Character Ludwig van Beethoven

beethoven s walk in nature, julius schmid

beethoven s life troubled encroaching loss of hearing , chronic abdominal pain since twenties. contemplated suicide documented in heiligenstadt testament. irascible. nevertheless, had close , devoted circle of friends life, thought have been attracted strength of personality. towards end of life, friends competed in efforts him cope incapacities.

sources show beethoven s disdain authority , social rank. stopped performing @ piano if audience chatted amongst themselves, or afforded him less full attention. @ soirées, refused perform if called upon so. eventually, after many confrontations, archduke rudolph decreed usual rules of court etiquette did not apply beethoven.

he attracted ideals of age of enlightenment. in 1804, when napoleon s imperial ambitions became clear, beethoven took hold of title page of third symphony , scratched name bonaparte out violently made hole in paper. later changed work s title sinfonia eroica, composta per festeggiare il sovvenire d un grand uom ( heroic symphony, composed celebrate memory of great man ), , rededicated patron, prince joseph franz von lobkowitz, @ palace first performed.

the fourth movement of ninth symphony features elaborate choral setting of schiller s ode die freude ( ode joy ), optimistic hymn championing brotherhood of humanity.