Ludwig van Beethoven and his five legless pianos keep having to move from one apartment to another when his neighbors complain about the noise.

"Vienna, 1800. Countess Julie Guicciardi's life is about to change forever. The spirited eighteen-year-old is taking piano lessons with Ludwig van Beethoven, the most talented piano virtuoso in the musical capital of Europe. She is captivated by his volatile genius, while he is drawn to her curiosity and disarming candor. Between them, a unique romance. But Beethoven has a secret he's yet to share, and Julie is harboring a secret of her own, one so...

Explores the life and music of Beethoven, to many, the most admired composer in the history of Western classical music. Examines his views on life, politics, and the French Revolution, and how his struggle to resist being defeated by his deafness has a parallel in his music.

"Master cartoonist Mikael Ross (The Thud) tells the story of Beethoven from 1778 to his first major public appearance in Vienna in 1795. It begins when the family is living a difficult life in Bonn. Father Johann battles with alcoholism and is deep in debt. Only young Ludwig and his talent at the piano offer any hope for the future--if only he would stop composing his own pieces and just play what's expected of him."--