The Genius of Beethoven

            Musical composition parallels literature in the drama and development of one or more individuals through complex life circumstances. Ludwig van Beethoven's music is an autobiography. His music was as profoundly affected by his deafness as was his life. While there is much controversy among doctors and experts as to whether he was completely deaf or how much his hearing loss impacted his music, there is little argument that the music he wrote in the latter period of his life pushed the boundaries of what was familiar, comfortable or even acceptable to audiences at the time. .
             While it is impossible to know if his musicianship would have matured into the pieces he wrote had he not been deaf, it is reasonable to assume that his inability to hear both the music and his critics gave Beethoven a certain freedom to compose the music he liked with little regard for acceptance and norms. Further, as his deafness increased, he could no longer conduct or perform regularly in public, nor socialize, and so his life became more isolated and self-contained. As a result, his music was impacted. The way his work is perceived today is far different from the way audiences reacted in Beethoven's time. More importantly, how disabilities are perceived today is far different, as well. A contemporary study of Beethoven's work, taking into consideration medical thought on his deafness, the three distinct periods of his music and finally, response to his music during the latter period of his life, make it clear that he and his music were profoundly impacted by his hearing loss. .
             In an effort to better understand Beethoven's plight from a hearing to a non-hearing musician, doctors have struggled with analysis to find a cause for his hearing loss and an assessment of the severity of the loss. According to otologist, researcher and musician Charles Limb, Beethoven's temporal bones, which would have provided the best evidence of his deafness, were removed during his autopsy and then disappeared.