When we think of Ludwig van Beethoven, we often think of his great musical works and what he is known for in the last decade of his life: progressive deafness. Not only was his deafness worsening, but it was also the beginning of his emotional, psychological and physical difficulties. His hearing loss became more profound in 1802 when he wrote the Heiligenstadt Testament and until his death in 1827. This article will explore the mental and physical health aspects of Beethoven's life, how it affected his musical career and an examination of one of his pianos. sonatas better known as Moonlight Sonata. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Beethoven was a German composer of several complex orchestral works and famous piano sonatas, while establishing the musical style of the First Viennese School. The First Viennese School was based in Vienna, Austria and incorporated a musical style of lyrical melodies with simple harmonies and elegance. Beethoven's compositions are classified into three periods: early (1770-1802), middle (1802-1814), and late (1815-1827). He spent his youth in Germany and established his career in Vienna, mastering a wide range of the musical language and its genres, including the joke. In the middle period, he composed several orchestral works but also composed piano sonatas and established a new style of drama and expression that can be heard in his Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, “Moonlight” op. 27 n. 2. Beethoven had several patrons, but his most important aristocrat was Emperor Leopold II's youngest son, Archduke Rudolph. He began studying piano and composition with Beethoven in the early 1800s; Beethoven dedicated fourteen compositions to Archduke Rudolf. Around this time he also wrote the Heiligenstadt Testament, a letter he wrote to his brothers regarding how his mental health and other health issues greatly affected him. In the last decade of his career, Beethoven's compositions became longer, more dissonant and complex. On 6 October 1802 Beethoven wrote the Heiligenstadt Testament, considered "one of the most heartbreaking documents to be found in the world". long literature of laments. This will was written in Heiligenstadt, a small village in the north of Vienna, where Beethoven took long walks in the woods. He wrote this letter to his brothers Carl and Johann revealing his emotional, physical and psychological difficulties and how these have impacted his career. In the letter he describes his worries about social humiliation and how he did not have the courage to tell the public about his deafness. Although he longed for company, his deafness was what made him shy away from these opportunities; Beethoven never married but had romantic encounters with women. Later in the letter, Beethoven saw suicide as an option, but instead wrote that he “would have ended his life if it had not been his art that held him back.” The Heiligenstadt Testament shows what the state of poor Beethoven's mental health was at that time and revealed a great depression and the escalation of his deafness. Beethoven did not stop composing, but professional environments such as concerts became a great complication for him. He never performed in public until the premiere of his Ninth Symphony in 1824, when he realized that his hearing loss had become immensely profound. As previously mentioned, Beethoven struggled with health problems that put him in difficulty. His deafness was not the only cause of his death as there were other difficulties as wellthey had an impact. In the film Immortal Beloved (1994), directed by Bernard Rose, the depth of his hearing loss can be seen in the scene where the orchestra performs the premiere of Symphony No. 9 by Beethoven, “Ode to Joy” in Vienna, Austria. It shows what the audience hears compared to what Beethoven hears, which is absolute silence. Towards the end of the scene, it is suggested that Beethoven was several measures late in conducting and that the conductor had to turn Beethoven around in front of the cheering crowd. Although deafness impacted his career, many other health issues also played a role, such as Paget's disease. bone and terminal liver cirrhosis. In an original autopsy report of Beethoven's body, a pathologist explains and describes possible health complications that Beethoven may have had. The article Beethoven's Autopsy Revisited: A Pathologist Sounds a Final Note by Stanley J. Oiseth states that Beethoven's skull was found to be quite dense and twice as thick as average. His blood vessels were dilated and his facial nerves were enlarged, causing his hearing loss to increase dramatically. Beethoven often complained of abdominal and gastrointestinal pain. At the age of fifty-six he encountered symptoms of liver cirrhosis. He suffered from abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, “bizarre misanthropic behavior and painful eye conditions” and several headaches due to progressive hearing loss. This condition, which had become terminal by the time of his death, was primarily caused by excessive alcohol intake. Beethoven's liver was severely affected and his enlarged spleen took on a darker color. The same article suggests that Beethoven may have had bipolar disorder as he showed "signs of bizarre and eccentric thinking and behavior in his letters and actions with bouts of melancholy and irritability." Giulietta Giucciardi. She married an earl and moved to Italy with him. In 1800 Giulietta Giucciardi, an aristocrat who took piano lessons from Beethoven, won his heart. In 1801 Beethoven proposed to Giucciardi but instead of accepting the proposal, Giucciardi's father objected, citing reasons that Beethoven's financial situation was unstable. Torn by heartbreak, Beethoven composed his Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, “Moonlight” op. 2 which was later dedicated to Giulietta Giucciardi in 1800. During this period Beethoven wrote the Heiligenstadt Testament which describes his poor mental health and emotional struggles as well as health concerns which emerged and greatly affected his career. Since the Moonlight Sonata begins with triplets in the right hand, it creates a melancholy and sad atmosphere; it seems that the pianist wants the last breaths of his life. The first chord of each triplet increases the mysteriousness of the movement. As the chords change, the harmony transforms into what seems like a darker mood. This creates a controlled extension of the agreement. The first note of each group of triplets is slightly accented to create a melancholic atmosphere. The last two notes of each triplet group are played with a delicate touch. Chords in the left hand are prolonged or otherwise indicated to create a darker, more controlled sound. The dotted eight followed by the sixteenth notes are played with a slight hesitation but still played as pianissimo. The second movement moves in a lighter, almost humorous mood with simple lyrical melodies. In the third movement, Beethoven uses sharp strains on the last two sixteenth chords preceding it to emphasize the intensity of the entire piece. The continuous restlessness can be heard in the.