“I shall seize Fate by the throat; it shall certainly not bend and crush me completely.”
~Ludwig van Beethoven, letter to FG Wegeler, 1801
One of the most acclaimed and influential composers in history, Ludwig van Beethoven overcame great odds to do what he loved to do. While his hearing gradually deteriorated beginning in his twenties, he continued to compose–and even conduct and perform–many years after he was completely deaf.
To gain insight, Beethoven would lay face down on the floor while other musicians were playing and practicing. Through the vibrations coming up from the floorboards, Beethoven drew inspiration and would arise and return to his piano to begin the composition process. Later, Beethoven developed an ingenious device–a special rod attached to the soundboard on his piano that he could bite—the vibrations would then transfer from the piano to his jaw to increase his perception of the sound.
Metropolitan Museum Of Art.
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