Beethoven as a young man

After his mother's death, Beethoven had to become head of the family. His father did nothing but sit in the tavern drinking, his older brother was lazy, his younger brother was too young to help, and his sister was still a little child. He got a job as viola player in the court orchestra, and so was able to provide for his family, all of whom he loved dearly. In 1792, when he was 22 years old, Beethoven moved to Vienna, where he made his home for the rest of his life. ,In Vienna the first years were hard.

Beethoven had very little money, and lived in a garret. Then the Prince and Princess Lichnowsky invited him to come and live at their house, which he did gladly. He had been composing music all the time, but he was known chiefly as a pianist. His compositions did not attract attention until 1800, when he was 30, and his First Symphony was played. Since 1798 Beethoven had occasionally found it hard to hear what was said to him. He realized that he was becoming deaf. It was in this time of sadness that he wrote such masterpieces of sorrow as his Sonata Pathetique and Sonata in D.