5 things you might have in common with Beethoven. Brooke Knoll
Dec. 16, 2020, marks the 250th birthday of composer Ludwig van Beethoven, who is believed to have been born in December 1770. While he is known for being one of the Three B s of Western classical composers and a household name, there were many parts of his life that were extraordinarily ordinary.
Even though you might not be a composing legend or a piano prodigy, here are five things you might have in common with Beethoven.
He was an older brother
Beethoven had two younger brothers that survived to adulthood: Nikolaus Johann and Caspar Carl (who both went by their middle names.) They all ended up living in Vienna at the same time, with Carl working part-time as Ludwig s agent and secretary, and Johann avoiding the music industry entirely, working at an apothecary. Like all siblings, they had their quarrels and disagreements, but they ultimately remained close throughout their lives.