The Deaf Composer: How Beethoven wrote music he couldn’t hear

What happens when one of history’s greatest composers begins to lose the very sense he relies on most? In this episode, we explore how Ludwig van Beethoven continued to create groundbreaking music even as his world fell into silence. Along the way, we uncover the myths, inventions, and raw determination that fueled Beethoven’s defiant creativity, and hear how his lifelong struggles are reflected in his music. Featuring musicologist Laura Tunbridge, author of Beethoven: A Life in Nine Pieces.

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Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: ⁠www.20k.org/episodes/the-deaf-composer
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