Beethoven born in Bonn c. 16 December; he is baptised on 17 December.
Receives his first music lessons, from his father.
Outbreak of the American Revolution.
Mozart composes his ‘Haffner’ Serenade.
Makes his first appearance as a keyboard prodigy, at Cologne, 26 March.
Mozart completes his six string quartets dedicated to Haydn and begins work on The Marriage of Figaro; Haydn proclaims him ‘the greatest composer known to me’.
Visits Vienna and probably plays to Mozart (who allegedly predicts great things for him) but quickly returns to Bonn on the death of his mother (40) on
17 July.
Outbreak of French Revolution with the storming of the Bastille.
Composes his ‘Joseph’ and ‘Leopold’ cantatas; meets Haydn, who visits Bonn en route to England.
Mozart’s Così fan tutte produced in Vienna.
Leaves Bonn for Vienna, where he begins studies with Haydn.
Takes counterpoint lessons from Albrechtsberger, who prophesies that he will never amount to anything.
Works on the ballet The Creatures of Prometheus, defeats Steibelt in a pianistic ‘duel’ and takes on Czerny as a pupil.
Writes the despairing ‘Heiligenstadt Testament’ in response to his worsening deafness yet composes his sunny Second Symphony, the Op. 31 piano sonatas (including the ‘Tempest’) and the variations, Opp. 34 and 35 (the so-called ‘Eroica’ Variations).
Composes his ‘Triple Concerto’ for violin, cello and piano, the ‘Waldstein’ Sonata and the ‘Eroica’ Symphony.
Napoleon crowned Emperor in Paris.
Births of Richard Wagner and Giuseppe Verdi.
Makes preliminary sketches for the Ninth Symphony.
Clementi publishes first volume of his influential piano studies Gradus ad Parnassum.
Construction of the Erie Canal begins in USA.
Completes Missa solemnis and Ninth Symphony and publishes the ‘Diabelli’ Variations.
Beethoven confined to bed.
Receives many visitors, including Hummel and possibly Schubert; receives last rites on 24 March and dies two days later; more than 20,000 people gather to mourn his passing.