Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)

Beethoven's deafness began in his twenties and was complete by his forties. Yet his late works - including the Ninth Symphony and the final string quartets - represent some of the most profound compositions in Western music, none of which he ever heard performed.

After arriving in Vienna to study with Haydn, he quickly surpassed his teachers and pushed Classical forms toward their breaking point. His music bridged the gap between the Classical and Romantic eras. Difficult, uncompromising, and solitary by nature, he nonetheless produced work of such emotional depth and structural innovation that many consider him the greatest composer in history.