Ludwig Van Beethoven was born in Bonn, he settled in Vienna in 1792. From the age of 30, he was troubled with increasing deafness. In a career which spanned the decline of Classicism and the growth of Romanticism, his mastery of musical expression in every genre made him the dominant influence in the 19th-century music. His works, which include nine symphonies, five piano concertos and one violin concerto, are probably the most frequently performed in the repertoire. His 32 piano sonatas, 16 string quartets and other chamber musicalso remain popular.