
Show Notes
Send us Fan Mail Why did Beethoven lose his hearing? In this episode of The Classical Music Minute, we explore one of the most famous mysteries in music history. Ludwig van Beethoven began experiencing hearing problems in his late twenties, including ringing in the ears and difficulty hearing high sounds and distant voices. By 1802, he knew the condition was serious and progressive. During a stay in Heiligenstadt, he wrote the deeply personal Heiligenstadt Testament, describing the distress c...
More from The Classical Music Minute
Send us Fan Mail Clear melodies, balanced forms, and the rise of the symphony helped define the Classical era. It was the age of Haydn and Mozart—and of a young Beethoven beginning to push music in a new direction. Support the show Love classical music? There's more to discover. You can read the companion article and subscribe on Substack at The Classical Music Minute. And for a brand-new narrated classical music story every day, download the Classical Minute app for iPhone. I've also p...
Send us Fan Mail Opera was born, instrumental music flourished, and major and minor keys became central to Western music. The Baroque era gave us some of classical music’s most enduring forms—and some of its greatest composers. Support the show Love classical music? There's more to discover. You can read the companion article and subscribe on Substack at The Classical Music Minute. And for a brand-new narrated classical music story every day, download the Classical Minute app for iPhone. ...
Send us Fan Mail What was Mozart really like when the concert halls fell silent and he sat down to write to his family? In Their Own Words is a special series from The Classical Music Minute that explores the lives of history’s great composers through their personal correspondence. Combining historical context with dramatized readings of their letters, the series takes us beyond the familiar portraits of musical genius to encounter the people behind the music—their ambitions, frustrations, re...
Send us Fan Mail Polyphony flourished, madrigals filled courts and homes, and printing helped music travel across Europe. In just two centuries, the Renaissance transformed how Western music was composed, performed, and shared. Support the show Love classical music? There's more to discover. You can read the companion article and subscribe on Substack at The Classical Music Minute. And for a brand-new narrated classical music story every day, download the Classical Minute app for iPhone. ...
Send us Fan Mail From Gregorian chant to polyphony, the Medieval era saw some of Western music’s most important developments—including the growth of musical notation and increasingly complex composition. Support the show Love classical music? There's more to discover. You can read the companion article and subscribe on Substack at The Classical Music Minute. And for a brand-new narrated classical music story every day, download the Classical Minute app for iPhone. I've also published tw...