I was struck suddenly deaf by a very loud sound in August. I'm a jazz pianist, drummer, composer, etc. I now understand Beethoven's heartbreak. Lucky for me, my hearing mostly recovered, and with hearing aids I can function musically. But oh, what heartbreak I felt for many weeks. I can barely encompass Beethoven's suffering. This is a good one, Rick, thank you for your hard work.
I absolutely love Beethoven. I was just told a few days ago that I have severe hearing loss in my right ear. My left ear is completely deaf. I can hear sound, like Beethoven could. I consider him my "mentor/inspiration". I am grateful to live in a time, where I can have options to help with my hearing. I loved this video, and thank you for sharing your love for Beethoven.
I just lost the last of my residual hearing in my right ear and have no hearing in my left ear (wore hearing aids from age 2 to 40) and I'm getting a cochlear implant in a few weeks. While I'm scared about how things will sound with the implant, I'm also grateful that the option to have the implant exists.
@@rodneyhorton5798 So...? Even if he was, does that change the fact that he's one of the most widely-regarded composers on Earth? Does it invalidate his incredible compositions?
Oh my gosh that letter. What an incredible man. He was determined to write the best possible music before he died. He was strong. Even though something awful happened he didn't let it stop him.
Sometimes when I think of Beethoven, I cry. To think that he created some of the greatest music ever on Earth and did not hear much of it is beyond tragic.
@@lucaszavaluentie4855 You must be and live the emotion to portray it with accuracy in music. Sure it is a bit of a cliche that to write a sad blues number you need to be sad. I am sure sadness inspired many great blues songs, but all you really need is to have already had the experience. You don't have to aquire that state at that moment but you certainly can remember the pain.
My favorite Beethoven story was his answer his brother Johann who signed off a letter to him, "From your brother Johann, landowner," In his reply Ludwig signed his letter off, "From your brother Ludwig, brain owner" They were definitely brothers..
Musicians being musicians...Mozart writes a canon entitled Leck mich im Arsch (translation-Lick my Ass)....And we thought the Sex Pistols were punk rock.
My favorite story about him was the time another composer tried to upstage him after Beethoven had performed one of his pieces on the piano. After hearing it, the other composer (can’t think of his name at the moment) decided to arrange a piece which he deemed was an “improvement” on Beethoven’s, utilizing a string section. After they finished playing, Beethoven jumped up out of his seat, swept past the cellist, grabbing his score in the process, sat at the piano, turned the score upside down, and proceeded to do an elaborate improvisational piece based on the reversed notes. The other composer was so embarrassed by this that he refused to be seen in the same room with Beethoven from then onwards. 😂
I think he is well respected but today beethoven would be the greatest producer if he had ears today. But classical music is not that interesting beyond its competitors today
@@Nikioko Bach was amazing in his own right, no one can argue that... but, Beethoven was deaf! Writing some of the, if not the greatest music ever written! Had he not had impaired hearing, no one would ever speak of Bach!
@@MsAppassionata That's fair, it's all about perspective after all, isn't it? Each composer has left an indelible mark on the world of music in their own way. Perhaps, it's best to not compare the two, but rather celebrate the richness and diversity of musical genius.
i know Im asking the wrong place but does anyone know a way to get back into an instagram account..? I stupidly forgot my account password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me
I have had the privilege to perform numerous Beethoven works, including 2d, 5th, and 8th symphonies, 4th piano concerto, Coriolan and Egmont overtures, and the horn sonata. It is incredible music.
The story of the 9th symphony gets me every time. Incredible isn't nearly enough to describe it. Note: You should listen to it. Yes, the whole hour. The ode to joy is great, but definitely not all of the 9th and maybe not even the greatest part.
0:08 Beethoven was born into a family of musicians 0:35 Did Beethoven and Mozart ever meet? 1:14 Beethoven began growing deaf [age 25] 3:22 [Beethoven hosted a 4 hour concert featuring his 5th & 6th symphonies] This was the greatest concert of all time. 5:12 Beethoven's late works
The fact that he wrote some of the most important music works of all time completly deaf speaks a lot of his generosity and cunning mind. He knew it was a life achievment that would put him among the greatest composers.... but yet was a hard task to do. He wrote the 9th symphony and never heard a single note. That is generosity!! Fortunatly I had the chance to sing the "Ode to Joy" twice in a month some years ago, in big open air concerts. Unfforgetable experience!!!! Greetings from Brasil
Thank you Rick. Beethoven has been my favorite classical composer since the late 1970's. I have many times taken some of his passages to create interesting drum patterns.
Hey Rick, very well done to your work: lectures on music, composition, composers, orchestration etc. I've been following for some time now. Bravo! We all really appreciate your work!
Hi Merek, thank you so much for the kind words! I just listened to your NEO VARIATIONS : Tribute to John Towner Williams. Bravo! It sounds beautiful. I just subscribed and look forward to checking out your other videos. Rick
The Heilegestat testament breaks my heart every time I read it or hear it read. What a musician and artist. So great his godlike talent we forget he never heard some of his greatest works.
Man, I wish I could have attended that concert. I live in Vienna and I visit Beethovens grave and some of the houses he lived in regularly. I couldn't bare life without his music.
"Ah, it seemed to me impossible to leave the world until I had brought forth all that I felt was within me. So I endured this wretched existence - truly wretched for so susceptible a body, which can be thrown by a sudden change from the best condition to the very worst. - Patience, they say, is what I must now choose for my guide" ...absolutely beautiful words. I was injured while in the military and had to draw back my live shows substantially back around '13. I've been "signed" a few times, but was much more successful as a true indie, getting music on international radio and signing deals with MTV, Vh1, Paramount Films, performing Fri night of SXSW, and so on. This was an inspiring post Rick. I'm just north of you in TN - we should get together sometime. Lunch is on me!
I will always love Mr.Beethoven...the Man....his Music...His Spirit... his Mind and his relentless determination to keep on going no matter what ever odds in life that he faced!! That is why this man is an immortal great!!
This was really interesting! I knew he started using lower notes more as his hearing went but I didn't actually realize he had composed music without being able to hear it at all! And I also didn't know he kept his hearing loss a secret, I had assumed being a deaf or hard of hearing composer had been part of what made him famous in the first place. Great video!
Rick, your brief exposition of Beethoven and his achievements brought as much tears to my eyes as his music has done. I salute you! As small token of thanks, let me add (.. not as the only one) fact #6: Beethoven met classical guitar virtuoso Mauro Giuliani too, while in Vienna, and Giuliani was of course influenced. So even for our favourite instrument, Beethoven has indirectly done wonders too: just check out Giuliani's "Grand Sonata Eroica". Thanks again - you are a treasure!
The allegretto of Beethoven's 7th: that's where it's at. And the sonatas "Appassionata" and "Pathetique" , especially played by Arrau. Listen to them and be amazed by the beauty.
This has to be one of the most powerful and now my favorite of all your videos thus far. This will help me when I go back to my classroom in a few weeks. My 6th grade music students will benefit from your expertise. Thank you.
Thanks Rick, beautiful stuff. As Brooke said, I knew some of this. I could not have recited the pieces played on December 22, 1808. The only thing that I would add is that I read, in "Beethoven's Hair," that he went completely deaf by 1811. The 7th Symphony is, by far, my favorite. I need to check out Missa Solemnis. Just saw American Bach Soloists perform Bach's Mass in B Minor, this past Sunday, in San Francisco. Thanks again for the inspiration.
Great video. It's great seeing your passion extended to older music in the Western tradition. If anyone is interested in Beethoven's late work, give a listen to his Grosse Fuge for string quartet. It was written after Beethoven's deafness had become complete & was one of the last pieces he wrote. After its premier the Grosse Fuge was ripped by the critics of the time, as it is very dissonant &, in places, difficult to listen to. By the time the early 20th Century had rolled around this work was finally being recognized as the great work it was (& is). Stravinsky stated, "[the Grosse Fuge is] an absolutely contemporary piece of music that will be contemporary forever."
Glad to hear at least a couple of details about Beethoven that I didn't previously know. BTW, while it might be in doubt whether he met Mozart or not, he certainly became acquainted with Salieri, an acquaintance that resulted in a very odd set of a cappella partsongs in Italian, to texts by Metastasio. BTW, I conducted the Mass in C a couple of seasons ago -- what a wonderful piece! At the time of that 1808 concert, it was still "fresh," having only been completed a little more than a year previous.
Rick. I was driven to tears by your beautiful tribute to Beethoven (the 2nd movement of the 5th piano concerto - in the background - always has a tendency to do this to me). It is really nice to have a little overview like this by someone who knows his stuff. Keep up the good work.
What I find so refreshing is your knowledge of all KINDS of music. It is somehow inspiring and comforting to see your enthusiasm so evident across such a varied musical-style spectrum.
Love Beethoven, and love rock and roll. And naturally, a subscriber to your wonderful channel. Good choice of the 2nd movement of the 5th piano concerto as the background for his heartbreaking letter. You said so much, but could also have mentioned not only Hammerklavier but his last piano sonata, Op. 111, one of the most sublime works by anyone of all time. It incidentally introduces jazz/boogie woogie to the world, but also deeply spiritual ambient music. I hope there's a heaven, not for my sake, but so that Beethoven could finally find a place of happiness.
Been to the Vienna cemetery three times now to stand at Beethoven's grave next to Mozart and many others buried there. You made a nice video that spoke to his greatness.
Well done, I knew many of these things already, but your presentation gave me chills all the same. It's nice to see that you (like me) see no need to make qualitative distinctions between popular and classical music; they can each attain the sublime.
The very first music I remember in my life was the Scherzo from the Ninth. To this day, I can't listen to his music without being profoundly moved. The Andante from the Seventh brings me to tears every time.
I've loved Beethoven since I was a kid and thought I knew quite a lot about him, but the Heiligenstadt Testament was a revelation, and heartbreaking. It made me think that not only was Beethoven a great musician and mind, but an extraordinary man to be able to do what he did.
Wonderful job, Rick! I am a jazz guitarist and a elementary music teacher who recently finished my masters in music education degree. My thesis was on Beethoven’s 3rd symphony and the period around the Heiligenstadt Testament with a deep analysis as to why that symphony was the most significant to that point in music history. I’d love to share my paper and/or presentation with the annotated score if you are interested! Keep up the good work!
When I listen to Beethoven’s story , It’s make me thinking of Django everytime.Because both of them had fated the worst misfortune that every ordinary man might be gave up to his fate.But they both not only just overcome their troubles but their was cross over boundaries of himself before disability and created greater masterpieces than before. ( actually their works has been shape theory for many generations of musician ) . So they ain’t just great musician but also great among mankind. ( First time when I was read about Django’s history I was impressed by great mind and great willing to play music of him more than even beethoven’story and His story remind me that awesome abilities doesn’t came from physical skill or talent but actually started form inner mind and willing to play music.
Oh my thank you so much I went through a period of about 10 years when I was obsessed with Beethoven . I have no classical music background at all . I love folk and rock and they was my food and drink when I was growing up , but I think when Beethoven gets under your skin it is undeniable. The ninth is the pinnacle of human evolution to me . It is a symphony that can change hearts and can heal . It is as if something is speaking through him . I wonder what would have happened if he had never lost his hearing . The Eroica to me is astonishing as well and I think his hearing was intact and the scale of the Eroica is as vast ,so I don’t think his total deafness and the isolation that followed contributed to the 9th . I think it was already there . Like Mozart he was uncovering these masterpieces. Would love to see a comparison on hot shot pianists . They used to have duels. Like hot shot guitarists . And people would wager on the fastest and best improviser . That world sounds fascinating . Thank you .
So so true, what you say echoes my own story with Beethoven. I play blues/folk/rock, and had always been mesmerised by Mozart, but a few years ago was given a fairly comprehensive catalogue of Beethovens music. I became(and still am somewhat) obsessed with it. 'Obsession' sounds like a dramatic word but is accurate. It gets truly under the skin. I must've listened to Eroica 1000 times and it is as fresh every time. There is nothing in western music which can, in around 40 minutes, sublimely express the whole range of human feeling from utterly introverted, existential despair, to the triumph of a personal joy which words cannot reach. A familiarity with this music should alone have the open minded, thinking being, wonder if we are, as is fed to us, little more than slightly advanced apes.
Murray Easton hiya , totally agree with everything. The Eroica is astonishing. It was my gateway to Beethoven . I was numbed by the experience. It is as you describe , much a journey through the emotions of the mind . From the turbulent to the sublime . Made me cry . No other composer can take me on such a remarkable journey. I agree . This is not music from an organic species . For me it is music of a completely aware mind and all the mysteries that entails. I know he was very troubled,but he undeniably had glimpses of extraordinary beauty and power . We are obviously big fans . I extend my hand to you .
XLNT vid Rick! Yep - It truly is incredible how the 9th has endured and been used for so many purposes through-out human history since that time. I consider the 9th to be the greatest musical piece written by a human on planet earth. We will be seeing the 9th performed in Dallas by the magnificent DSO later this summer. I can not wait!!!
Beethoven was far more introspective in his sonatas (private musings, reflecting on his life or Life in general) than in his symphonies (meant for general public consumption). If you want to know Beethoven the man, listen to his piano sonatas; if you want to know Beethoven the crowd-pleaser, listen to his symphonies.
Beethoven poured some of his most intimate ideas into his string quartets, particularly the later ones. Music that absolutely no one else in history could have written.
His 1st, 2nd and 4th Symphonies are pretty conventional (by classicist standards), but the others are all groundbreaking in one way or another. As far as introspection goes, we can't ignore the 8th symphony which more than anything shows B's self-awareness. It is ostensibly him parodying himself, embracing his own tropes and shortcomings.
Rick I loved the video. LVB is my all time favorite musician and composer. I wonder if you had any thoughts on why improvising used to be an important part of classical music and no longer is? As I recall Beethoven was renowned for his improvisational skills and won many competitions against other virtuoso of his time. Would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.
Improvisation requires higher levels of abstraction, which in turn is a consequence of higher levels of intelligence. Intelligence is the ability to maintain variables and manipulate them within the brain - the more variables you can maintain and the degree to which you can manipulate them determines your level of intelligence. High levels of intelligence are strongly associated with open mindedness, which is a highly desirable personality trait in artists. Today, IQ is on the decline, and individual artistic expression has taken a backseat to fame; take what has already worked and regurgitate it ad nauseam, while exerting the majority of your energy on your manufactured image. I love when people laud musical artists today as "genius" only to hear uninspired jingles, disguised as songs, designed to be instantly mapped by the least cognitively capable of our species. As with everything, practically all music today is purely instant gratification, offering no emotional complexity for our brains to marvel within through repeated listening sessions. When instant gratification is your primary mode of operation, exerting energy in abstracting improvisations will not compete with the path of least resistance. Listening to Beethoven is akin to a meal where every bite offers flavours to ponder upon, while music of today is a fast food combo that makes you giddy for five minutes, after which, you're already looking for your next meal. Today's music tells you how to feel, while truly creative music shows you how you feel. The latter requiring more effort coincides with Beethoven's classic quote, "What is difficult is good."
@@davidbudo5551 interesting theory though I'm not sure I agree with you. I'm not sure that there is any scientific evidence of the decline of IQ's and I can tell you first hand that improvising has not been a part of classical music for a very very very long time whereas it used to be considered an essential tool. Improvisation continues to be a part of almost all other genre's of music including but not limited to rock, r&b, soul, jazz, blues, Latin, etc. All that said we definitely agree on Beethoven.
@@pedroV2003 I think improvisation ceased to be part of the musical education during the second half of the 19th century. Compositions had become more complex, and composers started to complain about musicians, who would include their own improvisations into the pieces, and thus make them unrecognizable. That would lead to a common ostracism of the art of improvisation in general. "You have to play what is written there and nothing else!" So throwing the baby within the bathwater, sadly. Ever since it didn't find back into the classical musical education. Hopefully it will come back someday in the future. Students of composition anyway, might still have to learn the skill. Just my thoughts, I don't know if it's all correct.
@@pedroV2003 Actually, as a classical musician, playing, say, in an orchestra, you need a lot of skills, such as sight reading among other things, but you don't need improvisation. But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't learn it from the very beginning, when you start to learn your instrument as a child. The dilemma is, when you learn your instrument the classical way, you learn to read music right away yes, but you don't learn to play just by ear, whereas those who learn it otherwise, don't learn to read music. Both skills should be learned simultaneously; maybe they do it nowadays, who knows.
Say what you must and as you must, has there been one other than Beethoven in music emotion, spirituality and endless reflection. Beethoven too was mortal but yet lives on !
Amazing video. I loved how his music played in the background as you talked about it. I agree completely about Beethoven being one of the greatest minds of our time. I consider him on of the most important humans to have ever lived.
Would Beethoven have been such a pioneer in music if he wasn't stricken with deafness? A lot of his earlier works when he had his hearing were certainly competent but they sounded like Mozart. The intro to his Pathetique Sonata (1799) literally ushered in the Romantic period. He had lost a considerable amount of his hearing by the time he composed it. Could it be possible that the isolation resulting from his malady was the catalyst for his huge strides forward in the evolution of harmony? Did God curse Beethoven with deafness in order to bless humanity with his profound musical works? Would we have the Choral Symphony, Hammerklavier Sonata, Missa solemnis, or the late string quartets if Beethoven was not afflicted?
Alberti Bass He most definitely would have been a pioneer. His op 1 no 3 can attest to that. Or his op 10 no 3 -- that slow movement was like nothing before.
Would Stephen Hawking have become a great physicist if his body wasn't crippled to the point where all he had was his brain? Maybe. Perhaps he and Beethoven were great despite their maladies? We'll never know, but yours is an interesting question.
An interesting question no doubt. He was already great and would no doubt have continued to push the boundaries, but whether his works would have come out as they did, as haunted, exhalted, jubilant, etc. is anyone's guess. However, even with hearing intact, he would have suffered misfortunes and failures, grown older and more frail, and this would perhaps have pushed him in a similar direction.
Beethoven never actually needed to hear in order to compose because he not only had one of the finest absolute pitch ear, but could hear everything he wanted to compose in his head. In fact, fact no. 6 could actually be that because of his having to rely on his inner ear so much, Beethoven's compositional methodology actually became somewhat easier. He relied less on working things out on a keyboard which in his younger days he would scratch things out all over the place and make numerous revisions. These were far less as time went on and his later manuscripts clearly reflect this. You're welcome Rick. By the way, having performed the 4th concerto myself, I investigated the story of the premier at that mammoth concert even to the attempt to try to find out what type of piano he may have used for it since there are "ossias" in the piano part which seem to indicate his possible use of a piano with a larger compass. Unfortunately, the manuscript was lost along the way so we can not actually see Beethovens own thoughts first hand.
Composing without instruments( with manuscript paper)is quite common among any decent composer. I can sketch out pop and rock songs complete within minutes. A large orchestration within hours. Music is finite. It follows strict but easily learned rules. Once you know what notes a D minor triad is made up of ,for example ,their is no need to hear it. Orchestrating large ensembles is as simple once you deconstruct it. Within a year anyone can write without an instrument . Anyone can tell the difference between Major,minor,diminished, 7th. etc.immediately. Just spend a little time getting familiar with how intervals sound and you are on your way.
Fortunately he did hear all the instruments before he went deaf. Otherwise he would not know what music is or how the different instruments sound. And that is much needed for composing.
It is rumored Mozart never heard his last 3 symphonies, which took him 5 weeks to compose, performed during his lifetime. the 40th is the one Beethoven wrote in his notebook, (mentioned in the video) Beethoven's 5th 3rd movement references Mozart's 40th 4th movement
As someone that has degenerative hearing loss, and an impending doom of it some day going completely away, I have to admire Beethoven's ability to not wallow in despair. It is easy to do.
Well that got me crying. Beethoven was the real hero of his Eroica. He defines greatness. The universe would be an empty sad place indeed without the Ninth. But then there's always Johann Sebastien Bach whom Beethoven revered.
Eroica is the Third though, not the Ninth. In 1802/3 he still had his hearing. And for sure he revered Mozart as well, along with Händel and Haydn, whom he took lessons off.
I had read the Beethoven was also one of the best pianists of all time (when he was a young adult). When he arrived in Vienna he wanted to show off his talents and kept writing pieces that he thought some of the other pianists would not be able to play. Often showing the correct fingering for some of the piano passages which to be able to play as intended the pianist had to have a really large hands which Beethoven apparently had. I found this ironically surprising since in my mind, I consider composing and playing vastly different skills.
In fact, many of the most significant of composers were capable keyboardists. This was because directing the orchestra was one usual role of the composer, and in the baroque style, that was always done from the keyboard, whether it be harpsichord in secular settings, or organ in sacred situations (it wasn't really until after 1820 that conductors started waving sticks). In the classical, romantic and contemporary periods, There was a long string of composers who were virtuosic performers at the piano, beginning with Mozart, and continuing through Beethoven, Schubert, Robert Schumann (promising performing career halted by an accidental, self-inflicted hand injury), Clara Schumann, Liszt, Chopin (not really much of a performer, but an undeniable genius on the instrument), Ravel and Rachmaninoff (wanna talk big hands? He could play a tenth, which is not unusual, but with a third between his thumb and first finger, and an octave between his first finger and pinkie, which certainly is!). I'm with you on the idea that composing and playing are distinct skills, but historically speaking, anyway, there's been plenty of overlap.
I suggest listening to some Oscar Peterson or Art Tatum. They were composing on the fly and Beethoven was considered a great improvisor in his younger years.
Very interesting! These composers were just on a different level in talent. Those were different times and led to the climax of talent and perfection. They were just incredible!
I was struck suddenly deaf by a very loud sound in August. I'm a jazz pianist, drummer, composer, etc. I now understand Beethoven's heartbreak. Lucky for me, my hearing mostly recovered, and with hearing aids I can function musically. But oh, what heartbreak I felt for many weeks. I can barely encompass Beethoven's suffering. This is a good one, Rick, thank you for your hard work.
I absolutely love Beethoven. I was just told a few days ago that I have severe hearing loss in my right ear. My left ear is completely deaf. I can hear sound, like Beethoven could. I consider him my "mentor/inspiration".
I am grateful to live in a time, where I can have options to help with my hearing.
I loved this video, and thank you for sharing your love for Beethoven.
All the best maam
From India
I just lost the last of my residual hearing in my right ear and have no hearing in my left ear (wore hearing aids from age 2 to 40) and I'm getting a cochlear implant in a few weeks. While I'm scared about how things will sound with the implant, I'm also grateful that the option to have the implant exists.
Beethoven was BLACK
@@rodneyhorton5798 So...? Even if he was, does that change the fact that he's one of the most widely-regarded composers on Earth? Does it invalidate his incredible compositions?
Oh my gosh that letter. What an incredible man. He was determined to write the best possible music before he died. He was strong. Even though something awful happened he didn't let it stop him.
He is truly an inspiration to everyone, not just musicians.
Certainly is to me.
Sometimes when I think of Beethoven, I cry. To think that he created some of the greatest music ever on Earth and did not hear much of it is beyond tragic.
Not with his ears, but he heard the music alright.
“Composers don’t cry, composers are made of fire.”
@@lucaszavaluentie4855 You must be and live the emotion to portray it with accuracy in music. Sure it is a bit of a cliche that to write a sad blues number you need to be sad. I am sure sadness inspired many great blues songs, but all you really need is to have already had the experience. You don't have to aquire that state at that moment but you certainly can remember the pain.
My favorite Beethoven story was his answer his brother Johann who signed off a letter to him, "From your brother Johann, landowner," In his reply Ludwig signed his letter off, "From your brother Ludwig, brain owner" They were definitely brothers..
Musicians being musicians...Mozart writes a canon entitled Leck mich im Arsch (translation-Lick my Ass)....And we thought the Sex Pistols were punk rock.
I love that! Land owner. Brain owner. That was great. They certainly were brothers.
My favorite story about him was the time another composer tried to upstage him after Beethoven had performed one of his pieces on the piano. After hearing it, the other composer (can’t think of his name at the moment) decided to arrange a piece which he deemed was an “improvement” on Beethoven’s, utilizing a string section. After they finished playing, Beethoven jumped up out of his seat, swept past the cellist, grabbing his score in the process, sat at the piano, turned the score upside down, and proceeded to do an elaborate improvisational piece based on the reversed notes. The other composer was so embarrassed by this that he refused to be seen in the same room with Beethoven from then onwards. 😂
🤣
@@MsAppassionata That was Daniel Steibelt. And happened in the third round of their musical improvisation contest.
Deaf guy becomes world's greatest composer. That is dedication.
One of the greatest, not the greatest.
@@dontsubscribeme9547 I see someone has never listened to the 9th Symphony haha
@@koolaids-man8668 turkish march and mozart the greatest.. Not dada da daa..
@@dontsubscribeme9547 woah , you saying mozart is greatest is understandable , but he is greatest because of turkish march ?😂 now that is hilarious
@@dontsubscribeme9547 You should listen to some music of mozart before saying his best is turkish march
Wrote one of the greatest symphonies ever while totally deaf. Hands down the greatest composer in the history of Western music.
no doubt
Beethoven himselft wouldn’t agree
@@idontgivea1769 did you ask him?
I think he is well respected but today beethoven would be the greatest producer if he had ears today. But classical music is not that interesting beyond its competitors today
Verdi considered it mediocre. Nice verdict by someone who never wrote a symphony.
Completely deaf, writes arguably the greatest piece of music ever (9th Symphony).
Beethoven is above all for me.
I've heard it took him 23 years to compose the 9th symphony...
so he was totally deaf in the latest years of those 23
Except Bach. ;-)
@@Nikioko Bach was amazing in his own right, no one can argue that... but, Beethoven was deaf! Writing some of the, if not the greatest music ever written! Had he not had impaired hearing, no one would ever speak of Bach!
@@georgekouts Well, I’m a Beethoven fan myself (hence my user name) but I wouldn’t even go that far.
@@MsAppassionata That's fair, it's all about perspective after all, isn't it? Each composer has left an indelible mark on the world of music in their own way. Perhaps, it's best to not compare the two, but rather celebrate the richness and diversity of musical genius.
Beethoven must of had absolute pitch. There is no other way someone could write such brilliant music while almost completely deaf. Absolute genius.
I think he had better perfect pitch than most other people with it
I think he had the best perfect pitch of anyone who has ever lived
reading and writing that why
Great presentation on Beethoven!! You chose the best bits of information to remind me of this great composer.
And...Beethoven is NOT a Blocker!
We just gonna ignore the fact that is NAHRE SOL
Ya'll keep pretending he wasn't Black, you lying blue eyed devils.
i know Im asking the wrong place but does anyone know a way to get back into an instagram account..?
I stupidly forgot my account password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me
@Joel Eugene Instablaster ;)
"All the good music has already been written by people with wigs and stuff." - Frank Zappa
pretty sure he didn't wear wigs
@@nightwhenjar
r/woosh
Nah
Guido Anselmi but he didn’t
"Mediocre composers knew how to imitate the powdered wigs of Haydn and Mozart, but not the heads that wore them"- Robert Schumann.
I have had the privilege to perform numerous Beethoven works, including 2d, 5th, and 8th symphonies, 4th piano concerto, Coriolan and Egmont overtures, and the horn sonata. It is incredible music.
So you're a horn player then, right?
That heiligenstadt reading with the 5th piano concerto was just beautiful
Beethoven is simply inspiring.
esecially the music.
My life goal is to go to Vienna in 2024 to see a performance of Beethoven's 9th on it's 200th anniversary.
think i will go too, I hope Lang Lang will be there, been watching his performance for years and my dad sponsored him multiple times too
Alfonso Munoz Awesome, hope I see you there!
@@andymilstenmusic8520 Ill say hello if I bump into you
Karthik Selvan Sure thing!!
Did you make it?
He was also one of the greatest men to ever live. It takes a true man to rise above all that suffering and create beauty for the world out of his pain
Beethoven also didn't use any Apple products!
And didn't use autotune!
He used Samsung
It was 1800 you dumb
Apple was invented in 1960
@@K2KOfcoursegg When Jobs was 5!
Great presentation! One of my favourites!
Reading that letter to his brothers I believe almost made me cry. It’s tragically beautiful.
The story of the 9th symphony gets me every time. Incredible isn't nearly enough to describe it.
Note: You should listen to it. Yes, the whole hour. The ode to joy is great, but definitely not all of the 9th and maybe not even the greatest part.
What ks the ninth symphony
0:08 Beethoven was born into a family of musicians
0:35 Did Beethoven and Mozart ever meet?
1:14 Beethoven began growing deaf [age 25]
3:22 [Beethoven hosted a 4 hour concert featuring his 5th & 6th symphonies] This was the greatest concert of all time.
5:12 Beethoven's late works
Well done, Rick. The novel, The Black Spaniard, addresses Beethoven's struggle with deafness and his decision to embrace life. Glad he did! :)
The fact that he wrote some of the most important music works of all time completly deaf speaks a lot of his generosity and cunning mind. He knew it was a life achievment that would put him among the greatest composers....
but yet was a hard task to do.
He wrote the 9th symphony and never heard a single note. That is generosity!!
Fortunatly I had the chance to sing the "Ode to Joy" twice in a month some years ago, in big open air concerts.
Unfforgetable experience!!!!
Greetings from Brasil
When you listen to the complexity of his music you get a glimpse of the power of his genius... truly inspiring!
Thank you Rick. Beethoven has been my favorite classical composer since the late 1970's. I have many times taken some of his passages to create interesting drum patterns.
Hey Rick, very well done to your work: lectures on music, composition, composers, orchestration etc. I've been following for some time now. Bravo! We all really appreciate your work!
Hi Merek, thank you so much for the kind words! I just listened to your NEO VARIATIONS : Tribute to John Towner Williams. Bravo! It sounds beautiful. I just subscribed and look forward to checking out your other videos. Rick
The Heilegestat testament breaks my heart every time I read it or hear it read. What a musician and artist. So great his godlike talent we forget he never heard some of his greatest works.
Beethoven has always been my favorite composer. Thanks Rick.
I can hear your admiration for this amazing composer. Thanks for sharing.
Man, I wish I could have attended that concert. I live in Vienna and I visit Beethovens grave and some of the houses he lived in regularly. I couldn't bare life without his music.
"Ah, it seemed to me impossible to leave the world until I had brought forth all that I felt was within me. So I endured this wretched existence - truly wretched for so susceptible a body, which can be thrown by a sudden change from the best condition to the very worst. - Patience, they say, is what I must now choose for my guide" ...absolutely beautiful words. I was injured while in the military and had to draw back my live shows substantially back around '13. I've been "signed" a few times, but was much more successful as a true indie, getting music on international radio and signing deals with MTV, Vh1, Paramount Films, performing Fri night of SXSW, and so on. This was an inspiring post Rick. I'm just north of you in TN - we should get together sometime. Lunch is on me!
Cant wait for the Mozart's 5 things!
I will always love Mr.Beethoven...the Man....his Music...His Spirit... his Mind and his relentless determination to keep on going no matter what ever odds in life that he faced!! That is why this man is an immortal great!!
Great video ! Very educational.
This was really interesting! I knew he started using lower notes more as his hearing went but I didn't actually realize he had composed music without being able to hear it at all! And I also didn't know he kept his hearing loss a secret, I had assumed being a deaf or hard of hearing composer had been part of what made him famous in the first place. Great video!
Incredible video. I teared up at your reading of those portions of the Heiligenstadt Testament
Rick, your brief exposition of Beethoven and his achievements brought as much tears to my eyes as his music has done. I salute you! As small token of thanks, let me add (.. not as the only one) fact #6: Beethoven met classical guitar virtuoso Mauro Giuliani too, while in Vienna, and Giuliani was of course influenced. So even for our favourite instrument, Beethoven has indirectly done wonders too: just check out Giuliani's "Grand Sonata Eroica". Thanks again - you are a treasure!
And Beethoven wrote four pieces for mandolin and harpsichord.
The allegretto of Beethoven's 7th: that's where it's at. And the sonatas "Appassionata" and "Pathetique" , especially played by Arrau. Listen to them and be amazed by the beauty.
This has to be one of the most powerful and now my favorite of all your videos thus far. This will help me when I go back to my classroom in a few weeks. My 6th grade music students will benefit from your expertise. Thank you.
As a music teacher you didn't know any of those facts?
@@ralphcordon5688 He didn’t say that. He enjoyed the presentation.
Thanks Rick, beautiful stuff. As Brooke said, I knew some of this. I could not have recited the pieces played on December 22, 1808. The only thing that I would add is that I read, in "Beethoven's Hair," that he went completely deaf by 1811. The 7th Symphony is, by far, my favorite. I need to check out Missa Solemnis. Just saw American Bach Soloists perform Bach's Mass in B Minor, this past Sunday, in San Francisco. Thanks again for the inspiration.
Great video. It's great seeing your passion extended to older music in the Western tradition.
If anyone is interested in Beethoven's late work, give a listen to his Grosse Fuge for string quartet. It was written after Beethoven's deafness had become complete & was one of the last pieces he wrote. After its premier the Grosse Fuge was ripped by the critics of the time, as it is very dissonant &, in places, difficult to listen to. By the time the early 20th Century had rolled around this work was finally being recognized as the great work it was (& is). Stravinsky stated, "[the Grosse Fuge is] an absolutely contemporary piece of music that will be contemporary forever."
Große Fuge is hard to get into tho
Glad to hear at least a couple of details about Beethoven that I didn't previously know. BTW, while it might be in doubt whether he met Mozart or not, he certainly became acquainted with Salieri, an acquaintance that resulted in a very odd set of a cappella partsongs in Italian, to texts by Metastasio. BTW, I conducted the Mass in C a couple of seasons ago -- what a wonderful piece! At the time of that 1808 concert, it was still "fresh," having only been completed a little more than a year previous.
Fantastic video! I'd love to see more of these.
So well presented. Thank you Rick. This was very interesting and is a wonderful tribute to the greatest composer ever.
Rick. I was driven to tears by your beautiful tribute to Beethoven (the 2nd movement of the 5th piano concerto - in the background - always has a tendency to do this to me). It is really nice to have a little overview like this by someone who knows his stuff. Keep up the good work.
What I find so refreshing is your knowledge of all KINDS of music. It is somehow inspiring and comforting to see your enthusiasm so evident across such a varied musical-style spectrum.
if I was in that cold theatre, all of beethoven's music would've warmed me up for sure
Love Beethoven, and love rock and roll. And naturally, a subscriber to your wonderful channel. Good choice of the 2nd movement of the 5th piano concerto as the background for his heartbreaking letter. You said so much, but could also have mentioned not only Hammerklavier but his last piano sonata, Op. 111, one of the most sublime works by anyone of all time. It incidentally introduces jazz/boogie woogie to the world, but also deeply spiritual ambient music.
I hope there's a heaven, not for my sake, but so that Beethoven could finally find a place of happiness.
Oh yes. I can well imagine him and George Gershwin tearing it up. The man was known for his skill at improvisation.
Super nice video! Thank you!
Extremely moving! Thank you!
Excellent presentation!
Been to the Vienna cemetery three times now to stand at Beethoven's grave next to Mozart and many others buried there. You made a nice video that spoke to his greatness.
Well done, I knew many of these things already, but your presentation gave me chills all the same. It's nice to see that you (like me) see no need to make qualitative distinctions between popular and classical music; they can each attain the sublime.
His letter to his brothers makes me weep.
Beethoven was not composer of the all the time but also he was the greatest minds of all the time🙏🙏❤️
fantastic video
Great video.
Great video thank you.
The very first music I remember in my life was the Scherzo from the Ninth.
To this day, I can't listen to his music without being profoundly moved. The Andante from the Seventh brings me to tears every time.
I thought he said violin alcoholic hahaha. I was trying to figure out what kind of music slang that could possibly be.
If it was a real slang it probably meant someone who likes violin like an addict lol
Looks like you might have what Beethoven had.
What an enthusiastic musician and what a great channel. I love seeing this kind of stuff.
I've loved Beethoven since I was a kid and thought I knew quite a lot about him, but the Heiligenstadt Testament was a revelation, and heartbreaking. It made me think that not only was Beethoven a great musician and mind, but an extraordinary man to be able to do what he did.
Wonderful job, Rick!
I am a jazz guitarist and a elementary music teacher who recently finished my masters in music education degree. My thesis was on Beethoven’s 3rd symphony and the period around the Heiligenstadt Testament with a deep analysis as to why that symphony was the most significant to that point in music history. I’d love to share my paper and/or presentation with the annotated score if you are interested! Keep up the good work!
Fantastic. Wow just wow. Thanks.
Bravo. I love facts about Ludwig. Nearly 300 years and still on the charts. Stunning.
The last 5 string quartets are the beginning of 20th Century music, over a hundred year ahead of its time.
When I listen to Beethoven’s story , It’s make me thinking of Django everytime.Because both of them had fated the worst misfortune that every ordinary man might be gave up to his fate.But they both not only just overcome their troubles but their was cross over boundaries of himself before disability and created greater masterpieces than before. ( actually their works has been shape theory for many generations of musician ) . So they ain’t just great musician but also great among mankind.
( First time when I was read about Django’s history I was impressed by great mind and great willing to play music of him more than even beethoven’story and His story remind me that awesome abilities doesn’t came from physical skill or talent but actually started form inner mind and willing to play music.
Oh my thank you so much I went through a period of about 10 years when I was obsessed with Beethoven . I have no classical music background at all . I love folk and rock and they was my food and drink when I was growing up , but I think when Beethoven gets under your skin it is undeniable. The ninth is the pinnacle of human evolution to me . It is a symphony that can change hearts and can heal . It is as if something is speaking through him . I wonder what would have happened if he had never lost his hearing . The Eroica to me is astonishing as well and I think his hearing was intact and the scale of the Eroica is as vast ,so I don’t think his total deafness and the isolation that followed contributed to the 9th . I think it was already there . Like Mozart he was uncovering these masterpieces. Would love to see a comparison on hot shot pianists . They used to have duels. Like hot shot guitarists . And people would wager on the fastest and best improviser . That world sounds fascinating . Thank you .
So so true, what you say echoes my own story with Beethoven. I play blues/folk/rock, and had always been mesmerised by Mozart, but a few years ago was given a fairly comprehensive catalogue of Beethovens music. I became(and still am somewhat) obsessed with it. 'Obsession' sounds like a dramatic word but is accurate. It gets truly under the skin. I must've listened to Eroica 1000 times and it is as fresh every time. There is nothing in western music which can, in around 40 minutes, sublimely express the whole range of human feeling from utterly introverted, existential despair, to the triumph of a personal joy which words cannot reach.
A familiarity with this music should alone have the open minded, thinking being, wonder if we are, as is fed to us, little more than slightly advanced apes.
Murray Easton hiya , totally agree with everything. The Eroica is astonishing. It was my gateway to Beethoven . I was numbed by the experience. It is as you describe , much a journey through the emotions of the mind . From the turbulent to the sublime . Made me cry . No other composer can take me on such a remarkable journey. I agree . This is not music from an organic species . For me it is music of a completely aware mind and all the mysteries that entails. I know he was very troubled,but he undeniably had glimpses of extraordinary beauty and power . We are obviously big fans . I extend my hand to you .
I enjoyed reading both of your thoughts. Beethoven be with you.
Beethoven was a black guy we’re is the karen
Murray Easton
Beethoven once said, “He who truly understands my music will be freed from the suffering of this world. “
Great content! I'd love to see more videos about famous composers. Keep up the good work!
You listed the reasons that confirmed my belief that Beethoven IS the greatest of all composers in the Western world.
BEETHOVEN WAS BLACK! Why you didn’t you mention that ?
Greatest composer in the Western world is Bach. But Beethoven and Mozart come in second.
Wonderful video! I love the 5th piano concerto. Keep making great videos!
Oh Rick! Those words from Beethoven made me burst into weeping...such irrestible emotion!! So moving...was totally unprepared for that!
Rick, your storytelling skills are almost as good as your lectures on music! Thank you
XLNT vid Rick! Yep - It truly is incredible how the 9th has endured and been used for so many purposes through-out human history since that time. I consider the 9th to be the greatest musical piece written by a human on planet earth. We will be seeing the 9th performed in Dallas by the magnificent DSO later this summer. I can not wait!!!
I knew it all but I'm a Beethoven fanatic! Did you know Beethoven once said, " Everyday is lost in which we do not learn something new."
Thanks! That's what I think every day!
I knew all these things, but Beethoven is also my favorite person in the history of the world.
Beethoven was far more introspective in his sonatas (private musings, reflecting on his life or Life in general) than in his symphonies (meant for general public consumption). If you want to know Beethoven the man, listen to his piano sonatas; if you want to know Beethoven the crowd-pleaser, listen to his symphonies.
Crowd pleaser? He inspired and challenged people. He didn't write symphonies to please them, particularly from the third symphony onward.
Beethoven poured some of his most intimate ideas into his string quartets, particularly the later ones. Music that absolutely no one else in history could have written.
His 1st, 2nd and 4th Symphonies are pretty conventional (by classicist standards), but the others are all groundbreaking in one way or another. As far as introspection goes, we can't ignore the 8th symphony which more than anything shows B's self-awareness. It is ostensibly him parodying himself, embracing his own tropes and shortcomings.
Thanks again,very interesting
I swear that your content is never disappointing. Your channel is really interesting and helpful. Thank you so very much.
Rick I loved the video. LVB is my all time favorite musician and composer. I wonder if you had any thoughts on why improvising used to be an important part of classical music and no longer is? As I recall Beethoven was renowned for his improvisational skills and won many competitions against other virtuoso of his time. Would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.
Improvisation requires higher levels of abstraction, which in turn is a consequence of higher levels of intelligence. Intelligence is the ability to maintain variables and manipulate them within the brain - the more variables you can maintain and the degree to which you can manipulate them determines your level of intelligence. High levels of intelligence are strongly associated with open mindedness, which is a highly desirable personality trait in artists. Today, IQ is on the decline, and individual artistic expression has taken a backseat to fame; take what has already worked and regurgitate it ad nauseam, while exerting the majority of your energy on your manufactured image. I love when people laud musical artists today as "genius" only to hear uninspired jingles, disguised as songs, designed to be instantly mapped by the least cognitively capable of our species. As with everything, practically all music today is purely instant gratification, offering no emotional complexity for our brains to marvel within through repeated listening sessions. When instant gratification is your primary mode of operation, exerting energy in abstracting improvisations will not compete with the path of least resistance. Listening to Beethoven is akin to a meal where every bite offers flavours to ponder upon, while music of today is a fast food combo that makes you giddy for five minutes, after which, you're already looking for your next meal. Today's music tells you how to feel, while truly creative music shows you how you feel. The latter requiring more effort coincides with Beethoven's classic quote, "What is difficult is good."
@@davidbudo5551 interesting theory though I'm not sure I agree with you. I'm not sure that there is any scientific evidence of the decline of IQ's and I can tell you first hand that improvising has not been a part of classical music for a very very very long time whereas it used to be considered an essential tool. Improvisation continues to be a part of almost all other genre's of music including but not limited to rock, r&b, soul, jazz, blues, Latin, etc. All that said we definitely agree on Beethoven.
@@pedroV2003
I think improvisation ceased to be part of the musical education during
the second half of the 19th century.
Compositions had become more complex, and composers started
to complain about musicians,
who would include their own improvisations into the pieces,
and thus make them unrecognizable.
That would lead
to a common ostracism of the art
of improvisation in general.
"You have to play what is written there and nothing else!"
So throwing the baby
within the bathwater, sadly.
Ever since it didn't find back
into the classical musical education.
Hopefully it will come back
someday in the future.
Students of composition anyway,
might still have to learn the skill.
Just my thoughts,
I don't know if it's all correct.
@@ralphcordon5688 could be. I should probably ask some of my classical musician friends.
@@pedroV2003
Actually, as a classical musician,
playing, say, in an orchestra,
you need a lot of skills, such as
sight reading among other things,
but you don't need improvisation.
But that doesn't mean that you
shouldn't learn it from the very
beginning, when you start to
learn your instrument as a child.
The dilemma is, when you learn
your instrument the classical way,
you learn to read music right away yes,
but you don't learn to play just by ear,
whereas those who learn it otherwise,
don't learn to read music.
Both skills should be learned
simultaneously; maybe they
do it nowadays, who knows.
Beautifull!! Thanks, you are the best!
He was a badass.
The excerpt you read is heartbreaking, yet his story is inspiring.
Such great videos
Wow, nicely done Rick!
Great trivias.
Thank you very much! Impressive!
Ludwig Van Badass!
He's not that. How about you then, Baddas Lee!
Ludwig Van Bassist
Say what you must and as you must, has there been one other than Beethoven in music emotion, spirituality and endless reflection. Beethoven too was mortal but yet lives on !
Amazing video. I loved how his music played in the background as you talked about it. I agree completely about Beethoven being one of the greatest minds of our time. I consider him on of the most important humans to have ever lived.
“Beethoven... the greatest creative benefactor of all time, bar none....” - Louis Biancolli
I'm just glad you said "van" and not "von." That's a pet peeve of mine.
Would Beethoven have been such a pioneer in music if he wasn't stricken with deafness? A lot of his earlier works when he had his hearing were certainly competent but they sounded like Mozart. The intro to his Pathetique Sonata (1799) literally ushered in the Romantic period. He had lost a considerable amount of his hearing by the time he composed it. Could it be possible that the isolation resulting from his malady was the catalyst for his huge strides forward in the evolution of harmony? Did God curse Beethoven with deafness in order to bless humanity with his profound musical works? Would we have the Choral Symphony, Hammerklavier Sonata, Missa solemnis, or the late string quartets if Beethoven was not afflicted?
Alberti Bass He most definitely would have been a pioneer. His op 1 no 3 can attest to that. Or his op 10 no 3 -- that slow movement was like nothing before.
Who knows. I would guess yes because even his early works are brilliantly innovative. Good either way, no doubt, but might have been different,
Would Stephen Hawking have become a great physicist if his body wasn't crippled to the point where all he had was his brain? Maybe. Perhaps he and Beethoven were great despite their maladies? We'll never know, but yours is an interesting question.
An interesting question no doubt. He was already great and would no doubt have continued to push the boundaries, but whether his works would have come out as they did, as haunted, exhalted, jubilant, etc. is anyone's guess. However, even with hearing intact, he would have suffered misfortunes and failures, grown older and more frail, and this would perhaps have pushed him in a similar direction.
Fantastic. Thank you!
So very interesting!!!!!!!
excellent stuff. the best channel for music heads.
Beethoven never actually needed to hear in order to compose because he not only had one of the finest absolute pitch ear, but could hear everything he wanted to compose in his head. In fact, fact no. 6 could actually be that because of his having to rely on his inner ear so much, Beethoven's compositional methodology actually became somewhat easier. He relied less on working things out on a keyboard which in his younger days he would scratch things out all over the place and make numerous revisions. These were far less as time went on and his later manuscripts clearly reflect this. You're welcome Rick. By the way, having performed the 4th concerto myself, I investigated the story of the premier at that mammoth concert even to the attempt to try to find out what type of piano he may have used for it since there are "ossias" in the piano part which seem to indicate his possible use of a piano with a larger compass. Unfortunately, the manuscript was lost along the way so we can not actually see Beethovens own thoughts first hand.
Composing without instruments( with manuscript paper)is quite common among any decent composer. I can sketch out pop and rock songs complete within minutes. A large orchestration within hours. Music is finite. It follows strict but easily learned rules. Once you know what notes a D minor triad is made up of ,for example ,their is no need to hear it. Orchestrating large ensembles is as simple once you deconstruct it. Within a year anyone can write without an instrument . Anyone can tell the difference between Major,minor,diminished, 7th. etc.immediately. Just spend a little time getting familiar with how intervals sound and you are on your way.
Fortunately he did hear all the instruments before he went deaf. Otherwise he would not know what music is or how the different instruments sound. And that is much needed for composing.
Mike Lee lets hear your 9th symphony written all out without hearing it once then.
It is rumored Mozart never heard his last 3 symphonies, which took him 5 weeks to compose, performed during his lifetime.
the 40th is the one Beethoven wrote in his notebook, (mentioned in the video) Beethoven's 5th 3rd movement references Mozart's 40th 4th movement
As someone that has degenerative hearing loss, and an impending doom of it some day going completely away, I have to admire Beethoven's ability to not wallow in despair. It is easy to do.
Well that got me crying. Beethoven was the real hero of his Eroica. He defines greatness. The universe would be an empty sad place indeed without the Ninth. But then there's always Johann Sebastien Bach whom Beethoven revered.
Eroica is the Third though,
not the Ninth. In 1802/3
he still had his hearing.
And for sure he revered Mozart
as well, along with Händel and Haydn,
whom he took lessons off.
eroica is my favorite piece of music ever
Someone should make a movie about Mozart and Beethoven meeting.
Beethoven is my favourite classical composer. The Ninth Symphony is my favourite
I had read the Beethoven was also one of the best pianists of all time (when he was a young adult). When he arrived in Vienna he wanted to show off his talents and kept writing pieces that he thought some of the other pianists would not be able to play. Often showing the correct fingering for some of the piano passages which to be able to play as intended the pianist had to have a really large hands which Beethoven apparently had. I found this ironically surprising since in my mind, I consider composing and playing vastly different skills.
In fact, many of the most significant of composers were capable keyboardists. This was because directing the orchestra was one usual role of the composer, and in the baroque style, that was always done from the keyboard, whether it be harpsichord in secular settings, or organ in sacred situations (it wasn't really until after 1820 that conductors started waving sticks). In the classical, romantic and contemporary periods, There was a long string of composers who were virtuosic performers at the piano, beginning with Mozart, and continuing through Beethoven, Schubert, Robert Schumann (promising performing career halted by an accidental, self-inflicted hand injury), Clara Schumann, Liszt, Chopin (not really much of a performer, but an undeniable genius on the instrument), Ravel and Rachmaninoff (wanna talk big hands? He could play a tenth, which is not unusual, but with a third between his thumb and first finger, and an octave between his first finger and pinkie, which certainly is!). I'm with you on the idea that composing and playing are distinct skills, but historically speaking, anyway, there's been plenty of overlap.
I suggest listening to some Oscar Peterson or Art Tatum. They were composing on the fly and Beethoven was considered a great improvisor in his younger years.
Very interesting! These composers were just on a different level in talent. Those were different times and led to the climax of talent and perfection. They were just incredible!