FAMOUS COMPOSERS:
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

BEETHOVEN BIOGRAPHY HISTORY LESSON

Directions:

Print the Ludwig Van Beethoven reading comprehension passage and questions (see below).

Students should read the passage silently, then answer the questions.  Teachers may also use the text as part of a classroom lesson plan.

Lesson Excerpt

Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the world's most famous composers. He was born in Bonn, Germany in 1770. As a young man, he was very serious and very interested in music. When Beethoven was 17 years old, he took his first trip to Vienna, Austria. At the time, Vienna was the center of culture, and many musicians and artists went there to study. Soon after he arrived in Vienna, Beethoven's mother and sister died, and young Ludwig had to return to Bonn to support his family for the next five years. After his father died, Beethoven returned to Vienna for good.

Beethoven was an interesting character. He is known for being outspoken and clumsy, and he didn't pay much attention to his appearance. He was very self-confident and knew from a young age that he was a kind of musical genius. Though he was a kind-hearted man, Beethoven was also known for his temper. He could be quite rude at times, but at other times, he was very generous and kind.

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