Ludwig van Beethoven was taught by his brother Johann van Beethoven and Christian Gottlob Neefe.
 In 1799 Beethoven participated in (and won) a notorious piano 'duel' at the home of Baron Raimund Wetzlar (a former patron of Mozart) against the virtuoso Joseph Wlfl; and in the following year he similarly triumphed against Daniel Steibelt at the salon of Count Moritz von Fries
 In 1789 Beethoven's father was forcibly retired from the service of the Court (as a consequence of his alcoholism) and it was ordered that half of his father's pension be paid directly to Ludwig for support of the family

