Ludwig Van Beethoven

 

Beethoven was very temperamental and would end performances if he became aware of anyone in the audience talking. Beethoven’s deafness was the result of lead poisoning, and lead poisoning was also the cause of Beethoven’s death in 1827. 

 

Johannes Brahms

 

Brahms was an outdoorsy sort of person. When he wasn't travelling around Europe for concert tours, he was fond of travelling to the hills of Italy for walking holidays and to retreat for solitary composing.

 

Brahms thought Beethoven's symphonies were so great that he took over 20 years to write his own.

Although he began composing his first symphony in 1854, it wasn't premiered until November 1876, twenty-two years later. 

 

 

 

Antonin Dvorak

 

Dvořák studied organ, violin and piano. He played viola in the Bohemian Provisional Theatre Orchestra, performing in restaurants and at balls. In 1871, he resigned from the orchestra to concentrate on composing, scraping a living by teaching the piano.
 

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