贝多芬(1770～1827年)
Beethoven, Ludwig van
德国出生的奥地利作曲家。生於波昂的音乐世家，自幼就是天赋绝佳的钢琴师和小提琴师。在波昂担任九年的宫廷乐师後，迁居维也纳，受教於海顿门下，并在那里终老。他很快成为人尽皆知的演奏大师和作曲家，并成为第一位抛弃教堂或宫廷职位而成功维生的重要作曲家（虽然有三位识其才气的贵族无条件地付给他年金）。他以独特方式跨越古典时期和浪漫时期。他惊人的《英雄交响曲》（1803）就是宣布浪漫世纪来临的那声霹雳，此曲体现了庞大但严格控制的能量，此即贝多芬风格的标记。体形上，他矮小而不具吸引力，而且随着年龄的增长性情变得越发古怪。约1795年起耳朵渐聋，导致了几乎自杀的忧郁症，而约从1819年起就完全失聪。尽管有过几次无望的爱情，他一直保持单身。在世的最後十五年里，他是无与伦比的世界首席作曲家。作品包括着名的九部交响曲（1800～1824），十六首弦乐四重奏（1798～1826），三十二首钢琴奏鸣曲（1796～1822），歌剧《费德里奥》（1805年；1814年修订），两首弥撒曲（包括《庄严弥撒曲》〔1823〕在内），五首钢琴协奏曲，一首小提琴协奏曲（1806），六首钢琴三重奏，十首小提琴奏鸣曲，五首大提琴奏鸣曲，以及几首音乐会序曲。
English version：
1770～1827年
Beethoven, Ludwig van
German-Austrian composer. Born in Bonn to a musical family, he was a precociously gifted pianist and violist. After nine years as a court musician in Bonn, he moved to Vienna to study with F.J. Haydn and remained there the rest of his life. He was soon well known as both a virtuoso and a composer, and he became the first important composer to earn a successful living while forsaking employment in the church or court (though three noblemen, recognizing his brilliance, paid him an unconditional annual annuity). He uniquely straddled the Classical and Romantic eras. His astonishing Eroica Symphony (1803) was the thunderclap that announced the Romantic century, and it embodies the titanic but rigorously controlled energy that was the hallmark of his style. Physically, he was short and unattractive, and he grew increasingly eccentric with age. His increasing deafness from c. 1795 led to near-suicidal depression; from c. 1819 he was totally deaf. Despite several hopeless loves, he remained single. For his last 15 years he was unrivaled as the world's most famous composer. His works include the celebrated nine symphonies (1800-24); 16 string quartets (1798-1826); 32 piano sonatas (1796-1822); the opera Fidelio (1805, rev. 1814); two masses, including the Missa Solemnis (1823); five piano concertos; a violin concerto (1806); six piano trios; 10 violin sonatas; five cello sonatas; and several concert overtures.