In March of 1827, wracked with abdominal pain and other maladies, Ludwig Van Beethoven lay dying in his bed. Grieving friends, acquaintances, and long-time admirers came to his bedside for what appeared to be one final visit. As a young composer acolyte finished saying goodbye, he asked a seemingly innocuous request, could he have a lock of Beethoven's hair for remembrance?

Unaware of the impact of the gesture, Beethoven agreed to the request. Beethoven passed away the next day, at the relatively young age of 56.

For the next three days, as word spread of his demise, a parade of mourners visited his corpse, paid their respects, and clipped a small lock of Ludwig's voluminous hair until not a single strand remained. (Side note: removing my hair would take just a few minutes.)

Fast forward nearly two hundred years, and those strands of hair help tell Beethoven's true story and help finish the unfinished Symphony of his life.

A recent DNA analysis of strands of Ludwig's hair has upended long-held beliefs about his health, debilitating ailments, and cause of death. It also raises new questions about his origins and unknown father while simultaneously answering questions about any offspring and lineage.

For instance, we now know that Beethoven did not have lead poisoning as was previously suspected. He was also not a person of color as some had proposed. And a Flemish Family with the same surname who proudly boasted they were part of his lineage, learned that they were not. Finally, his potential cause of death, liver cirrhosis, was likely not a result of alcohol abuse, but a rare genetic disorder.

BEETHOVEN'S GENIUS IS WELL DOCUMENTED, AS ARE THE MYSTERIES OF HIS LIFE. WHAT LED TO HIS HEARING LOSS? WHO WAS HIS IMMORTAL BELOVED? WHO WAS HIS FATHER? WHAT CAUSED HIS DEATH? THERE ARE SO MANY QUESTIONS AND SO FEW ANSWERS ABOUT HIS LIFE AND WORK.

What is lost among his prodigious talent and unanswered questions are his life's triumphs and tribulations. A holistic look at his life shows the value of a life filled with passion, purpose, and determination.

This is where Beethoven's true genius soars like a beautiful melody above an abrasive, turbulent, rhythmic, and harmonic line.

This is where you and Ludwig share some common ground.

THIS FEELING OF INADEQUACY FUELED HIS DRIVE, PASSION, AND WILLINGNESS TO WORK THROUGH, OVER, AND AROUND, ANY OBSTACLES THROWN IN HIS PATH, INCLUDING DEAFNESS.

The early 1800s were very different from our modern day. Not worse, just different. Composing music is not the same thing as teaching it, but the struggles Beethoven and you share have common ground. Like many of you, Ludwig was troubled by his imperfection, filled with self-loathing and doubt.

He never felt like he had achieved his magnum opus or grand accomplishment. In other words, despite being among the greatest composers of all time - he never felt as if he had reached his full potential.

Sound familiar?

Beethoven's life was hard. I mean, really hard. Beethoven had no father, no support system, no companion, and was seriously sick for most of his life. And then... The world's most preeminent composer went deaf! That's hard. So hard, that when he learned of his impending hearing loss, he considered taking his own life. In an unsent suicide letter to his brothers, he wrote:

"It seemed impossible to leave the world until I had produced all that I felt called upon me to produce, and so I endured this wretched existence… Difficult is beautiful and good; patience it is that I must now choose for my guide."

Reread it out loud.

"Difficult is beautiful; let patience be my guide."

I don't know about you - but that resonates with me more than his Ninth Symphony.

As a teacher and a person, I understand and embrace the first part. Where I continue to fail is letting patience be my guide—patience with myself, my students, and my life. Patience requires trust, and faith that you are a willing, deserving, and worthy part of this profession and this life.

Ludwig may no longer be composing, but he teaches us to embrace the challenge and patiently wait for the results. Like Beethoven, this likely means that the full measure of your results may not be realized until you have left this profession or this planet.

Be like Beethoven, be patient.

Beethoven's work as a composer continues two hundred years after his passing. With only fragmented sketches remaining, artificial intelligence that studied his compositional style realized his 10th and "Unfinished Symphony." You can hear it here.

As a teacher, he shows us that everyone struggles and that grit, determination, and passion will prevail over pain.

Like Ludwig, one day, you will no longer be conducting, but your "Unfinished Symphony" will continue in the lives of your students and their children. Looking Bach, the true lessons of Ludwig and your life are Haydn in plain sight.*

"Difficult is beautiful; let patience be your guide."

Something to remember on this, and every other morning.

Have a great week, my friends.

Scott

*These puns came from Dave Pell - an online curator I avidly follow; is the self-proclaimed Managing Editor of the Internet, and King of Puns.