Ludwig van Beethoven, born in 1770, was a German composer best known for his symphonies. He published his first composition at the age of 12. Despite losing much of his hearing around the age of 30, Beethoven continued to compose and produced his most famous works between 1803 and 1827, when he died at the age of 56.
Often referred to as one of the greatest composers of all time and a genius, Beethoven also had some quirks. He was a lover of coffee which he consumed every morning. He was very particular about his coffee however and was known to count out exactly 60 coffee beans for the perfect cup. It is believed that he prepared his coffee in a glass coffee maker and it was often the only thing he had for breakfast. His strong cup of morning coffee was followed by hours of composition.
Another quirk of the composer is believed to be bathing. He washed and bathed for considerable amounts of time, possibly as a meditative practice.
More about Beethoven:
- Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany, where his grandfather, who shared the same name, had been a respected musician.
- Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and Ninth Symphony are two of his best and most well known compositions.
- Beethoven was not born deaf, his issues with hearing started around 1796 and developed into complete deafness within several decades.
