when beethoven was a small boy, his father wanted him to be just like mozart
TRANSCRIPT
When Beethoven was a small boy, his father wanted him to be just like Mozart.
His father made him practice for hours and hours. Sometimes he was made to practice all night.
When he would miss notes, his father would beat him.
It was around the age of 17
when Beethoven
enjoyed one of his happiest
moments: He played for
Mozart, his father’s hero.
Mozart advised everyone to
keep an eye on the young
Beethoven, he would be
famous one day. He was right.
It was also around this
time, Beethoven
experienced one of his
saddest moments: his
mother died. He and his 2 little brothers were left alone with their bully of a
father.
Beethoven also noticed he was
losing something as important to
himself as his mother: his
hearing. He was slowly going
deaf.
He hid his deafness by
pretending to be unfriendly so
he wouldn’t have to work to
hear people talking to him.
That way, he kept it a secret
as long as he could. It could ruin his career.
Beethoven became a great
pianist and composer. His
music was very famous. His 2
brothers, Johann and Kaspar had
gotten married and had
families. Ludwig had not.
When his brother Kaspar
died, Beethoven went to his
house and took Kaspar’s son
Karl away from his mother. He
wanted to make a piano player out of him. He did it the only way he knew:
his father’s!
Karl didn’t want to be a
musician. He wanted to be a soldier. He
ran away many times.
Beethoven would show up and take
him home.
Karl made his point when he
shot himself. He didn’t
die, but Beethoven
got the message. He
took Karl back home.
Karl became the soldier
he wanted to be.
Beethoven continued
composing until his
death at age 57. Most
history books list
the cause of death as a
stomach ailment.
History may need to be rewritten, however.