Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) was a German composer and pianist, a period of transition from musical classicism to romanticism. He is one of the most admired composers in history and his compositions are among the most played in the repertoire of classical music. Beethoven's work includes 9 symphonies, 32 piano sonatas, 5 piano concertos, 10 sonatas for piano and violin, countless string quartets, vocal and theatrical music and many other small compositions.