skip to navigation

    Classic FM

    On Air Now

    Saturday Night at the Movies with Andrew Collins 7pm - 9pm

    Saturday Night at the Movies with Andrew Collins

    Now Playing

    Battle of Britain - Prelude to Battle/Work and Play/Battle of Britain Theme Ron Goodwin Download 'Battle of Britain - Prelude to Battle/Work and Play/Battle of Britain Theme' on iTunes

    Battle of Britain - Prelude to Battle/Work and Play/Battle of Britain Theme artwork
    • Playlist
    • Schedule
    Listen
    • Home
    • Radio
    • News
    • Discover Music
    • Composers
    • Artists
    • Win
    • Charity
    • Christmas
    • Quizzes
    • Dating
    • Follow us on:
      Follow Classic FM on Twitter
      Follow Classic FM on Facebook
      Follow Classic FM on Instagram
      Follow Classic FM on Youtube

    Composers

    Beethoven

    • Beethoven Home
    • Music
    • News
    • Album reviews
    • Pictures
    • Guides
    • More Composers

    Beethoven's family

    Beethoven's family were a powerful influence on him, helping to create both the tension as well as the passion that underlie his greatest music. John will be talking about the influence Beethoven's family had on his music in his 12-part series, Beethoven: The Man Revealed

    1. Ludwig's father Johann van Beethoven

      1. Ludwig's father Johann van Beethoven

      At the age of 22, Johann van Beethoven secured an appointment as court musician, due to his fine tenor voice. To supplement his small income, he gave singing and piano lessons...

    2. Maria Magdalena Keverich Beethoven's mother

      2. Maria Magdalena Keverich Beethoven's mother

      Maria Magdalena Keverich was the daughter of Heinrich Keverich, chief overseer of the kitchen at the palace of the Elector of Trèves at Ehrenbreitstein...

    3. Ludwig van Beethoven (1712-73) Beethoven's grandfather

      3. Ludwig van Beethoven (1712-73) Beethoven's grandfather

      He was born in Malines in Flanders, the son of a master baker. At the age of five he became a student at a choir school, where he stayed for eight years...

    4. Nikolaus Johann van Beethoven (1776-1848) Beethove

      4. Nikolaus Johann van Beethoven (1776-1848) Beethoven's brother

      Nikolaus followed his brother Ludwig to Vienna in December 1795, expressing the wish to be known from then onwards as Johann, in memory of the brothers' late father...

    5. Piano keys

      5. Caspar Carl van Beethoven (1774-1815) Beethoven's brother

      Carl followed his brother Ludwig to Vienna in May 1794. As a musician of minor talent he earned a meagre living giving piano lessons, trading on the fact that he was Beethoven's brother...

    6. Beethoven memorial Vienna

      6. Johanna van Beethoven (c.1784-1868) Beethoven's sister-in-law

      Beethoven's brother Carl married Johanna Reiss on 25 May 1806, prompting Ludwig to write many years later, 'My brother's marriage was as much an indication of his immorality as of his folly'...

    7. Gneixendorf, Beethoven family home

      7. Therese van Beethoven (1787-1828) Beethoven's sister-in-law

      Beethoven's brother Johann, having moved to Linz in 1808 after buying his apothecary shop, lived in a house too large for his needs, and so decided to rent part of it out to a physician from Vienna.

    8. Karl van Beethoven (1806-58) Beethoven's nephew

      8. Karl van Beethoven (1806-58) Beethoven's nephew

      Karl van Beethoven, son of Carl and Johanna, was the only child of the three Beethoven brothers, and thus the sole Beethoven of the next generation...

    Beethoven News

    See more Beethoven News

    Beethoven in 250 words.

    Beethoven at 250: famous figures share what his music means to them, in 250 words

    3-year-old conductor

    This 3-year-old kid conducting to Beethoven’s Fifth is the future of classical music

    Slate article tells classical fans to ‘stop calling Beethoven by his last name’

    ‘Fullnaming’ Mozart and Beethoven to fight sexism and racism? Twitter squabbles over Slate article

    Beethoven Music

    See more Beethoven Music

    Beethoven art

    10 works of Beethoven that actually changed the world

    Beethoven Moonlight Sonata

    Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight’ Sonata: discover the 1801 piano masterpiece

    Beethoven - Symphony No. 9 in D minor ('Choral')

    The remarkable story of Beethoven’s ‘Choral’ Symphony No. 9 and the ‘Ode to Joy’

    Beethoven Pictures

    See more Beethoven Pictures

    San Quentin Prison interior

    10 of the greatest composers who broke the law

    Beethoven composer letters

    Letters of the great composers: 14 moving, funny and inspiring quotations from the documents they left behind

    Discover Music

    Anna-Maria Mozart mother

    Famous composers' mothers

    Discover Music

    Beethoven Album Reviews

    See more Beethoven Album Reviews

    new releases 30th july

    New releases: Irnberger and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra play Beethoven and Rachmaninov with Martin Jones

    new releases 1st may

    New releases: Beethoven with the Royal Northern Sinfonia & Lars Vogt and 'Strauss in St Petersburg'

    new releases 10th april

    New releases: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra plays Brahms and Beethoven with the London Philharmonic Orchestra

    Beethoven Guides

    See more Beethoven Guides

    Ludwig van Beethoven and Nannette Streicher

    Meet Nannette Streicher, ‘the woman who built Beethoven’s pianos’

    Ludwig van Beethoven

    So if Beethoven was completely deaf, how did he compose?

    A step-by-step guide to Beethoven’s nine symphonie

    A step-by-step guide to Beethoven’s nine symphonies

    Back to top

    Also on Classic FM

    • LBC News
    • handel
    • debussy
    • music theory
    • instruments
    • brahms
    • vivaldi
    • bach
    • tchaikovsky
    • chopin
    • andrea bocelli
    • beethoven
    • mozart
    • classical music tear jerkers
    • best classical music
    • Classic FM Live
    • classic fm requests
    • john suchet
    • piano world record
    • best pianists
    • harry potter music
    • classic fm app
    • saturday night at the movies
    • star wars soundtrack
    • best sopranos
    • best cellists
    • composer or pasta
    • music for studying
    • best violinists
    • sad music
    • composer birthdays
    • relaxing music

    Useful Links

    • Contact Us
    • Help
    • How To Listen
    • About Classic FM
    • Company Details
    • Cookies
    • Privacy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Advertise

    Download the app

    Get it on the app store Get it on Google Play

    Follow Us

    Follow Classic FM on Twitter
    Follow Classic FM on Facebook
    Follow Classic FM on Instagram
    Follow Classic FM on Youtube
    © Global 2021
    30 Leicester Square, London, WC2H 7LA
    Privacy Manager