Aleksandra Bojović
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Publishing House PČELICA Kolubarska 4, Čačak, Serbia office@pcelica.rs www.pcelica.rs
H
is music is elevated and powerful. He lived a tragic life, filled with sadness, but became the hero of classical music for all eternity. His name is Ludwig van Beethoven and the story that follows will take us to his world of his music and silence.
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Ludwig van Beethoven
A Family of Musicians Ludwig van Beethoven, a composer , pianist and conductor , 1
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was born in 1770 in Bonn, Germany. He was named after his grandfather, also a musician, who was of Flemish4 origin and who moved to Germany at the age of twenty.
Johann van Beethoven, Ludwig’s father, continued the family tradition of playing music. He worked as the court musician in Bonn and, in order to secure additional funds for his family, he gave private piano and violin lessons. Growing up in such an environment, from his earliest childhood, young Beethoven was used to instruments and music. A composer writes music. A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. 3 A conductor is the musical leader of a choir or orchestra. 4 The Flemish people live in the western part of Belgium. 1 2
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A Cruel Education While Ludwig was a baby, fourteen-year old Mozart was
already a European musical star. His father made him and his sister Nannerl a real attraction and took them on exhausting tours of the European courts.
Aware of Mozart’s case, Ludwig’s father wanted for his son to be a wunderkind as well, so that he may showcase him and thereby secure him a successful career. Of course, something like that required special training and a lot of work and talent, as well as giving up a normal childhood. Johann van Beethoven was an ill-mannered man, prone to drinking. He used to wake his young son up during the night and force him to play the piano. Such lessons often ended in tears and frequently included beatings. Johann was convinced that such an upbringing and education was good for his child. 8
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Taking Care of his Brothers The Beethoven family lived in a modest townhouse, not too
luxurious and not too simple. The kitchen and storage were located on the ground floor, and on the first floor were two small bedrooms and one larger room, where Ludwig was probably born. Thoughts on Self If I contemplate myself as part of the Universe: what am I? Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven’s mother’s name was Magdalena Keverich, and her father was the head chef at the court in Trier1. She gave birth to seven children, of which four died. She was often ill and she died when Ludwig was seventeen years old, so he had to take care of his two younger brothers. Trier is a city in western Germany. It is considered to be the oldest German city. 1
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Aleksandra Bojović
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Publishing House PČELICA Kolubarska 4, Čačak, Serbia office@pcelica.rs www.pcelica.rs