwig in a letter thanked Nefe for the wise advice that helped him in the study of music, this “divine art”. To which he will modestly answer: “Ludwig Beethoven’s teacher was Ludwig Beethoven himself.”

Ludwig dreamed of going to Vienna to meet Mozart, whose music he idolized. At the age of 16, his dream came true. However, Mozart treated the young man with distrust, deciding that he had performed a well-learned piece for him. Then Ludwig asked to give him a theme for free imagination. He had never improvised so inspiredly before! Mozart was amazed. He exclaimed, turning to his friends: “Pay attention to this young man, he will make the whole world talk about himself!” Unfortunately, they never met again. Ludwig was forced to return to Bonn, to his dearly beloved sick mother, and when he later returned to Vienna, Mozart was no longer alive.

Soon Beethoven's father finally became an alcoholic, and the 17-year-old boy fell on the shoulders of caring for his two younger brothers. Fortunately, fate extended a helping hand to him: he made friends from whom he found support and consolation - Elena von Breuning replaced Ludwig's mother, and his brother and sister Eleanor and Stefan became his first friends. Only in their house did he feel calm. It was here that Ludwig learned to value people and respect human dignity. Here he learned and fell in love for the rest of his life epic heroes"Odyssey" and "Iliad", heroes of Shakespeare and Plutarch. Here he met Wegeler, the future husband of Eleanor Breuning, who became his best friend, a friend for life.

In 1789, Beethoven's thirst for knowledge led him to the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Bonn. That same year, a revolution occurred in France, and news of it quickly reached Bonn. Ludwig and his friends listened to lectures by literature professor Eulogius Schneider, who inspiredly read his poems dedicated to the revolution to the students: “To crush stupidity on the throne, to fight for the rights of mankind... Oh, not one of the lackeys of the monarchy is capable of this. This is only possible for free souls who prefer death to flattery, poverty to slavery.” Ludwig was among Schneider's ardent admirers. Full of bright hopes, feeling great strength within himself, the young man again went to Vienna. Oh, if his friends had met him at that time, they would not have recognized him: Beethoven resembled a salon lion! “The gaze is direct and distrustful, as if leeringly observing the impression he makes on others. Beethoven dances (oh, grace in the highest degree hidden), rides on horseback (unhappy horse!), Beethoven who is in a good mood (laughs at the top of his lungs).” (Oh, if his old friends had met him at that time, they would not have recognized him: Beethoven resembled a salon lion! He was cheerful, cheerful, danced, rode on horseback and looked sideways at the impression he made on those around him.) Sometimes Ludwig visited frighteningly gloomy, and only close friends knew how much kindness was hidden behind external pride. As soon as a smile lit up his face, it was illuminated with such childlike purity that in those moments it was impossible not to love not only him, but the whole world!

At the same time his first piano works. The publication was a tremendous success: more than 100 music lovers subscribed to it. Young musicians especially eagerly awaited his piano sonatas. Future famous pianist Ignaz Moscheles, for example, secretly bought and dismantled Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata, which his professors had banned. Moscheles later became one of the maestro's favorite students. The listeners, holding their breath, reveled in his improvisations on the piano; they moved many to tears: “He calls spirits both from the depths and from the heights.” But Beethoven did not create for money or for recognition: “What nonsense! I never thought of writing for fame or glory. I need to give vent to what has accumulated in my heart - that’s why I write.”

He was still young, and the criterion of his own importance for him was a sense of strength. He did not tolerate weakness and ignorance, and looked down on both the common people and the aristocracy, even those nice people who loved and admired him. With royal generosity, he helped his friends when they needed it, but in anger he was merciless towards them. Great love and equal contempt collided within him. But despite everything, in Ludwig’s heart, like a beacon, there lived a strong, sincere need to be needed by people: “Never, since childhood, has my zeal to serve suffering humanity weakened. I never charged any remuneration for this. I want nothing more than the feeling of contentment that always accompanies a good deed.”

Youth is characterized by such extremes, because it is looking for an outlet for its internal forces. And sooner or later a person faces a choice: where to direct these forces, which path to choose? Fate helped Beethoven make a choice, although its method may seem too cruel... The illness approached Ludwig gradually, over the course of six years, and struck him between the ages of 30 and 32. She hit him in the most sensitive place, in his pride, strength - in his hearing! Complete deafness cut Ludwig off from everything that was so dear to him: from friends, from society, from love and, worst of all, from art!.. But it was from that moment that he began to realize his path in a new way, from that moment he began to be born new Beethoven.

Ludwig went to Heiligenstadt, an estate near Vienna, and settled in a poor peasant house. He found himself on the verge of life and death - the words of his will, written on October 6, 1802, are similar to the cry of despair: “O people, you who consider me heartless, stubborn, selfish - oh, how unfair you are to me! You do not know the hidden reason for what you only think! From my earliest childhood my heart was inclined towards tender feelings of love and goodwill; but think that for six years now I have been suffering from an incurable illness, brought to a terrible degree by incompetent doctors... With my hot, lively temperament, with my love of communicating with people, I had to retire early, spend my life alone... For me, not There is no rest among people, no communication with them, no friendly conversations. I must live like an exile. If sometimes, carried away by my innate sociability, I succumbed to temptation, then what humiliation did I experience when someone next to me heard a flute in the distance, but I did not hear it!.. Such cases plunged me into terrible despair, and the thought of committing suicide often came to mind. Only art kept me from doing this; It seemed to me that I had no right to die until I had accomplished everything to which I felt called... And I decided to wait until the inexorable parks wanted to break the thread of my life... I am ready for anything; in the 28th year I was supposed to become a philosopher. It's not that easy, and it's harder for an artist than for anyone else. O deity, you see my soul, you know it, you know how much love it has for people and the desire to do good. Oh, people, if you ever read this, you will remember that you were unfair to me; and let everyone who is unhappy be consoled by the fact that there is someone like him, who, despite all obstacles, did everything he could to be accepted among the ranks of worthy artists and people.”

However, Beethoven did not give up! And before he had time to finish writing his will, the Third Symphony was born in his soul, like a heavenly farewell, like a blessing from fate - a symphony unlike any that had existed before. It was this that he loved more than his other creations. Ludwig dedicated this symphony to Bonaparte, whom he compared to the Roman consul and considered one of the greatest people of modern times. But, subsequently learning about his coronation, he became furious and tore up the dedication. Since then, the 3rd symphony has been called “Eroic”.

After everything that happened to him, Beethoven understood, realized the most important thing - his mission: “Let everything that is life be dedicated to the great and let it be a sanctuary of art! This is your duty before people and before Him, the Almighty. Only in this way can you once again reveal what is hidden in you.” Ideas for new works rained down on him like stars - at that time the piano sonata “Appassionata”, excerpts from the opera “Fidelio”, fragments of Symphony No. 5, sketches of numerous variations, bagatelles, marches, masses, and the “Kreutzer Sonata” were born. Having finally chosen his path in life, the maestro seemed to have received new strength. Thus, from 1802 to 1805, works dedicated to bright joy were born: “ Pastoral Symphony», piano sonata“Aurora”, “Merry Symphony”...

Often, without realizing it, Beethoven became a pure spring from which people drew strength and consolation. This is what Beethoven’s student, Baroness Ertman, recalls: “When my last child died, Beethoven for a long time could not decide to come to us. Finally, one day he called me to his place, and when I came in, he sat down at the piano and said only: “We will speak to you through music,” after which he began to play. He told me everything, and I left him relieved.” Another time, Beethoven did everything to help the daughter of the great Bach, who, after the death of her father, found herself on the verge of poverty. He often liked to repeat: “I know of no other signs of superiority except kindness.”

Now the inner god was Beethoven's only constant interlocutor. Never before had Ludwig felt such closeness to Him: “...you can no longer live for yourself, you must live only for others, there is no more happiness for you anywhere except in your art. Oh, Lord, help me overcome myself!” Two voices constantly sounded in his soul, sometimes they argued and fought, but one of them was always the voice of the Lord. These two voices are clearly heard, for example, in the first movement of the Pathetique Sonata, in the Appassionata, in Symphony No. 5, and in the second movement of the Fourth Piano Concerto.

When an idea suddenly dawned on Ludwig while walking or talking, he would experience what he called an “ecstatic tetanus.” At that moment he forgot himself and belonged only to the musical idea, and he did not let go of it until he completely mastered it. This is how a new daring, rebellious art was born, which did not recognize the rules “that could not be broken for the sake of something more beautiful.” Beethoven refused to believe the canons proclaimed by harmony textbooks; he believed only what he himself tried and experienced. But he was not driven by empty vanity - he was the herald of a new time and a new art, and the newest thing in this art was man! A person who dared to challenge not only generally accepted stereotypes, but primarily his own limitations.

Ludwig was not at all proud of himself, he constantly searched, tirelessly studied the masterpieces of the past: the works of Bach, Handel, Gluck, Mozart. Their portraits hung in his room, and he often said that they helped him overcome suffering. Beethoven read the works of Sophocles and Euripides, his contemporaries Schiller and Goethe. Only God knows how many days and sleepless nights he spent comprehending great truths. And even shortly before his death he said: “I am beginning to know.”

But how did the public accept the new music? Performed for the first time in front of select audiences, the “Eroic Symphony” was condemned for its “divine length.” At an open performance, someone from the audience pronounced the sentence: “I’ll give you the kreutzer to end it all!” Journalists and music critics never tired of admonishing Beethoven: “The work is depressing, it is endless and embroidered.” And the maestro, driven to despair, promised to write for them a symphony that would last more than an hour, so that they would find his “Eroic” short. And he would write it 20 years later, and now Ludwig began composing the opera “Leonora,” which he later renamed “Fidelio.” Among all his creations, she occupies an exceptional place: “Of all my children, she cost me the greatest pain at birth, and she caused me the greatest grief, which is why she is dearer to me than others.” He rewrote the opera three times, provided four overtures, each of which was a masterpiece in its own way, wrote a fifth, but was still not satisfied. It was incredible work: Beethoven rewrote a piece of an aria or the beginning of a scene 18 times, and all 18 in different ways. For 22 lines vocal music- 16 test pages! As soon as “Fidelio” was born, it was shown to the public, but in the auditorium the temperature was “below zero”, the opera lasted only three performances... Why did Beethoven fight so desperately for the life of this creation? The plot of the opera was based on a story that took place during the French Revolution; its main characters were love and marital fidelity - the ideals that always lived in Ludwig’s heart. Like any person, he dreamed of family happiness and home comfort. He, who constantly overcame illnesses and illnesses, like no one else, needed the care of a loving heart. Friends did not remember Beethoven as anything other than passionately in love, but his hobbies were always distinguished by their extraordinary purity. He could not create without experiencing love, love was his shrine.

Autograph of the Moonlight Sonata score

For several years Ludwig was very friendly with the Brunswick family. Sisters Josephine and Teresa treated him very warmly and cared for him, but which of them became the one whom he called in his letter his “everything”, his “angel”? Let this remain Beethoven's secret. The fruit of his heavenly love was the Fourth Symphony, the Fourth Piano Concerto, quartets dedicated to the Russian Prince Razumovsky, and the cycle of songs “To a Distant Beloved.” Until the end of his days, Beethoven tenderly and reverently kept in his heart the image of the “immortal beloved.”

The years 1822–1824 became especially difficult for the maestro. He worked tirelessly on the Ninth Symphony, but poverty and hunger forced him to write humiliating notes to publishers. He personally sent letters to the “main European courts,” those who had once paid him attention. But almost all of his letters remained unanswered. Even despite the enchanting success of the Ninth Symphony, the collections from it turned out to be very small. And the composer placed all his hope in the “generous Englishmen,” who more than once showed him their admiration. He wrote a letter to London and soon received 100 pounds sterling from the Philharmonic Society towards the academy being set up in his favor. “It was a heartbreaking sight,” recalled one of his friends, “when, having received the letter, he clasped his hands and sobbed with joy and gratitude... He wanted to dictate a letter of gratitude again, he promised to dedicate one of his works to them - the Tenth Symphony or Overture , in a word, whatever they wish.” Despite this situation, Beethoven continued to compose. His last works were string quartets, opus 132, the third of which, with its divine adagio, he entitled “A Song of Thanks to the Divine from a Convalescent.”

Ludwig seemed to have a presentiment of his imminent death - he rewrote a saying from the temple of the Egyptian goddess Neith: “I am what I am. I am everything that was, that is and that will be. No mortal has lifted my cover. “He alone comes from himself, and to this alone everything that exists owes its existence,” and he loved to re-read it.

In December 1826, Beethoven went to visit his brother Johann on business for his nephew Karl. This trip turned out to be fatal for him: a long-standing liver disease was complicated by dropsy. For three months the illness seriously tormented him, and he talked about new works: “I want to write a lot more, I would like to compose the Tenth Symphony... music for Faust... Yes, and a school of piano playing. I imagine it in a completely different way than is now accepted...” He did not lose his sense of humor until the last minute and composed the canon “Doctor, close the gate so that death does not come.” Overcoming incredible pain, he found the strength to console his old friend, composer Hummel, who burst into tears seeing his suffering. When Beethoven was operated on for the fourth time and water gushed out of his stomach during the puncture, he exclaimed with laughter that the doctor seemed to him like Moses striking a rock with a rod, and then, to console himself, he added: “It’s better to have water from the stomach than from the stomach.” under the pen."

On March 26, 1827, the pyramid-shaped clock on Beethoven's desk suddenly stopped, which always foreshadowed a thunderstorm. At five o'clock in the afternoon a real storm broke out with rain and hail. Bright lightning illuminated the room, a terrible clap of thunder was heard - and it was all over... On the spring morning of March 29, 20,000 people came to see the maestro off. What a pity that people often forget about those who are nearby while they are alive, and remember and admire them only after their death.

Everything passes. Suns die too. But for thousands of years they continue to bring their light among the darkness. And for millennia we receive the light of these extinct suns. Thank you, great maestro, for an example of worthy victories, for showing how you can learn to hear the voice of your heart and follow it. Every person strives to find happiness, everyone overcomes difficulties and longs to understand the meaning of their efforts and victories. And maybe your life, the way you searched and overcame, will help those who seek and suffer find hope. And in their heart a light of faith will light up that they are not alone, that all troubles can be overcome if you do not despair and give the best that is in you. Maybe, like you, someone will choose to serve and help others. And, like you, he will find happiness in this, even if the path to it will lead through suffering and tears.

for the magazine "Man Without Borders"

Ludwig van Beethoven - a brilliant composer, was born on December 16, 1770 in Bonn, died on March 26, 1827 in Vienna. His grandfather was court conductor in Bonn (d. 1773), his father Johann was a tenor in the Electoral Chapel (d. 1792). Beethoven's initial training was supervised by his father, and he subsequently passed on to many teachers, which in subsequent years caused him to complain about the insufficient and unsatisfactory training he received in his youth. With his piano playing and free imagination, Beethoven aroused general surprise early on. In 1781 he made a concert tour of Holland. By 1782-85 refers to the appearance of his first works in print. In 1784, at the age of 13, he was appointed second court organist. In 1787, Beethoven went to Vienna, where he met Mozart and took several lessons from him.

Portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven. Artist J. K. Stieler, 1820

Upon returning from there, his financial situation improved, thanks to the fate that Count Waldstein and the von Brüping family took in him. In the Bonn court chapel, Beethoven played the viola, improving at the same time in playing the piano. Beethoven's further attempts as a composer date back to this time, but works from this period did not appear in print. In 1792, with the support of Elector Max Franz, brother of Emperor Joseph II, Beethoven went to Vienna to study with Haydn. Here he was a student of the latter for two years, as well as of Albrechtsberger and Salieri. In the persons of Baron van Swieten and Princess Likhnovskaya, Beethoven found ardent admirers of his genius.

Beethoven. A story about the composer's life

In 1795 he made his first public appearance as a complete artist: both as a virtuoso and composer. Beethoven had to soon stop the concert trips he had undertaken as a virtuoso, due to his increasingly weakened hearing that appeared in 1798, which subsequently ended in complete deafness. This circumstance left its mark on Beethoven's character and influenced all of his future activities, forcing him to gradually abandon public performance on the piano.

From now on, he devotes himself almost exclusively to composing and partly to teaching. In 1809, Beethoven received an invitation to take the post of Westphalian Kapellmeister in Kassel, but at the insistence of friends and students, in whom he, especially in upper strata Vienna, there was no shortage, and who promised to provide him with an annual rent, remains in Vienna. In 1814 he once again became the subject of general attention at the Congress of Vienna. From that time on, increasing deafness and a hypochondriacal mood, which did not leave him until his death, forced him to almost completely abandon society. This, however, did not dampen his inspiration: the late period of his life includes such major works as the last three symphonies and the “Solemn Mass” (Missa solennis).

Ludwig van Beethoven. Best works

After the death of his brother, Karl (1815), Beethoven took over the duties of guardian of his young son, who caused him a lot of grief and trouble. Severe suffering, which gave his works a special imprint and resulted in dropsy, put an end to his life: he died at 57 years of age. His remains, interred at the Wehring cemetery, were then transferred to an honorary grave at the central cemetery in Vienna. Bronze monument he adorns one of the squares in Bonn (1845); another monument was erected to him in 1880 in Vienna.

For information about the composer’s works, see the article Beethoven’s Works – Briefly. For links to essays about other outstanding musicians, see below, in the “More on the topic...” block.

In December 1770, the world-famous composer Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Westphalia.

True, the exact date of birth of the great composer is unknown, but on December 17, 1770, Beethoven was baptized. Therefore, this day is associated with the name of the great composer. But Beethoven wrote many of his works while deaf.

And it all started quite normally. The father uses harsh methods to force little Beethoven to study music. Then there was Vienna. Beethoven is 17 years old and the greatest Mozart says about him: “Take care of him, one day he will make the world talk about himself.” In Vienna he takes lessons from such famous composers with a worldwide reputation like Haydn, Salieri, Schenk. At the same time, Beethoven gained popularity...

Beethoven's hearing problems began at age 28. He develops tinitis, an inflammation of the inner ear that leads to ringing in the ears. The cause of hearing loss is unknown.

Beethoven at this time suffered from two illnesses: an abdominal disease and a severe form of typhus. It is possible that these illnesses influenced the composer’s hearing loss. Although, there are other versions that flu and concussion affected hearing loss. But that’s not the point! The composer went deaf...

Not immediately, Beethoven became completely deaf at the age of 44. What could be worse for a person who writes music? Beethoven became gloomy and unsociable. He rarely leaves his house - he retires. But Beethoven did not give up. Almost everything famous works Beethoven created with impaired hearing. It was at this time that he wrote these musical works, which have become world masterpieces of all times, such as “Moonlight Sonata”, “Kreutzer Sonata”, 3rd symphony “Eroica”, 5th symphony, opera “Fidelio”...

“But the main creations of recent years have been Beethoven’s two most monumental works: “Solemn Mass” and “Symphony No. 9 with Chorus.”

The Ninth Symphony was performed in 1824. The audience gave the composer a standing ovation. It is known that Beethoven stood with his back to the audience and did not hear anything, then one of the singers took his hand and turned him to face the audience. People waved scarves, hats, and hands, greeting the composer. The ovation lasted so long that the police officials present demanded that it stop. Such greetings were allowed only in relation to the person of the emperor...

Beethoven died on March 26, 1827 in Vienna. Over twenty thousand people came to say goodbye to the greatest composer. The poet Grillparzer wrote, which was read at the composer’s grave: “He was an artist, but also a man, a man in the highest sense of the word... One can say about him like no one else: he did great things, there was nothing bad in him.”

Among fans of Beethoven's work, there is an opinion that Beethoven, had he had full hearing, would never have created his great musical creations... Maybe this was given to him from above so that he could please and delight the ears of more than one generation of people with his great music...

Interestingly, there are still composers who have become deaf. Thus, in old age, Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884) and Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) became completely deaf. They also created many wonderful works, being already completely deaf. In the second half of his life, the German composer Johann Matteson became deaf.

A few aphorisms from Beethoven:

“There is nothing higher and more beautiful than giving happiness to many people.”

“A true artist, who loves art most of all, is never satisfied with himself and tries to go further and further...”

Having lost his hearing in the prime of his life, precious for any person and priceless for a musician, he was able to overcome despair and achieve true greatness.

There were many trials in Beethoven's life: a difficult childhood, early orphanhood, years of painful struggle with illness, disappointment in love and betrayal of loved ones. But the pure joy of creativity and confidence in one’s own high purpose helped genius composer survive the fight against fate.

Ludwig van Beethoven moved to Vienna from his native Bonn in 1792. The music capital of the world indifferently greeted the strange short man, strong, with huge strong hands, whose appearance resembled a mason. But Beethoven looked boldly into the future, because by the age of 22 he was already an accomplished musician. His father taught him music from the age of 4. And although the methods of the elder Beethoven, an alcoholic and a domestic tyrant, were very cruel, Ludwig, thanks to talented teachers, went through excellent school. At the age of 12, he published his first sonatas, and from the age of 13 he served as a court organist, earning money for himself and for his two younger brothers, who remained in his care after the death of their mother.

But Vienna did not know about this, just as she did not remember that when Beethoven first came here five years ago, he was blessed by the great Mozart. And now Ludwig will take composition lessons from maestro Haydn himself. And in a few years, the young musician will become the most fashionable pianist in the capital, publishers will be hunting for his works, and aristocrats will begin to sign up for the maestro’s lessons a month in advance. The students will obediently endure bad character teachers, the habit of throwing sheet music on the floor in a rage, and then arrogantly watching as the ladies, crawling on their knees, obsequiously pick up the scattered sheets of paper. Patrons deign to favor the musician and condescendingly forgive his sympathy for french revolution. And Vienna will submit to the composer, award him the title of “general of music” and declare him Mozart’s heir.

UNFULFILLED DREAMS

But it was at this moment, at the height of his fame, that Beethoven felt the first signs of illness. His excellent, subtle hearing, allowing him to distinguish many sound shades that are inaccessible ordinary people, began to gradually weaken. Beethoven was tormented by a painful ringing in the ears, from which there is no escape... The musician rushes to the doctors, but they cannot explain the strange symptoms, but they diligently treat him, promising a quick healing. Salt baths, miracle pills, lotions with almond oil, painful treatment with electricity, which was then called galvanism, take energy, time, money, but Beethoven goes to great lengths to restore his hearing. This silent, lonely struggle continued for more than two years, into which the musician did not initiate anyone. But everything was useless; there was only hope for a miracle.

And one day it seemed that it was possible! In the house of his friends, the young Hungarian counts of Brunswick, the musician meets Juliet Guicciardi, the one who should become his angel, his salvation, his second self. This turned out to be not a passing hobby, not an affair with a fan, like Beethoven, who was very partial to female beauty, there were many, and large and deep feeling. Ludwig makes plans to get married, believing that family life and the need to take care of loved ones will make him truly happy. At this moment, he forgets both about his illness and the fact that there is an almost insurmountable barrier between him and his chosen one: his beloved is an aristocrat. And even though her family has long since fallen into decline, she is still disproportionately superior to the commoner Beethoven. But the composer is full of hope and confidence that he will be able to overcome this barrier: he is popular and may well make a large fortune with his music...

The dreams, alas, were not destined to come true: the young Countess Giulietta Guicciardi, who came to Vienna from a provincial city, was an extremely unsuitable candidate for a wife for a brilliant musician. Although at first the flirtatious young lady was attracted by both Ludwig’s popularity and his oddities. Arriving at the first lesson and seeing the deplorable state of the young bachelor’s apartment, she gave the servants a good thrashing, forced them to do a thorough cleaning, and herself wiped the dust from the musician’s piano. Beethoven did not take money from the girl for lessons, but Juliet gave him hand-embroidered scarves and shirts. And your love. She could not resist the charm of the great musician and responded to his feelings. Their relationship was by no means platonic, and there is strong evidence of this - passionate letters from lovers to each other.

Beethoven spent the summer of 1801 in Hungary, on the picturesque Brunswick estate, next to Juliet. It became the happiest in the musician’s life. The estate has preserved a gazebo where, according to legend, the famous “Moonlight Sonata” was written, dedicated to the Countess and immortalizing her name. But Beethoven soon had a rival, the young Count Gallenberg, who imagined himself to be a great composer. Juliet grows cold towards Beethoven not only as a contender for her hand and heart, but also as a musician. She marries a more worthy candidate, in her opinion.

Then, a few years later, Juliet will return to Vienna and meet with Ludwig to... ask him for money! The count turned out to be bankrupt, the marital relationship did not work out, and the frivolous coquette sincerely regretted the missed opportunity to become the muse of a genius. Beethoven helped ex-lover, but avoided romantic meetings: the ability to forgive betrayal was not one of his virtues.

“I WILL TAKE DESTINY BY THE THROAT!”

Juliet's refusal deprived the composer of his last hope for healing, and in the fall of 1802 the composer makes a fatal decision... Completely alone, without saying a word to anyone, he leaves for the Vienna suburb of Heiligenstadt to die. “For three years now, my hearing has been weakening more and more,” the musician says goodbye to his friends forever. - In the theater, in order to understand the artists, I have to sit next to the orchestra. If I move further away, I don’t hear high notes and voices... When they speak quietly, I can barely make it out; Yes, I hear sounds, but not words, but when they scream, it’s unbearable for me. Oh, how you are mistaken about me, you who think or say that I am a misanthrope. You don't know the secret reason. Be lenient, seeing my isolation, while I would love to talk with you...”

Preparing for death, Beethoven writes his will. It contains not only property orders, but also the painful confession of a person tormented by hopeless grief. “High courage left me. Oh, Providence, let me see at least once a day, just one day of unclouded joy! When, oh God, will I be able to feel it again?.. Never? No; that would be too cruel!”

But in a moment of deepest despair, inspiration comes to Beethoven. The love of music, the ability to create, the desire to serve art give him strength and give him the joy for which he so prayed to fate. The crisis was overcome, the moment of weakness passed, and now in a letter to a friend Beethoven writes the words that became famous: “I will take fate by the throat!” And as if to confirm his words, right in Heiligenstadt Beethoven creates the Second Symphony - luminous music, full of energy and dynamics. And the will remained waiting in the wings, which came only after twenty-five years, full of inspiration, struggle and suffering.

LONELY GENIUS

Having decided to continue living, Beethoven became intolerant of those who pitied him and became furious at any reminder of his illness. Concealing his deafness, he tries to conduct, but the orchestra members only confuse his instructions, and they have to abandon the performances. So are piano concertos. Not hearing himself, Beethoven played either too loudly, so much so that the strings burst, or he barely touched the keys with his hands, without making a sound. The students no longer wanted to take lessons from the deaf man. He also had to give up female company, which had always been nice to the temperamental musician.

However, there was a woman in Beethoven’s life who was able to appreciate the boundless personality and power of a genius. Teresa Brunswik, cousin of that same fatal countess, knew Ludwig back in his heyday. A talented musician, she devoted herself to educational activities and organized a network of children's schools in her native Hungary, guided by the teachings of the famous teacher Pestalozzi. Teresa lived a long life bright life, filled with service to her beloved work, and she was connected with Beethoven by many years of friendship and mutual affection. Some researchers claim that the famous “Letter to the Immortal Beloved,” found after Beethoven’s death along with his will, was addressed to Teresa. This letter is full of sadness and longing about the impossibility of happiness: “My angel, my life, my second self... Why this deep sadness in front of the inevitable? Can love exist without sacrifice, without self-sacrifice: can you make it so that I belong entirely to you, and you belong to me?..” However, the composer took the name of his beloved to the grave, and this secret has not yet been revealed. But whoever this woman was, she did not want to devote her life to a deaf, hot-tempered man who suffered from constant intestinal disorders, was untidy in his everyday life and, moreover, partial to alcohol.

Since the autumn of 1815, Beethoven ceases to hear anything at all, and his friends communicate with him using conversation notebooks, which the composer always carries with him. Needless to say, how incomplete this communication was! Beethoven withdraws into himself, drinks more and more, communicates less and less with people. Sorrows and worries affected not only his soul, but also his appearance: by the age of 50 he looked like a very old man and evoked a feeling of pity. But not in moments of creativity!

This lonely, completely deaf man gave the world many beautiful melodies.

(portrait by Karl Stieler)

Having lost hope for personal happiness, Beethoven ascends in spirit to new heights. Deafness turned out to be not only a tragedy, but also a priceless gift: cut off from the outside world, the composer develops an incredible inner hearing, and more and more masterpieces emerge from his pen. Only the public is not ready to appreciate them: this music is too new, bold, difficult.

“I’m ready to pay so that this tediousness ends as soon as possible,” one of the “experts” exclaimed loudly to the whole hall during the first performance of the “Heroic Symphony.” The crowd supported these words with approving laughter...

In the last years of his life, Beethoven's works were criticized not only by amateurs, but also by professionals. “Only a deaf person could write this,” said cynics and envious people. Fortunately, the composer did not hear the whispers and ridicule behind him...

ACQUISITION OF IMMORTALITY

And yet the public remembered their former idol: when the premiere of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, which became the composer’s last, was announced in 1824, this event attracted the attention of many people. However, some were brought to the concert only by idle curiosity. “I wonder if a deaf person will conduct himself today? - the listeners whispered, bored while waiting for the start. - They say that the day before he quarreled with the musicians, they were barely persuaded to perform... And why does he need a choir in the symphony? This is unheard of! However, what can you take from a cripple...” But after the first bars, all conversations fell silent. Majestic music captured people and led them to heights inaccessible to simple souls. The grand finale - "Ode to Joy" based on Schiller's poems, performed by the choir and orchestra - gave a feeling of happiness and all-encompassing love. But only he, a completely deaf person, heard a simple melody, as if familiar to everyone from childhood. And not only heard, but also shared it with the whole world! The listeners and musicians were filled with jubilation, and the brilliant author stood next to the conductor, with his back to the audience, unable to turn around. One of the singers approached the composer, took him by the hand and turned him to face the audience. Beethoven saw enlightened faces, hundreds of hands that moved in a single impulse of delight, and he himself was overcome by a feeling of joy, cleansing his soul from despondency and dark thoughts. And the soul was filled with divine music.

Three years later, on March 26, 1827, Beethoven passed away. They say that on that day a snowstorm raged over Vienna and lightning flashed. The dying man suddenly straightened up and in a frenzy shook his fist at the heavens, as if not agreeing to come to terms with his inexorable fate. And fate finally retreated, recognizing him as the winner. People also recognized it: on the day of the funeral, more than 20 thousand people followed the coffin of the great genius. Thus began his immortality.

ANNA ORLOVA
"Names", March 2011