Ludwig van Beethoven

Redefined classical music despite deafness

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) revolutionized Western music through innovative compositions created while completely deaf. His Ninth Symphony broke conventions by adding choral vocals - the first major composer to do so.

Beethoven's middle-period 'Heroic Phase' produced groundbreaking works like Eroica Symphony that expanded musical forms. According to Beethoven-Haus Bonn, his late quartets pioneered radical harmonic exploration that presaged Romantic era developments.

Despite suffering hearing loss from age 28, Beethoven composed masterworks using vibration perception and visual music analysis. His resilience made him a cultural icon of triumph over adversity. The Vienna Philharmonic maintains original performance traditions of his symphonies.