Master composer and Romantic artist Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) wrote what may be the most recognized four notes in history, the opening of his Fifth Symphony. Three short beats, then a long one. Many hear Fate in that rhythm, a knock that reminds us that even in struggle there can be presence and strength.

“Music is the mediator between the spiritual and sensual life,” he said of his gift. For Beethoven, sound carried prayer and longing. His scores held what words could not.

Born on this day in Bonn, Germany, Beethoven began playing the piano at four. By twelve he was an organist at court, already publishing music and helping to support his family. Shaped by habits that matched his inner world and devoted to composing, he rose early to write and carried notebooks filled with themes wherever he went.

In his twenties he began to lose his hearing. Despair came first, then a steady choice to keep creating while he could still hear even a little. He poured his energy into the page, writing masterpieces despite the deepening quiet around him, trusting the music within more than the silence outside.

“Tones sound and roar and storm about me until I have set them down in notes,” he explained passionately. “What I have in my heart and soul must find a way out. That is the reason for music.”

That is the reason for art: to give form to what rises within. Beethoven’s heart chose creation over despair. He kept composing even as silence closed around him, trusting that the music within still mattered. He was a beautiful soul, complicated and brilliant, and the depth he carried still resonates in our hearts. His music shines forever.