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Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn on 17 December 1770, the son of a tenor singer in
the employ of the Elector of Cologne. His father was a drunkard, who returned home late at night,
often drunk, and dragged young Ludwig from his bed in order to beat music lessons into the boy's
sleepy head. There are also stories of his father forcing him to play his violin for the
amusement of his drinking cronies. Despite these and other abuses - which might well have
persuaded a lesser person to loathe the subject - the young Beethoven developed a sensitivity
and vision for music. Despite his father's brutal teaching methods, Ludwig showed signs of
promise, so his father called in teachers to help his son. By the age of seven, he was advanced
enough to perform in public.
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