--贝多芬的一生

　　LudwigvanBeethovenwasborninBonn,Germany,onDecember16,1770.Hisfatherandgrandfatherwerebothmusicians.

　　Beethovenrevealedhisownmusicaltalentswhenhewasveryyoung.Attheageof7hewasplayinginpublic.

　　In1787BeethoventraveledtoViennaandmethisidol,Mozart1.Afterplayingalittleontheharpsichord2heaskedforatheme,onwhichheimprovised3sowonderfullythatMozartlistenedwithinterestandsaid,turningtotheothermusicianspresent:“Thisyoungmanwillleavehismarkintheworldsomeday.”

　　ButBeethovencouldnotstayinVienna.Hismotherfellill,andherushedbacktoBonn.

　　In1792BeethovenreturnedtoVienna,wherehespenttherestofhislife.HebecameapupilofHaydn’s4butwasdissatisfiedwithhismethodofteaching.Inordernottooffendthefamousmaster,hetooklessonsinsecretfromanothercomposer,JoanSchenk.

　　Nevertheless,hequicklybecamefamous.Thentragedystruck.Hediscoveredthathewasslowlybecomingdeaf.Thiswasthegreatcrisisofhislife.

　　Afterthis,Beethoven’smusicbecamemoreprofound.Hedevelopedacompletelyoriginalstyleofcomposing.Itreflectedhisviolentemotions,hissufferings,andjoys.AtthistimeBeethovencomposedthemostpopularofallsymphonies,hisfifth,Fate,inwhichheexpressedamusicaldepiction5ofhisstrugglewiththefateofdeafness.HededicatedhisSymphonyNo.3,Heroic,toNapoleon,thinkinghestoodfor“Liberty,EqualityandFraternity6,”forhedeeplysympathizedwiththeidealsoftheFrenchRevolution.ButthemomentheheardthatNapoleonhaddeclaredhimselfEmperor,hetoreoffthededicationofthetitlepage.

　　Itwasduringthislastperiodofhislifethatheproducedsomeofhisgreatest,mostthoughtfulworks,amongwhichwasSymphonyNo.9.

　　In1826Beethovenbecameseriouslyill,andonMarch26,1827,hedied,attheageof57.

　　Twentyfivethousandpeoplelinedthestreetsthroughwhichwascarriedthebier1ofthegreatestcomposertheworldhaseverknown.Therewerethirtytorchbearers,amongthemFranzSchubert2,withotherwellknownmusicians,artists,authorsandpoets.

　　Intheoldcemetery3inViennacanbeseentheMaster’slastrestingplace,whichcontainsasimplemonument4onwhichisengravedthegloriousname:“Beethoven.”

　　ThelifeofBeethovenisthelifeofagreatartistwhowasalsogreatasaman.Hisgeniusenlargedthelanguageofmusic,forhiscompositionsspeaktotheworldofthestruggles,aspirationsandtriumphsofthesoul.Theyaredeeplyemotionalandexpressingthefeelingsofallhumanityintheirbeauty.Hischaracterwasanobleone.Peoplerespecthimforhisgreatgeniusandlovehimforgoodnessandthepurityofhissoul.Throughgriefandmisfortunehebravelyfoughtalifelongbattlewithfateinordertobeworthyofhishighideals.Hewasamanofprofoundvisionandhismusichasdeeplymoveditslistenersforgenerations.