Ludwig Van Beethoven

In a poor garret, in the dim light of which the master's bust is to be seen today, Ludwig van Beethoven was born December 16, 1770. He was of Flemish origin, a child and grandchild of musicians. His grandfather -his name was Ludwig- was Court Kapellmeister of the Kurfurst and Archbishop of Cologne, and his father served the court as one of the musicians.

Biographers have very different opinions on the milieu in which Beethoven was born and grew up. Some, basing theirs on the idyllic picture by the baker Fischer, a neigh bor, describe it in lovely colors; others like Romain Rolland see but miserable family affairs, with everything suffering from the violence of a father with a penchant for excellent Rhine wines.

Be that as it may, it appears that alcohol did not becloud Johann van Beethoven to such an extent that he remained oblivious to the obvious musical talent of his son. Very early he had Ludwig learn the rudiments of music. First the Franciscan monks teach him the playing of the organ, then one of his cousins, Rovantini, the severe Pfeiffer and Franz Ries introduce him to piano and violin playing. Above all, Christian Gottlob Neefe, the most important of his teachers, exercises his influence upon him so that at barely twelve young Ludwig becomes his substitute as court organist.

Neefe, an educated musician, an erudite man with philosophical interests, has the great merit of having imparted to his pupil most widely differing ideas and a broad knowledge; first he teaches him theory on the basis of the "Well Tempered Keyboard" of Bach, using examples of Italian and French masters, and also referring to Handel- the purest sources possible. Then he introduces him to the duties of an orchestral musician and teaches him musical literature so that Beethoven becomes a competent viola player and coach. For the future creator of "Fidelio" this later proves to be of considerable significance.

In 1787 Beethoven suffers the loss of his mother. The parental home- two additional sons had been born meanwhile--does not survive this fate for any length of time: the father, with his regrettable addiction to liquor, drowns his sorrow. At that moment, for the first time in Beethoven's life, a number of friends and admirers group around the timid and lonely young man, a circle of the type he was to have around him practically all his life. As the family of the archivist von Breuning, to which his friend Wegeler introduced him, accepts Beethoven, he enters an atmosphere which gives his soul and mind refreshing recreation and considerable enrichment. Through Frau von Breuning whom he later called his guardian angel and who knew how "to keep the insects away from the blossom", he contacts a milieu which furthers his culture and education and at the same time soothes his feelings and stimulates friendship.