The Famous Beethoven

Everyone knows the famous Beethoven. The great composer who wrote many of the world's most popular classics. Whenever we listen to Fur Elise or the Moonlight Sonata, Beethoven will automatically 'flash' across our mind.

However, how many of us who knew that Beethoven's hearing begins to deteriorate since his early twenties? I believe most of us only knew that he lost his hearing at the age of 36, yet he continued to compose, and to conduct and perform, even after he was completely deaf.

Apparently he suffered from tinnitus, a 'ringing' in his ears that made it hard for him to perceive and appreciate music. The cause of Beethoven's deafness is unknown, but it has been attributed to syphilis, lead poisoning, typhus and even his habit of immersing his head in cold water to stay awake!

In later years, Russell Martin had done an analysis on a sample of Beethoven's hair and discovered that there were alarmingly high levels of lead in Beethoven's body. High concentrations of lead can lead to bizarre and erratic behaviour, including rages. Another symptom of lead poisoning is deafness.

In Beethoven's time, lead was used widely without an understanding of the damage to which it could lead: for sweetening wine, in finishes on porcelain, and even in medicines.

Well, to me, this explains why his works are all very moody and expressive which i presume was affected by his bizarre behaviours. Hey, this is why Beethoven is looked upon as the figure who lead the transition between Classical and Romantic periods. That is one significant musical development because without Beethoven there will be a missing chunk in the timeline of music development. And who knows... without him there might not be the Romantic period which we knew.

An interesting fact, when his hearing loss became profound: there is a well-attested story that, at the end of the premiere of his Ninth Symphony [The fourth movement features an elaborate choral setting of Schiller's Ode An die Freude ("Ode to Joy")], he had to be turned around to see the tumultuous applause of the audience; hearing nothing, he began to weep.

Phew... we all live to hear every Beethoven's composition whilst he himself did not even heard ofl of his own compositions! Let us be thankful that we have normal hearing...