Ludwig van Beethoven (biography)

15/16 December 1770 , Bonn

26 March 1827 , Vienna

One of the greatest and most radical composers of all time. A tormented genius, who went deaf in later life and never heard his final works. His nine symphones are probably his greatest achievement, each one an unrivalved masterpiece, but he also wrote 5 piano concertos, piano sonatas, string quartets and one opera, Fidelio.