The Well-Tempered Ear

What made Beethoven sick and deaf?

May 9, 2024
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By Jacob Stockinger

What made Beethoven (below) deaf and sick his entire adult life?

Scientists think they have an answer, although their opinion is not unanimous.

Here is a news story from Classic FM about the latest research:

https://www.classicfm.com/composers/beethoven/scientists-hair-analysis-deaf-mystery/


Here’s what killed Beethoven

February 23, 2024
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By Jacob Stockinger

What killed composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827, below) at 56?

It has only taken almost two centuries — from 1827 to 2024 — to find out.

In previous DNA tests done 17 years ago, scientists suggested that what killed LvB was gradual lead poisoning from the pewter tankards he used to drink water and alcohol.

There was just one problem.

They had the wrong hair.

But now scientists say they have a hair sample (below) that is certified as authentic snippets of hair taken from the great composer after his death.

The results of looking at the DNA have brought some surprises to the surface.

Here is a link to the latest research as reported on the website for Science Alert:

https://www.sciencealert.com/dna-from-beethovens-hair-reveals-surprise-some-200-years-later


They decoded Beethoven’s DNA. Here’s what they found

March 23, 2023
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By Jacob Stockinger

After 200 years, the DNA of Ludwig van Beethoven (below, 1770-1827) has been analyzed by a team of researchers.

The DNA was obtained from some of the famous composer’s hair.

The new study analyzed the German composer’s genes to get a better understanding of the health problems — deafness and liver failure among them — that plagued him.

Read about it — via Apple News, just click on continue — in a story from the Canadian-American VICE magazine: https://apple.news/AgGnJPZZcRyuC3nH2ycFL3A


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