Beethoven’s Efforts and Music Activities to Overcome Deafness and Disability
Ludwig van Beethoven is regarded as one of the greatest composers in the history of music.
However, behind his musical achievements lay the pain of severe hearing impairment.
Beethoven first had hearing problems at the age of 28, and then his hearing gradually deteriorated, eventually losing it almost completely.
In this article, we examine the causes and processes of Beethoven’s hearing impairment, and the effects of these disorders on his musical activities.
1. the cause of Beethoven’s hearing impairment
It was presumed and presumed that the hearing impairment of Beethoven (1770.12.16.~1827.3.26) was caused by a number of factors.
Medical knowledge of the late 18th and early 19th centuries has been attributed to various diseases such as depression, alcohol abuse, and respiratory diseases, but recent Beethoven’s hearing impairment studies have found that lead poisoning may have been the main cause.
At that time, he lived in a severely polluted environment due to the Industrial Revolution and was likely unprotectedly exposed to food and substances containing lead due to his low awareness of the harmfulness of lead.
This is because the unprotected accumulation of lead in the body seems to have had a serious impact on Beethoven’s nervous system.
Lead poisoning is a heavy metal substance that gradually manifests its toxicity over time. It is highly likely that this lead caused Beethoven’s hearing impairment to appear gradually.
2. the process of hearing impairment
Beethoven began to experience hearing loss in 1798, at the age of 28, and in 1801, he wrote to his friends about his condition and complained of pain.
In 1802, he tried to overcome his hearing impairment by recuperating in Heiligenstadt, Austria, but his hearing continued to deteriorate.
He was still able to distinguish between low and sudden loud sounds in the last few years of his life, but it became harder and harder to listen to music.
This process added to his mental distress, and eventually he faced great challenges in composing music.
3. Deafness in Music Activities due to Deafness
Beethoven’s deafness had a significant impact on his musical activities.
However, he continued to compose despite losing his hearing, but playing in concerts, his main source of income, became increasingly difficult.
And because of his hearing impairment, he is socially isolated, and his identity as a musician is also hit hard.
But despite these difficulties, he continued his music with the determination that “it would not crush me completely, clutching my throat of fate.”
In this way, Beethoven was able to continue composing music even though he lost his hearing because of his strong will and creativity.
From around 1816, trumpet-type hearing aids were used. These aids collected sounds more widely, in the form of cones and funnels.
However, unlike modern hearing aids, this tool did not help Beethoven’s hearing recovery because it simply collected sounds.
A year after using the hearing aid, he is said to have worsened his hearing.
At the time, people around Beethoven advised him not to use hearing aids too early, but this was a completely different view from modern hearing aid technology.
4. Beethoven Sublimates Disability into Art
If Beethoven had used hearing aids made of modern technology, imagine what would have changed in his musical career, we can happily imagine that he would have had access to more great songs.
Despite the insurmountable disorder of hearing impairment, Beethoven left behind many masterpieces as we know them with his musical talent and persistent efforts.
His life gives courage and hope to those with disabilities, and it also shows how the power of the art of music can transcend human limits.
Beethoven’s story is not just an example of overcoming hearing impairment, but remains an important example of his will and creativity as an artist.
