Beethoven was born of Johann and Maria Madalena van Beethoven in Bonn, Germany. The date was December 16, 1770, he was baptized the next day. Of Flemish descent, Beethoven was born into a family (?)
A few tragic events in Beethoven's childhood were the death of his grandfather in 1773, the death of his mother in 1787, and his fater becoming an alcoholic around the time of the death of his mother.
Beethoven showed signs of talent with the piano, and his father tried to make of him a child prodigy like Mozart, but failed. Beethoven became a professional musician at the age of eleven. Later, in 1787, Beethoven left for Vienna to study with Mozart. But it was cut short by the death of his mother after two months. But Mozart was impressed with Beethoven, and remarked to some of his friends, "this young man will make a great name for himself in the world."
Later, after 1792, Beethoven spent the rest of his life in Vienna, except for short trips.
Beethoven had started to lose his hearing even before 1800, although this didn't change his life. By 1802 he knew the hearing loss was not only permanent but progressing. This increasing deafness had started to change his personality from proud, independent and odd to him being more suspicious and irritable. By 1819 he had totally lost his hearing, and for the most part, his public life. Now he would concentrate more on composing.
Early in 1827, Beethoven contracted pneumonia, which later developed in to dropsy, of which he died on March 26, 1827. At his funeral three days later, 20,000 people attended.
Some of Beethoven's works are Symphony No. 5 in C Minor (1807), Violin Concerto in D Major (1806), Sonota in C Sharp Minor, and the Seventh and Eighth Symphonies.