Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer who lived from 1770 to 1827 and created some of the most powerful and beloved music ever written. His symphonies, piano sonatas, and string quartets changed music forever, bridging the Classical and Romantic eras.

What makes Beethoven's story remarkable is that he began losing his hearing in his late twenties, yet he continued composing masterpieces even after becoming completely deaf. Imagine writing music you can't hear: Beethoven heard the notes in his mind so clearly that he could compose entire symphonies without being able to listen to a single sound. He would feel vibrations through the floor and the piano to sense the music.

His Fifth Symphony opens with four of the most famous notes in music: “duh-duh-duh-DUM!” His Ninth Symphony includes the “Ode to Joy,” a melody so uplifting that the European Union chose it as its anthem. His Moonlight Sonata for piano captures a mood of quiet contemplation.

Beethoven had a fierce, determined personality. He was often messy, socially awkward, and quick-tempered, but he poured all his emotions into his music. When you hear Beethoven's music today, you're experiencing the passion and determination of someone who refused to let anything, not even deafness, stop him from creating beauty.