MUS202H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Liver Disease, Syphilis, Arthur Schopenhauer
Document Summary
First symptoms of hearing loss began in 1796 and 1798. Heiligenstadt testament: 6 october 1802 (published in 1827; public notice of beethoven"s deafness circulated in print as early as 1816). Condition may have stabilized from 1802-12, then grew worse. Beethoven could hear speech and music normally until 1812. Last public performance as a pianist: in the archduke trio, may 1814. Started to use malzel"s ear trumpets in 1814. 400 existed at the time of his death, but schindler destroyed many of them; only 138 left by 1845). Could hear music in public performances up to 1822. Could hear the piano with the aid of a resonance plate up until 1826. Would improvise at the piano for visitors in private at least until 1826. Ealy says he was never completely deaf; had limited hearing to the end. Beethoven had been increasingly battling hearing difficulties since he was thirty.
