250th Birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven

With the souvenir sheet "With Friends at the Piano" (face value: CHF 6.30), Philately Liechtenstein is commemorating the 250th birthday of the renowned composer Ludwig van Beethoven. The souvenir sheet, which was produced in steel engraving, shows the artist sitting at the piano surrounded by friends.
Beethoven was born in Bonn in 1770, although only the date of his baptism on 17 December is known. As a child he learned to play the piano, organ and violin and gave his first concert at the tender age of seven. In 1792, Beethoven moved to Vienna where he remained until the end of his life in 1827. When he died, the age of the Viennese Classicism also came to an end.

Beethoven is considered a pioneer of the romantic period and, in addition to his nine symphonies, he wrote a large number of piano and chamber music works, Lieder, as well as the opera Fidelio and other dramatic works. Besides music, he was also interested in philosophy, literature and politics. By the age of 27, Beethoven had already become hard of hearing. This condition worsened until he was almost deaf and often left the composer desperate. Experts assume that was the reason why the genius with the tousled mop of hair is to be seen with a grouchy expression in so many portraits.