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==Early Life==

==Early Life==

Born in Bonn, Germany, Beethoven's early musical training was on the violin, and later in composition, keyboard, and [[organ]]. At first he was taught by his father, Johann, and then by C.G. Neefe, a court organist. At 11 he is recorded as filling in for Neefe as an organist. Neefe, a son of the [[Enlightenment]] who was also a member of the Bavarian [[Illuminati]], also influenced the young genius's education, and Beethoven is known to have frequented lectures at the university. Having caught the attention of Maximilian Frederick, the Elector of Bonn, he published his first works in 1783. In 1787 he travelled to [[Vienna]] in the hope of studying with [[Mozart]], but quickly returned on hearing that his mother was dying. He continued to produce ever larger compositions for the Bonn court, culminating in the grand ''[[Cantata]] on the Death of Emperor Joseph II'', written when Beethoven was 20. His father having turned to alcoholism after his mother's death, Beethoven was in charge of caring for his younger brothers, and was not able to return to Vienna until 1792, after which he was to settle for life.  

Born in [[Bonn]], Germany, Beethoven's early musical training was on the violin, and later in composition, keyboard, and [[organ]]. At first he was taught by his father, Johann, and then by C.G. Neefe, a court organist. At 11 he is recorded as filling in for Neefe as an organist. Neefe, a son of the [[Enlightenment]] who was also a member of the Bavarian [[Illuminati]], also influenced the young genius's education, and Beethoven is known to have frequented lectures at the university. Having caught the attention of Maximilian Frederick, the Elector of Bonn, he published his first works in 1783. In 1787 he travelled to [[Vienna]] in the hope of studying with [[Mozart]], but quickly returned on hearing that his mother was dying. He continued to produce ever larger compositions for the Bonn court, culminating in the grand ''[[Cantata]] on the Death of Emperor Joseph II'', written when Beethoven was 20. His father having turned to alcoholism after his mother's death, Beethoven was in charge of caring for his younger brothers, and was not able to return to Vienna until 1792, after which he was to settle for life.  

Newly-arrived in the bustling musical capital, Beethoven made his mark almost immediately as a pianist, and pursued his studies in composition, first with [[Joseph Haydn]], and later with contemporaries Johann Schenk, Johann-Georg Albrechtsberger and [[Antonio Salieri]]. To all appearances, the first years in Vienna were marked by creative fits and starts: Beethoven's Opus 1 (published in 1795), a set of three piano trios, was already mostly finished when he arrived in Vienna; and while many of his first great works were begun in these first five years, Beethoven had nothing new to send back to his benefactor in Bonn. Maximilian Franz, then the elector of Bonn, was still financing the young composer's education, corresponding frequently and impatiently with both Beethoven and Haydn, and threatening to cut off funding if he did not begin to show results. Finally, in 1797, Beethoven's Opus 2, a bold set of three piano sonatas written in an unprecedentedly original style, was published and dedicated to Haydn. Five more opuses were published that year, and a flood of finished compositions followed in 1798. By the time his first symphony was finished and performed in 1800, Beethoven had thoroughly made his mark as a composer of powerful orginiality.

Newly-arrived in the bustling musical capital, Beethoven made his mark almost immediately as a pianist, and pursued his studies in composition, first with [[Joseph Haydn]], and later with contemporaries Johann Schenk, Johann-Georg Albrechtsberger and [[Antonio Salieri]]. To all appearances, the first years in Vienna were marked by creative fits and starts: Beethoven's Opus 1 (published in 1795), a set of three piano trios, was already mostly finished when he arrived in Vienna; and while many of his first great works were begun in these first five years, Beethoven had nothing new to send back to his benefactor in Bonn. Maximilian Franz, then the elector of Bonn, was still financing the young composer's education, corresponding frequently and impatiently with both Beethoven and Haydn, and threatening to cut off funding if he did not begin to show results. Finally, in 1797, Beethoven's Opus 2, a bold set of three piano sonatas written in an unprecedentedly original style, was published and dedicated to Haydn. Five more opuses were published that year, and a flood of finished compositions followed in 1798. By the time his first symphony was finished and performed in 1800, Beethoven had thoroughly made his mark as a composer of powerful orginiality.