10 things you probably didn’t know about Beethoven - PART 1
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David Hackett3 min read|27. March 2023
10 things you probably didn’t know about Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven still largely defines our picture of an eccentric, chaotic genius. But how much do we really know about him? We take a closer look at some of his lesser-known habits and peculiarities.
He believed his deafness was caused by a quarrel with a singer
Beethoven was notorious for having little time for performers who could not cope with his musical demands. A disagreement with a certain prima tenore in 1798 was typical. The two had argued fiercely for several minutes when Beethoven – for reasons we can only speculate about – felt he would make his point better by throwing himself on the floor in a melodramatic gesture. When he got up, he noticed an unfamiliar buzzing in his ears, and his hearing was never the same again.
He was extremely messy
Beethoven is said to have lived in around 68 rented lodgings during the last 35 years of his life. It is debatable whether he always got his deposits back, as he was utterly hopeless at keeping the apartments in order. Countless visitors testify to a complete anarchy in Beethoven’s rooms, with half-eaten dinners, overturned inkwells and unemptied chamber pots hidden beneath a sea of fluttering sheets of music. "Nothing was safe with him; least of all valuable objects," complained Beethoven’s friend Ferdinand Ries. "Everything was knocked over, dirty and ruined."
Despite his poor habits, he was careful about personal hygiene
... although he was probably a little too meticulous. There was something almost fetishistic about Beethoven’s bathing habits. A typical morning ritual was to wander half-naked around the living room, pouring large jugs of cold water over himself while singing at the top of his voice. This often led to conflicts with both the servants (who laughed at the sight) and not least the owners of the apartment below, as puddles of water leaked straight through the floor. Beethoven’s early biographer, Anton Schindler, eventually suggested that the composer should have the floor covered with asphalt.
He had a surprisingly strong support network
Whether it was boxing his assistant’s ears for misunderstanding an important horn entry in the Eroica Symphony, walking out of his own concerts if he sensed someone talking in the audience, or throwing hard-boiled eggs at waiters when he was dissatisfied with the service in a restaurant, Beethoven was not an average type in social situations. Often he could be downright inappropriate. But he nevertheless had a gift for inspiring loyalty and friendship in those around him (including several wealthy patrons) – most of them because they recognised the hard-working, supremely gifted artist beneath all the drama.
Part 2 of 10 things you probably didn’t know about Beethoven is coming soon – stay tuned!
To read more from David Hackett, go to www.musicbytheyear.com.