Ludwig van Beethoven was baptized on December 17, 1770 and born in Bonn, Germany. There is no exact record of Beethoven's birth known. Music ran through his blood. His grandfather and father were both musicians themselves. His father was his first teacher as a young boy, he taught Beethoven the piano and the violin. .
Though one would think since Beethoven was a master of composition that he would be good at math. The truth is that he did not get passed elementary school and was terrible at math. As a young musician at the age of twelve and under the wing of his teacher, C.G. Neefe, Beethoven published his first music. At the age of seventeen Beethoven took of for Vienna. This is where he was to spend the rest of his life except for the five-year period that he returned to Bonn while his mother was dying. .
During the five years that Beethoven stayed in Bonn he met and impressed Franz Joseph Hyden. He returned to Vienna with Hyden, but for only one year. There was a great deal of tension and jealousy between the two. He soon began to study with other composers such as Albrechtsberger, a famous choir director and counterpoint, and with Salieri, whom was famous in Mozart's biography. While studying Beethoven was trying to establish himself as a pianist and composer with the support of a long list of the towns aristocracy who loved music. Though public concerts were not that big in Vienna at the time, Beethoven held several charity concerts and concerts that benefited him as well. .
Between the times of about 1802-1813 Beethoven raised his level of his classical style. During this time he wrote the symphonies Nr. 3-8, piano concert Nr. 5, and lots of chamber music. Also during this time Beethoven began to realize that his hearing was depleting. As it began to get worse and worse and the medical help did not help at all, he began to contemplate suicide. This began his infamous temper and anger.
