Beethoven lost his hearing almost entirely by 1824
Ludwig van Beethoven is among the most famous classical music composers of all time. His symphonies are still played all around the world and can be heard in the soundtracks of countless films. His music reflects the changes that took place during the transition from the Classical period to the Romantic period.
In a cruel twist of fate, he began to lose his hearing in the late 1700s, likely due to otosclerosis, where the bones in the middle ear grow soft. His deafness impacted his work and made him uncomfortable in social situations. By 1824, when his Ninth Symphony premiered, he had lost most of his hearing.